Melissa Holden: Author

Writer, blogger, plus-sized, mother-of-one. Oh, and I drink a lot... of tea.

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Daily Writing Prompt - Imagine you are a photographer capturing a candid moment

I found this morning’s prompt on The Narrative Arc – they have a great daily prompt generator on there. I skipped a few before I found this one, but it struck me straight away. I enjoyed writing this… It’s been a while! WordPress AI Image Imagine you are a photographer capturing a candid moment… As I looked through the viewfinder and tried to find the perfect framing for my seaside landscape…

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Books I’ve Read So Far in 2025

Books I’ve Read So Far in 2025

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Vital Organs - Dr Suzie Edge - Historical TikTok/Book Review

I discovered Dr Suzie Edge on TikTok earlier this week; and I was hooked from the first video. In the first video I saw, she was teaching the internet why there are so many royals with the same name – all with a pen and paper. No fancy graphics or edits required. Just the sharing of a wealth of knowledge. I love royal history – namely from the Tudors (our Bloody King Henry VIII) onwards, through…

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Grasping - short poem

Holding onto a space – A passion, pastime lost, Just in case my mind Needs a moment To breathe.

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Endless Lists (free form short writing)

It’s all, ⁃ buy new shoes ⁃ Don’t forget to pay the nursery: 09:00 – £30 through July ⁃ Remember to email housing association ⁃ Check payslip for emergency tax ⁃ Ask about overtime: Thursday ⁃ Pick up prescription: Wednesday ⁃ Pack lunch bag : 08:00 ⁃ Sort through baby clothes ⁃ Post office!!! Wednesday ⁃ Call a locksmith ⁃ Phone boiler guy ⁃ Change bedding ⁃ New TV: Friday –…

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January Book Round-Up | 2022

I know it’s nearly March… (oops!) but here is my book round-up for January 2022! 1. The Prison Doctor – Dr. Amanda Brown IG post: melholdenbooks Star Rating: 4/5 ✨ Format: audiobook Quick Review: this book follows the career of an English GP who leaves her successful village practice and takes up working in a boys correctional prison. Dr. Brown talks about trying to make a difference in the…

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The Midnight Library - Matt Haig Rating: 10/10 ✨ It’s been a long time since I read a book in less than 8 hours, but I did it! This is a beautiful, warming, eye-opening book about mental health, and finding the meaning in your life. Not preachy or overbearing. Warning: this book discusses sensitive topics such as self-harm and suicide. If you are struggling with mental health, please speak to a friend or healthcare professional. You are not alone. #themidnightlibrary #matthaig #bookstagram #bookish #bookworm #booklover #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealth #fiction #quickbookreview #booksbooksbooks https://www.instagram.com/p/CPGH3YvrSPG/?utm_medium=tumblr

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Cursed: Anthology - Neil Gaiman, et al. Book 28 of 2021 📚 Overall Review: 8.5/10 ✨ Performance: 9/10 ✨ Engagement: 8/10 ✨ Graphicness: 5/10 ✨ A short story anthology set around the theme: ‘cursed’. Some stories use the Brother’s Grimm tales we all know and love, and others have a whole new take on what it means to be cursed. Really easy to read, thought-provoking, funny (some adult humour), emotional, violent, powerful, sad, and frankly just a fun book. #bookstagram #bookreview #bookworm #fairytales #cursedanthology #cursed #neilgaiman #shortstories #bookrecommendations #booklover #bookflatlay #goodreadschallenge2021 #borrowbox https://www.instagram.com/p/CNoR0RCrm-r/?igshid=dwlk6ti7yfo0

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Road to Nowhere - Mark ‘Chopper’ Read Book 26 of 2021 📚 Overall Rating: 8/10 ✨ Performance: 7.5/10 ✨ Graphicness: 10/10 Foul Language: 10/10 In his own words: the life of Mark ‘Chopper’ Read inside Australia’s HMP Service, serving 23 years (multiple sentences prison sentences.) I’ve become fairly numb to the graphicness of some of these true crime books, but this stopped even me eating me cereal. 🎧 Read (audiobook) in 5 hours. #truecrime #bookstagram #booklover #bookish #bookworm #markchopperread #australiantruecrime #truecrimecommunity #prisonbooks #goodreadschallenge2021 https://www.instagram.com/p/CMzNRrgrFhx/?igshid=4n706asb2lqi

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A Bit of a Stretch - Chris Atkins Book 25 of 2021 📚 Overall Rating: 9/10 ✨ Performance: 10/10 ✨ Humour: 8/10 ✨ Graphicness: 4/10 ✨ A humorous, insightful, and brutally honest story of a British filmmaker convicted of conspiracy, theft, and fraud, inside HMP Wandsworth. Reads very much like ‘This Is Going To Hurt’, but prisons rather than a hospital. #amreading #goodreadschallenge2021 #bookstagram #audiobooks #chrisatkins #abitofastretch #prisonbooks #truecrime #bookish #bookrecommendations #bookreview #truecrimecommunity https://www.instagram.com/p/CMxbmyRLH-0/?igshid=fmoapc4uve0b

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The Kingdom - Jess Rothenburg👑🏰👸🏼🤖 Book 24 of 2021 📚 Overall Review: 8.5/10 ✨ ‘The future is Fantasists’. Imagine Disneyland, but instead of actors dressed as princesses, you had Fantasists. Seven hybrid robot princesses ready to make all your dreams come true. But what if all isn’t what it seems? What if there is something dark lying underneath the pristine streets of The Kingdom? Fans of the Lunar Chronicles and any of the Disney Twisted Tales books will love this! #thekingdom #jessrothenberg #disney #fantasists #anaandowen #amreading #bookish #bookworm #bookstagram #booklover #fairytales #fantasy #scifi #borrowbox #ebooks #bookreview #bookrecommendations https://www.instagram.com/p/CMr4mHHrmaN/?igshid=17vzo8r4i9vx1

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Book Mail 📦 📚 Another lovely book parcel from @dreamingmundanelifestyle, can’t wait to get stuck into these! (Swipe to see what happens when you try and pretend you’re a #bookstagrammer and your 2.5y/o sticks his foot in every shot!) #bookstagram #bookstack #bookpost #bookmail #bookmailisthebestmail #lore #themidnightlibrary #thecityofbrass #wehunttheflame #bookish #booksandreading #momlife https://www.instagram.com/p/CMfuQQJrlnK/?igshid=1bb684gzeuzgm

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How I Planned my Novel (A Crown of Sea and Stone) | Writer Tips

Every writer/blogger/project-lover plans. You can’t avoid it. And everyone has their own methods, their own ideas on how to plan a project/article/book. I feel like I’ve really honed my planning technique with this book, so, I thought I would share how I planned my latest novel: A Crown of Sea & Stone. The Initial Idea: Whether you’ve had it in the back of you mind for months, or you wake up…

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Bomb Girls - Jacky Hyams Book 23 of 2021 📚 Overall Review: 8/10 ✨ Performance: 9/10 ✨ An interesting look into life of munitions girls in World War II. #bookstagram #bookish #bookworm #booksbooksbooks #bombgirls #munitionsgirls #jackyhyams #booksandreading #ww2 #nonfiction https://www.instagram.com/p/CL_TW1kAgSy/?igshid=1mpjhzrrbc0lv

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A History of Britain in 21 Women - Jenni Murray Book 22 of 2021 📚 Another brilliant and insightful book filling in the gaps in our history. So many things I hadn’t even thought of, were started by, and flourished under, the guidance of women. #jennimurray #ahistoryofbritainin21women #womenshistory #feministbooks #bookish #bookstagram #bookworm #bookrecommendations #goodreadschallenge2021 #bookflatlay https://www.instagram.com/p/CL9upRAAlAo/?igshid=nn86dcna2o08

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A History of Britain in 21 Women - Jenni Murray Book 22 of 2021 📚 Another brilliant and insightful book filling in the gaps in our history. So many things I hadn’t even thought of, were started by, and flourished under, the guidance of women. #jennimurray #ahistoryofbritainin21women #womenshistory #feministbooks #bookish #bookstagram #bookworm #bookrecommendations #goodreadschallenge2021 #bookflatlay https://www.instagram.com/p/CL8nxTGg61h/?igshid=fm7see7skz3p

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Editing the paperback edition of A Crown of Sea & Stone 👑 ... from bed! #saturdaymorning #acrownofseaandstone #bookstagram #writersofinstagram #authorlife #editing #bookish #indieauthor https://www.instagram.com/p/CLyaGfdgChb/?igshid=2rbehozix8hw