MAKING HEADLINE NEWS WELCOMES MEL BROWN MCGINNIS
Come unto Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)
DALLAS — For Mel Brown McGinnis, age isn’t merely just a number, particularly as it pertains to her immeasurable gifts as a writer.
Consider, for instance, how at just the tender age of 14, McGinnis was appropriately introduced to her awe-inspiring gift as a writer, an introduction that, much to her delight, was orchestrated by God Almighty.
“I’ve known since I was 14 years old that writing is my calling and my God-given gift,” McGinnis told Making Headline News this week. “I’ve been writing poetry since that time, but was never in a position to publish my work.”
PURCHASE MEL BROWN MCGINNIS’ BOOK HERE: https://www.amazon.com/Reflections-Life-Collection-Poetry-Images/dp/069214532X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1538938417&sr=8-1&keywords=mel+mcginnis&dpID=41LgXU7UWDL&preST=_SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch
Fortunately for McGinnis, that all changed some four years ago.
That’s because in 2014, this Louisiana native began working diligently on her novel.
Never mind that she consequently endured the dreaded writer’s block or, as she recalls, she “couldn’t quite move the story and the characters forward.”
Fast forward to some three years later, September 2017 to be exact.
“I was having dinner with an author friend of mine and we were discussing the timeline for finishing my book,” McGinnis explained. “I mentioned to her that I didn’t know if I was quite ready to move forward with the novel, but that I had all of these poems that I had written a few years back that really helped me to get through some dark days.”
MORE ON MEL BROWN MCGINNIS: www.authormelmcginnis.com23
It was, by all accounts, because of those darks — those spiritually challenging and wilderness experiences — that have greatly helped propel McGinnis to authorship greatness.
That’s because McGinnis is a little less than two months removed from having witnessed the much-anticipated release of her book entitled, “Reflections Of Life: A Collection Of Poetry, Prose, And Images.”
A spiritually-enhancing and kingdom-advancing written work that is comprised of 134 pages, McGinnis’ “Reflections Of Life: A Collection Of Poetry, Prose, And Images” is the debut literary work of this remarkably brilliant author and poet from the small town of Monroe, Louisiana.
“This compilation takes you on a journey of love, loss and triumph,” said a spokesperson for McGinnis’ new book in a thorough breakdown at Amazon.com. Reflections is a collection of inspirational poetry, prose, and pictures from all over the world taken by the author during her travels, including selections from the author’s photo collection, ‘Natural Elements.’ The poetry, prose, and images work together to tell stories of empowering women, finding love after heartbreak, advocating against domestic violence, navigating the political landscape, creating pathways to success from humble beginnings, reveling in a love of sports, and paying tribute to a musical legend.”
What’s even more astounding for McGinnis is that since the recent release of her book, she’s managed to garner an array of rave reviews, many of which have blanketed her social media timelines.
A licensed attorney and certified sports agent, McGinnis holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature with a minor in Mass Communications and Journalism from Louisiana State University.
“The message that God is using me to deliver is that no matter how dark the days may be, never give up on yourself and never give up on your dreams,” McGinnis said. “I use this book to discuss themes of women’s empowerment and advocating against domestic violence.”
McGinnis said a percentage of sales from her book are donated to Women Called Moses, a local nonprofit organization that provides resources and support for victims of domestic violence.
Credit McGinnis’ keen ability to press and navigate through arguably the toughest of times, coupled with her devout faith in God, as amongst the grandest reasons her Creator essentially handpicked her for such a time as now to advance His kingdom, most notably through her endeavor as an author.
“After a difficult divorce, I was in a very dark place mentally,” McGinnis explained. “I didn’t know how to move forward in my life and I struggled just to get through each day. I would pray to God and say, ‘Ok God, so let’s make a deal. If You will just give me the strength to get through the day and get back to my car, then I can just cry when I get in the car on my way home. But please don’t let me have a breakdown at work.’
SEE THE TRAILER FOR MORE OF MEL’S BOOK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Dx-m_kim_Q
“I cried every day literally for six months straight, and I just didn’t think I was going to get through it,” McGinnis continued. “But I did. One day, I went home and I said, today will be the last day I cry about this. And it was. Prayer was my source of strength. I just want people to know that no matter how hard things get, have faith in God and His plan for your life, and you can get through anything.”
Fortunately for McGinnis, she has been afforded the golden opportunity to make public appearances to promote her newly-assembled book which, in essence, is a unique ministry, of sorts, in its own right.
Following what was a busy past few weeks, during which her book has become a constant fixture in the community and on the literary circuit, McGinnis will continue her book tour with a return to her native establishment of Monroe to host what is known as “Conversations With Mel.” This event will involve a Q & A segment and book signing and will take place at the Ouachita Parish Library on October 12.
McGinnis is scheduled to host a similar event on October 13 at the Louisiana Cotton Museum in nearby Lake Providence, where she was raised during the early years of her life.
Also, she will stop in Fort Worth, where she will attend the Women In Local Government Summit that is known as Women in Leadership: A Seat at the Table on October 25, during which she will be a guest speaker and a panelist, but isn’t expected to promote her book.
However, she will be promoting “Poetry & Prose” on October 28, which will be highlighted by live readings and a book signing at Victory Drinklab in New Orleans.
In wrapping up the tour, McGinnis will be on hand for “Conversations From The White Sofa” that is powered by the Book Club Brunch, an event that will take place in February 3, 2019 in Plano, Texas.
Talk about having an immediate and massive impact as an author, this having recently made her authorship debut.
“I am first a child of God, and I truly believe I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me,” McGinnis said. “I would hope to inspire others to believe the same.”
That she’s certainly doing with God, her Helper, leading the way.
For more information about Dallas/Fort Worth-area Author Mel Brown McGinnis, or to schedule her for a public appearance, a book signing or speaking engagement, connect with her via social media at:
Facebook: authormelmcginnis
Instagram: @authormelmcginnis
Twitter: @author_mel
Also, send email to: authormelmcginnis@gmail.com.
CONNECT WITH THIS AWARD-WINNING JOURNALIST FOR MEDIA EXPOSURE
Andre Johnson is the award-winning Founder and Publisher for Making Headline News. A 2000 graduate of the University of Memphis School of Journalism and a former staff reporter of sports for the Memphis Commercial Appeal newspaper, Johnson covers the NBA Southwest Division from Dallas, Texas. To reach Johnson, send email to andre@makingheadlinenews.com or to memphisgraduate@yahoo.com. Also, follow him on Twitter @AJ_Journalist.
