<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Parker West Books]]></title><description><![CDATA[Melissa Seyler]]></description><link>https://www.melissaseyler.com/blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Mon, 07 Sep 2026 04:23:58 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.melissaseyler.com/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[Feels like home...]]></title><description><![CDATA[Hello all! Time for a location PFY blog post. I’ll get to each of the pictures, but essentially these were taken on a recent hike in Jim Thorpe. The views were incredible. This post is about a great trail you can take in Jim Thorpe. If you park up in The Heights on North Avenue, you can start your hike from there. It wasn’t busy when I went but might be during weekends. The Mount Pisgah trail in Jim Thorpe is steeped in coalmining and railroad history. In the 1820s and 1830s, it became a key...]]></description><link>https://www.melissaseyler.com/post/feels-like-home</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a352486bfacb36e353e39b9</guid><pubDate>Fri, 19 Jun 2026 12:46:44 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/04132b_ef161946771e4bc4a0086f503759b4c3~mv2.jpeg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Melissa Seyler</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Meet Nicole...]]></title><description><![CDATA[I hope everyone is enjoying the warm weather. Since this post is about my quirky character, Nicole, I thought I'd share some of my silliness when season four of Bridgerton came out. I couldn't stop that dance move. lol Time for another update for Pining For You. There’s been a mini upgrade to the manuscript. As I’ve mentioned previously, there are some added scenes since I wrote the first draft, including a couple of chapters from Everett’s perspective and a scene that I have to say is likely...]]></description><link>https://www.melissaseyler.com/post/meet-nicole</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a2bfad3ac42b101a9d3e91c</guid><pubDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2026 12:41:41 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/04132b_3237d0e3557e43cb86e05371ad747bed~mv2.jpeg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Melissa Seyler</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Stray Hearts]]></title><description><![CDATA[Hello! I hope everyone is ready for summer. It’s just around the corner. I’m taking a break from Pining for You for this post to talk about one of my other novels, Stray Hearts. It's the first book in a rescue cat romance series and takes place in a fictional town, set in the Pocono Mountains, that is eerily similar to Jim Thorpe. I know, no surprise there. What’s even wilder is that I wrote Stray Hearts before I ever stepped foot in Jim Thorpe or wrote Pining For You. It’s the reason I had...]]></description><link>https://www.melissaseyler.com/post/stray-hearts</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a19c0fc3455402997527f13</guid><pubDate>Mon, 01 Jun 2026 14:44:26 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/04132b_c00f4c990243439c8a740df30e491b5b~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Melissa Seyler</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Why I keep falling in love...]]></title><description><![CDATA[Spring is in the air! Well, it was. The weather in PA has been crazy. Two days ago, it was ninety-seven degrees. Yesterday and today, it dipped back into the fifties. As I write this, I can’t help but think of that meme with the dog at work, sitting in front of a computer, with flames all around him, thinking, “Everything’s fine.” Okay, back to Pining For You… I’m going to shift back to a location for this post—the Lehigh River. I snapped a couple of the pictures above from a bridge next to...]]></description><link>https://www.melissaseyler.com/post/why-i-keep-falling-in-love</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a10469cb883334b04e2e094</guid><pubDate>Fri, 22 May 2026 12:34:02 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/04132b_0792866bbfeb4834b67733d7c929cb8f~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Melissa Seyler</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[A Mystery Solved...]]></title><description><![CDATA[Of course I took this pic at 2:22. “I took her hand in mine and knew without a second’s hesitation that I wanted her.” That’s a line from Glittering Images by Susan Howatch, first published in the United States, on September 12, 1987, with a new edition scheduled to be released on May 19, 2026. That’s in eleven days. This special book, that was meant for me to read, published in the eighties, is about to be re-released THIS MONTH. Wow. Uncanny. To recap, for anyone who’s just checking out my...]]></description><link>https://www.melissaseyler.com/post/a-mystery-solved</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69fe33724f7ebdc9f6aacba1</guid><pubDate>Fri, 08 May 2026 19:13:43 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/04132b_086c25f3c57945bd97a8eb4fe548bf10~mv2.jpeg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Melissa Seyler</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Oh, the views...]]></title><description><![CDATA[Hello from Jim Thorpe! It’s Friday and you know what that means. I do want to hint that I’m hoping to write a blog post soon about a certain train and Pocono Mountain loving girlie who’s making a big move.  Anyway, for this PFY post, I want to talk about another location in Jim Thorpe that I adore. It’s briefly mentioned in Pining For You, but it’s a beautiful spot in town where you can relax, meditate, or do my favorite thing—read in nature. Yep, that’s me up there reading the mysterious...]]></description><link>https://www.melissaseyler.com/post/oh-the-views</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69f491278ca39cf305c5fcc9</guid><pubDate>Fri, 01 May 2026 12:32:50 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/04132b_218844fcc5754911a748407cd98bdd0f~mv2.jpeg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Melissa Seyler</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[I'm hiking again...]]></title><description><![CDATA[Hello all! I hope everyone is getting some warm weather like we are here in eastern PA. I’ve been taking walks in the evening and loving every minute of it. Now…I have something shocking to reveal about this Pining For You post. Are you sitting down? Good. For this post, I’ll be chatting about another location from Pining For You and it doesn’t take place in Jim Thorpe. WHAT??? I know. It’s a shocker. To be fair, it’s just down the road from JT.   Last Sunday I went for a hike. The weather...]]></description><link>https://www.melissaseyler.com/post/i-m-hiking-again</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69de3ce5934ce577916aef25</guid><pubDate>Tue, 14 Apr 2026 13:21:39 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/04132b_8da8f83b84e34eb290efed41cecb095d~mv2.gif/v1/fit/w_480,h_640,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Melissa Seyler</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Who doesn’t love breakfast?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Hi all! Spring is in the air and I’m here for it. I think I’m going to take my first train ride of the year this Friday. I’ll go for the classic 3pm ride in the open-air car. I CAN’T WAIT. Now, time for another theme from PfY, and it’s one of my favorite things in the world—breakfast. In PfY, Nicole is an avid fan of the first meal of the day. She’s partial to poached eggs, eggs over easy, and scrambled eggs if they’re cooked soft. Homefries are her jam and creamed chipped beef is heavenly....]]></description><link>https://www.melissaseyler.com/post/who-doesn-t-love-breakfast</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69cbbd0e6eb823cd3ba48fa2</guid><pubDate>Tue, 31 Mar 2026 13:04:12 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/04132b_fd1faa880ed44e3b800bac91305a6cc6~mv2.jpeg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Melissa Seyler</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[All Aboard!]]></title><description><![CDATA[Another PfY update! Hope everyone is enjoying the end of winter. I have a love-hate relationship with February, or as I like to call it, Loveuary. I know…I watch way too much Hallmark Channel. It’s often too cold for me but it’s also the month for Valentine’s Day, and I’m a romance author. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have a Valentine in my personal life, but my fictional ladies all do, and I celebrate vicariously through them! For this post I want to chat about another location from PfY. It’s...]]></description><link>https://www.melissaseyler.com/post/all-aboard</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69ab101125665a6e35ce34bb</guid><pubDate>Fri, 06 Mar 2026 17:45:26 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/04132b_5a5a558e4dac4cb993d54f2263949ac3~mv2.jpeg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Melissa Seyler</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Brrr...it's cold out! ]]></title><description><![CDATA[This winter is COLD! This is me about to go see The Menzingers that played in Allentown two weeks ago. It was a very cold evening but they were amazing! What a great show. If you haven't heard of them, they are from Scranton and have a punk rock vibe. I have some cat rescue friends that I went with that are big fans. Okay, so, PfY is on submission and I’m officially in the waiting game now. Don’t worry, I’m working on another book in the meantime and it’s a hilarious rom-com. Now let’s get...]]></description><link>https://www.melissaseyler.com/post/brrr-it-s-cold-out</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69862a8996663872685f43c4</guid><pubDate>Fri, 06 Feb 2026 19:15:17 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/04132b_38a29ba1394d488a8bb23f1fea15e90d~mv2.jpeg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Melissa Seyler</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The library in Jim Thorpe...]]></title><description><![CDATA[Okay, so let's have a serious chat about libraries. I love them. No, seriously, they have always been a big part of my life, and I feel at home inside them. When I was a kid in elementary school, I would go to the library after the school day ended and read as many books as I could until the librarian was ready to go home. The nerve of her having a life outside of that library. Anyway, she would call my dad to come get me because I didn't want to leave. Yep. All true. My dad likes to tell...]]></description><link>https://www.melissaseyler.com/post/the-library-in-jim-thorpe</link><guid isPermaLink="false">697ce66923c3a829dd81d6da</guid><pubDate>Fri, 30 Jan 2026 20:00:28 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/04132b_ff04b46a52804d22a82462e60099e792~mv2.jpeg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Melissa Seyler</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[On submission! It's official. ]]></title><description><![CDATA[I'm headed to Jim Thorpe to work on my next manuscript. Hi all! It's official. I'm on submission with Pining for You (PfY). What does that mean? It means that editors at publishing houses are considering the manuscript for publication. Cross your fingers, y’all. In honor of going on submission, I’ll share the elevator pitch for the book: PINING FOR YOU is a contemporary romance inspired by real events about a mature romance author who finds love with a rugged woodsman in the idyllic Pocono...]]></description><link>https://www.melissaseyler.com/post/on-submission-it-s-official</link><guid isPermaLink="false">696a3d6e44e01db33a015e62</guid><pubDate>Fri, 16 Jan 2026 19:56:09 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/04132b_87f3427f26544bda8d7e4cf92845eeb7~mv2.jpeg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Melissa Seyler</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Happy New Year! ]]></title><description><![CDATA[Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a lovely holiday. New Year's Eve is my birthday, and I spent it with some dear friends who I adore. That's me contemplating what story I plan to write next and me vibing in the Dimmick Memorial LIbarary in Jim Thorpe. I've got that look in my eye...lol  Today I’m in Jim Thorpe and it’s snowing! It’s time for a Pining for You update to start 2026. First, for those of you that are new to my blog, I’m Melissa. I write rom-coms, contemporary romance, and young...]]></description><link>https://www.melissaseyler.com/post/happy-new-year</link><guid isPermaLink="false">695828b0bd1cfb4bde769dfc</guid><pubDate>Fri, 02 Jan 2026 20:48:23 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/04132b_b31950249083424ba4d2b35239a0ca57~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Melissa Seyler</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[December 22nd is just around the corner! ]]></title><description><![CDATA[Time for an update on Pining for You (PfY). It's been a busy few weeks for me with events for my cat rescue and the semester coming to an end, which meant no time for writing blog posts. But there is much happening behind the scenes for PfY and December 22nd is almost here! More on that date later. I have gotten back the manuscript from my editor with minimal edits. The pitch and synopsis have been written, and she loved the addition of the villain! Yay! What does all this mean? It means...]]></description><link>https://www.melissaseyler.com/post/december-22nd-is-just-around-the-corner</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6943ee1b321595a831ad8a65</guid><pubDate>Thu, 18 Dec 2025 12:54:12 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/04132b_414131838a1e4834937d4fd14e82a361~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Melissa Seyler</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Meet Josh...]]></title><description><![CDATA[Time for another theme from Pining for You! Okay, for this post I want to explore one of the very important side characters in Pining for You. I will get back to exploring another place in Jim Thorpe next time. But for now, let me introduce you to… Josh. Josh is fun-loving, honest, and loyal. He’s the best friend type—a man that every woman dreams of having in their life. The guy who watches movies with you with your feet propped in his lap, makes you laugh uncontrollably when you’ve had an...]]></description><link>https://www.melissaseyler.com/post/meet-josh</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6920bd8f0acaec313277614f</guid><pubDate>Fri, 21 Nov 2025 20:12:59 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/6c23008d44ae47b2a2f5f242adbee256.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Melissa Seyler</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Christmas and Pining for You]]></title><description><![CDATA[Time for a Pining for You  update. Since handing back my manuscript to my agent, I’ve had time to reflect once again on the setting of the book. I know you are all aware of my love for Jim Thorpe. My agent commented that she was excited to “go back to Jim Thorpe” for her second read of the manuscript with my changes. She’s told me one of my strengths in writing is world building. It’s funny because that was something I was always worried about when I first started writing novels. One of my...]]></description><link>https://www.melissaseyler.com/post/christmas-and-pining-for-you</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6911f7764d01cb460b61a8d0</guid><pubDate>Mon, 10 Nov 2025 14:56:48 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/04132b_5052fbefe1d6434fa7cf95674e8e3180~mv2.jpeg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Melissa Seyler</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Happy Halloween and an update for Pining for You]]></title><description><![CDATA[Yes, I'm Freddie for Halloween. Yes, I put a scary alien head next to the toilet to scare my guests for a Halloween party. And, yes, Zoe is adorable as a bat. Time for a Pining for You update. I have completed developmental edits and turned the manuscript back in to my agent. We are so in sync with our vision for this book. I’m always so grateful for her expertise. She’s an amazing partner on my publishing journey.  I’ve added another 10k words or so. There are some new chapters and some...]]></description><link>https://www.melissaseyler.com/post/happy-halloween-and-an-update-for-pining-for-you</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6904e5cc151dfd6849fb814b</guid><pubDate>Fri, 31 Oct 2025 16:51:18 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/04132b_34253de7ee6144c0b75a6cb747920ac5~mv2.jpeg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Melissa Seyler</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Edits for Pining for You...]]></title><description><![CDATA[Quick note on Pining for You… This was my view in one of the coffee shops this past Friday. I love the Alice in Wonderland theme, and there’s some really great privacy in this side room. I've also discovered Hill Rd. It's where my future house might be. The half-mile walk down is easy. The walk back is intense and difficult and I LOVE IT. Some of you know I'm a fitness nut and I never shy away from a challenge. it was definitely a work out. The burn was real and had me smiling the whole time....]]></description><link>https://www.melissaseyler.com/post/edits-for-pining-for-you</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6904fc1ac8a1fe1c55f738e0</guid><pubDate>Sun, 19 Oct 2025 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/04132b_30e702f864834f399bc612bf3f71b963~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Melissa Seyler</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Car 22...I'm in love!]]></title><description><![CDATA[Hello all! Just wanted to drop an update. Things are happening for Fireflies, my young adult romance about alien symbiotes that takes place in the Appalachian Mountains. More on that soon as I know more… Now for another Pining For You update. This past Friday I spent time enjoying Jim Thorpe instead of working. I needed the break. I’ve been working so hard between teaching and the book, that I definitely needed to blow off some steam. So I had a mini-vaca with a friend who had never visited....]]></description><link>https://www.melissaseyler.com/post/car-22-i-m-in-love</link><guid isPermaLink="false">690504b0c214c32072dd28b7</guid><pubDate>Sun, 05 Oct 2025 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/04132b_221c10110d79499dba2495adec9e2eeb~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Melissa Seyler</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[A Lightning Strike!]]></title><description><![CDATA[Time for another update about PINING FOR YOU. This is train car 22. It plays a major role in Pining for You. I still haven't ridden in it yet, but hope to soon. In this post I'm talking about love. I mean, it’s a romance novel, it was bound to come up, right? Many romance novels, including my own, follow a similar pattern of how the main characters fall in love. Slow burns are popular and feel both authentic and filled with excitement and tension. I especially like an enemies-to-lovers slow...]]></description><link>https://www.melissaseyler.com/post/a-lightning-strike</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69050624f950c2400bae22ab</guid><pubDate>Sat, 27 Sep 2025 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/04132b_093bd4da4ee242b997e9838accd78abf~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_995,h_761,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Melissa Seyler</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>