In this interview with Melanie Flynn, she talks about how she writes on the connections between justice, emotion, and human psychology. Flynn’s stories look at how shame, truth, and intuition affect moral responsibility and human change. She explores how her work experience, creative process, and studies into the human mind influence how she tells stories. She also discusses the values that guide her work and what readers may learn from the real-life stories that are behind her fiction.

Editor’s Note: The following interview reflects the personal experiences and views of the author. Some topics include brief mentions of trauma and neurodivergence, discussed in a reflective and professional context.

Melanie, thank you for joining us. Could you start by introducing yourself, what you do, and what drives you as both a writer and a professional?

Thank you for inviting me. For those who don’t know, my name is Melanie Flynn and I am the author of the Rylee Scott, Psychic Detective series. I own and operate a law practice in Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Despite a hectic day job, in my down time I write fiction with a focus on mysteries. I have published two novels to date, The Toy Maker and most recently, The Lost Lamb. They are the first two installments of an ongoing series. When I’m not working or writing, I love spending time with my two cats and goofy German Shepherd. I have always been driven to do something; I can’t sit still. It’s led me to open my own law practice, where I focus on helping people through some of the worst times in their lives. I particularly enjoy my work with trauma survivors. As a survivor myself, I find this particularly rewarding.

As a child I turned to stories for their escapism. Life wasn’t so bad if I could get out of my own head for a while and follow the adventures of my favourite characters. Creating stories and characters that feel real no matter how wild and crazy the story becomes is what keeps me coming back to the page to put out more books.

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Your work often explores guilt, truth, and justice. What initially drew you to these interconnected themes, and how have they evolved in your writing?

I like to explore complex themes in my writing like truth, guilt, and justice. I think I have always been focused on those issues, even from a young age. I felt very out of place as a kid. I am neurodivergent and had trouble understanding social relationships that seemed to come so easily to others. I would often blurt things out without a filter, and it took time and hard work to overcome those issues. My ADHD has always been both a blessing and a curse. It makes me creative and an excellent problem solver, but I struggled to fit in.

I found myself observing people—how they interacted and how their brains worked. As a kid I didn’t understand why I was different, and that led me to explore psychology and consume stories like there was no tomorrow. As a lawyer, I get to see so many versions of “truth.” What is true may look different to each person through their unique lens of perception. There can be a dozen different truths about any given situation. All can be equally valid.

The interaction between truth, guilt, and what constitutes justice is just as individualized. How someone internalizes their guilt varies from person to person. What may be justice for one may be revenge for another. Where that line is drawn for each character is interesting to see. I think these concepts never really get old. They can be brand new with each new character. Even within one character, it can feel fresh and new as each new conflict presents itself. They are universal concepts that people deal with daily. As my characters grow through their adventures in these books, so do their definitions of these concepts. Nothing is ever stagnant in real life. Therefore, it should be just as dynamic on the page.

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You write from both legal and psychological perspectives. How do those two fields influence the way you build your characters’ inner worlds and moral choices?

As a lawyer, I come at problems from a legal perspective, but I also bring with me a psychology background. I don’t think you can really separate those two perspectives outside a vacuum. The world is messy. People are complex. No one can be just one thing. If you can understand that, you are halfway there to creating a good character.

I strive to create characters that feel like real people. If your character feels real to the reader, then your less believable elements like supernatural creatures or fantastical worlds will not seem so out there. Ground your reader in realism and they’ll take the journey with you. Once you have a character that feels real, a writer should know their character well enough to say, “No, she wouldn’t say that,” or “Yes, he would absolutely do that.” That is why I always start my stories by creating a character. Once I have that character, I then build the world and story around them piece by piece. I let my character tell me where their story goes.

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Many readers have noted how your stories balance intuition and rational inquiry. How do you tackle that balance when crafting an investigation or mystery?

Balancing intuition and rational inquiry can be difficult to achieve. In both The Toy Maker and The Lost Lamb, I have to balance a psychic private investigator (PI) and a non-psychic NYPD detective. Even within psychic PI Rylee Scott herself, I balance her psychic revelations with her acumen as a skilled PI.

It was very important to me that Rylee does not solely rely on her psychic abilities to solve crime. I wanted her to be able to stand on her own as a competent investigator as well. I also wanted to ensure that Calum’s police training and experience were not overshadowed by a psychic partner. It becomes a difficult balance to give both characters their moments to shine.

Too much intuition and it would cheapen the investigation. If the answer just magically appears, it doesn’t have the value that an answer borne of hard work does. I also like to give readers the tools to solve the mystery before revealing the answer. Weaving in clues that might be missed on a first read, throwing in red herrings to obscure the answer but not robbing the reader of their part in unravelling the mystery, are essential elements of any good mystery. I strive to pull the reader in and have them become a sleuth in their own right as they turn the pages.

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The characters you create face intense moral and emotional conflicts. How do you approach writing about human vulnerability without crossing into sensationalism or despair?

Human vulnerability is a key factor in creating a believable fictional character. Humans aren’t invulnerable. We cry, we break down, and most importantly, we get back up again. A believable fictional character should mirror that realistic human experience. I’m not interested in creating characters that aren’t relatable. That’s why I ground even my most unrealistic characters in realism. They feel like real people with real human reactions. There’s no place for sensationalism for the mere sake of sensationalism in my writing.

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Your storylines show a deep understanding of empathy and consequence. What kind of preparation or research helps you capture these psychological layers with authenticity?

My background in law and psychology definitely helps me to capture intricate psychological layers of my characters and their stories. As a lawyer, I deal with people daily. I help them through some of the worst moments in their lives. Finding common ground with people of all walks of life is part of my day job. It only makes sense to bring that into my writing.

Learning to understand people who seem like they have nothing in common with me helps me to be a better lawyer and a better writer. Understanding people helps me to craft more intricate and relatable characters. I research as needed. I can’t stand to have a question unanswered, so I’m always looking to expand my knowledge base. Writers gather shiny new bits of information like a crow gathers shiny baubles for its nest.

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Some of your work has received recognition from readers and literary groups. How do you view such acknowledgments, and what role do they play in your creative journey?

I am always thrilled to receive feedback on my work. I have been lucky to receive such glowing reviews, award nominations, and even win some of these awards. I am so grateful for the recognition and appreciation of work that means so much to me. I was thrilled to receive the Bookish Reader’s Pick award. I love hearing how something I wrote has affected a reader. It only motivates me to keep improving and keep putting out more stories.

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Writing often requires discipline and reflection. What personal habits or practices help you stay grounded and sustain focus through complex projects?

I agree that writing can require discipline and reflection. I think anything worth doing requires commitment to achieve that end result. I have loved storytelling as long as I can remember. The love for the art form keeps me coming back to the page. I also find solace in writing. It brings me a sense of peace and true joy to share my work.

I work through some of my own struggles by writing. Sometimes I just write notes to myself to organize my thoughts, and sometimes I have my characters work through similar emotions. I may not be a psychic PI, but I have struggled with feeling like the weirdo and using humour as a coping mechanism. I may not be a grizzled NYPD detective, but I have struggled with guilt and shame. I think we can all find things to relate to within these characters.

I find the editing process is what requires the most discipline for me. I can ride through the first draft on a high of creative expression. I truly have to buckle down and push myself to get through the editing process. My brain wants to move on to the next story, but I have to stop myself and stay focused on the editing. Otherwise, I’d never get anything published.

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When readers finish one of your books, what thoughts or questions do you hope they carry with them about justice, truth, or the human condition?

I hope that my readers take something from all of my writing. I hope they connect with the characters. I hope they become invested in the stories and can’t wait to read the next one. I wanted to be a published author since I was a little girl. I want people to realize that dreams don’t happen to you. They happen when you do the work and make them happen. I am a firm believer in making things happen for yourself. Keep working toward your goal. With hard work and dedication, you’ll make it happen.

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As someone who bridges analytical and creative worlds, what advice would you give to aspiring writers who wish to tell stories that both challenge and resonate?

I would advise aspiring writers to finish that first draft no matter how bad you think it’s going. The first draft is never good, but the final draft will be. So, don’t shoot yourself in the foot before you even start the race. Get your story written.

Perfectionism is a difficult thing to work through. Many writers struggle with it, myself included. That first draft doesn’t have to be perfect; it just needs to get written. In the editing process you can work all the complexities in—you might even rewrite the whole book. But none of that happens if you abandon that first draft.

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If you were to write your bio in your own words, what would you say? What legacy do you hope to leave?

I was born and raised in Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. I am a graduate of Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador where I received a Bachelor of Arts majoring in English and minoring in Psychology. I went on to graduate from the University of New Brunswick Law School with a Juris Doctor degree.

Currently, I am a practicing lawyer, small business owner, and author. I write fast-paced mystery thriller books and co-host a variety podcast called Inconsistently Consistent. To date, I have published two novels, The Toy Maker and The Lost Lamb. I am an animal lover and have two cats and a German Shepherd. I would love to live on a ranch full of animals in the future.

I hope my work will live on after I am gone. I hope that it can entertain readers of future generations. I hope that one day it might inspire a young reader to pick up a pen and start writing like the stories of my youth did for me.

Melanie’s Links

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