I first met Melanie when I took a course she taught in The Writer’s Path, a two-year creative writing program at SMU. I became interested in how, as a practicing attorney for 16 years, she was able to fit writing into her life and reinvent herself into the amazing writer she is today.

The following is a conversation with Melanie Sumrow on prioritizing time to write, writing YA, book bans, and how her background in law enhances her writing.

PL: Your first book, “The Prophet Calls” is about a young girl, Gentry, born into a polygamous community and your second book, “The Inside Battle” is about a boy, Rebel, who has to confront issues of racism, what is your process to write from those two points of view (A boy and a girl)? Is it hard?

MS: At its heart, writing from Gentry’s point of view and then Rebel’s was not all that different in the sense they both are kids. I think the divergence in writing the two took place when I considered their varied environments, the world views they were expected to uphold, the disparate societal expectations for girls and boys and the impact that had on both characters.

PL: Your two books, even though subject matters are different, the theme is the same, in my opinion. Both books feature young protagonists who must question and confront adult wisdom, was this by coincidence or did you deliberately plan to have this theme in both your books? Did you question the adults in your life as a young person?

MS: Both Gentry and Rebel are thirteen-years-old—a time when most kids are questioning their parents and other authority figures—so that definitely plays a role in both books. One of the great things about writing a character this age is they are on the precipice, with one foot still in childhood and the other testing the waters of adulthood. Naturally, questioning the values you have been taught as “true” is part of that process. I know it was a part of mine.

PL: In a tweet this past December you wrote about your experience with a boy at a school you visited where he said “I read your book and get what that feels like. I never want to make a girl feel like that.” How does it make you feel to know that your message is being received by your young readers? Does it offer you hope for the future?

MS: Yes, that was amazing! And to clarify, he was talking about the misogyny that is part of the community norms in The Prophet Calls. To know that a reader has connected with my book is the greatest reward I can have as an author. Books provide one of the best ways to teach empathy and offer safe spaces for difficult conversations and to know my book did that left a huge smile on my face. I have had the honor of encountering young readers through book signings, festivals, and school visits, and I always leave those events feeling hopeful for our future.

PL: In that same tweet you also mentioned that you heard school administrators were quietly trying to ban “The Prophet Calls.” Has “The Prophet Calls” or “The Inside Battle” been banned? How do you feel about banning books? Is there ever a case where a book should be banned?

MS: My books have been the victims of “soft banning.” Soft banning involves administrators and school boards preventing teachers or librarians from acquiring books or pulling books they deem “controversial” without any review process. In many ways, these soft bans are more frightening than official bans.

I think banning books is wrong on so many levels. In addition to books that portray “tough” topics, the books now being targeted primarily center around people of color, the LGBT+ community, and Jews—all groups that have been traditionally marginalized in our country. By removing these books, administrators/school boards are telling these children their stories are not worthy. They are removing books in which a child can finally see themselves in a story or another child can learn to empathize with an experience that is not their own.

Those who attempt to ban books will argue that they are “protecting children,” but they are doing more harm than good. The bans are fear-driven. Young readers are hungry for these stories and, given social media and the twenty-four-hour news cycle, kids already know far more about the world than adults want to believe. We all need these books, and I will never think banning a book is okay.

PL: In your past life you were an attorney practicing in civil rights, criminal law, and general practice, what made you decide you wanted to be a writer?

MS: Though I enjoyed the practice of law, I missed having something creative in my life. As luck would have it, a flyer came in the mail advertising creative writing classes as a part of my local university’s continuing education programs. After my first class, I was hooked so I continued practicing law during the day and taking writing classes at night. I knew I wanted my next vocation to be full-time writer.

PL: I assume, like most aspiring writers with day jobs, time to write was challenging. How did you overcome the challenges of a family and a demanding career in law to write your first book “The Prophet Calls?”

MS: Demands will always be there, so you must prioritize your writing time. For me, that has meant getting up at 4:00am to write for a couple hours before family and work obligations take over. Other times, it has meant writing late at night. There is no “right” way to do this, but you must hold your writing time as sacred, whatever that means for you at this stage.

PL: With two books published, you’re now pursuing your MFA. Why do you feel you need an MFA after the success you’ve had with your books?

MS: For me, if I’m not learning something new, I’m not living my best life. Obtaining an MFA had been a bucket list item, and when the pandemic hit, I thought, “It’s time.” In short, I wanted to earn my MFA to deepen my craft and find a community that shares my passion for writing for children and young adults. I have not been disappointed!

PL: Do you miss practicing law?

MS: The short answer is no. Probably the reason I don’t is because I’m still using many of the skills I used as a lawyer. Like in law, I do a lot of research for my books. The tactical skills I utilized when planning for a trial have been modified to plotting a novel. And, of course, brief writing has become writing stories from my heart. I think my first career as a lawyer continues to feed into my second career as a writer.

PL: What is one advice you would give MFA students in their first semester?

MS: Do not be afraid to play and try something new—a new form, a new genre, anything. This is your time to learn, so take advantage of it!

Melanie Sumrow is the author of The Inside Battle, a 2020 New York Public Library Best Book for Kids, and The Prophet Calls, a 2018 Writers' League of Texas Award Finalist. Before becoming an author, she worked as a lawyer for more than 16 years, with many of her cases involving children and teens. Melanie's debut novel helped launch the Yellow Jacket imprint (distributed by Simon & Schuster). She lives in Dallas with her husband and daughter.

Paola Lastick is currently a student at the Mountainview MFA program at Southern New Hampshire University. Her writing has appeared on blogs as well as the newspaper, The Real Chicago. She lives in a suburb of Dallas with her husband, daughter, and three small yappy dogs.