Melissa has compiled and published two books written by women who have experienced pregnancy struggles and contributed to three anthologies. Melissa was nominated and awarded an Australia Day Award in 2017 for her dedication and contribution in helping families through pregnancy loss. In 2019 Melissa became an ambassador for the Pink Elephants Support Network, supporting mothers who have experienced miscarriage. She has also started a business helping influencers write and publish their own personal stories so they can change the world.
Who is Melissa?
I’m Melissa Desveaux. I’m a wife, mother of two boys, a bestselling author, and I live in the southwest of Sydney, Australia. I also help other authors write and self publish their own books.
Tell us a little bit about your book My Life of Loss, and the history behind it.
Before my boys were born, I experienced two miscarriages, and my daughter was stillborn. I had another miscarriage after my eldest son was two years old.
My life of Loss is the story of all six of my pregnancies. It was written after the birth of my youngest son when he was 9 months old. I started writing after the birth of my daughter and published it as blog posts.
I wanted to write my story to share with other families who have experienced pregnancy loss, not feel alone, and that they do have support if they need it.
You have also published two other books, what are they about?
Yes, I’ve compiled two anthologies with 20 mothers who have also experienced struggles during and after pregnancy. The first is Comfort for the tears, light for the way, and the second was re-released, Comfort for the tears.
I compiled these books because I knew many families needed books of this kind, so they feel that they are not alone in their grief.
Grief of your own baby you don’t get to meet is indescribable. It’s the what if’s, guilt that you’ve done something wrong, there is anxiety for future pregnancies.
Personally, I couldn’t wholeheartedly enjoy my pregnancies because of the worry something would happen, and I’d just get disappointed again.
Have you written other books?
I’ve contributed my own chapters in three other anthologies, and two of those became bestsellers.
You are releasing a new book in February next year. Tell us a little bit about that.
I am, it’s called Letters of Love. It’s a book of letters written by 12 authors who write to someone they love. Some of these letters are written to family members - mine is to my children - to a group of people, to themselves, to God, the Universe, and so on. The idea came to me during a time of negativity with the pandemic around the world. These letters bring positivity, inspiration, and they are empowering. They show that love is expressed in many ways. Hence the title Letters of Love.
What is your big goal? Where do you see yourself in 10 years from now?
My big goal is to show my children that they also need to work for it and experience it to achieve something in life.
I’d love to travel the world with them and show them what’s possible and what’s also possible for me.
Right now, I want to help 100 people become self-published authors.
In 10 years, I hope to retire young, by 50, and live a comfortable life of freedom, with many positive memories made along the way.
Do you have any advice you can give to people who would like to write their own stories?
For sure! Honestly, just start writing. Everyone has a story or something they can write to help other people. A story, your book is there for life once it’s published.
So many opportunities come up when you write your own book, and it gives you credibility. And don’t be afraid. Being vulnerable is what gains respect and trust with your readers and followers.
Follow Melissa through her Facebook and visit her websites melissadesveauxconsulting.com and melissadesveaux.com.
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