The Author
Melisa Schonfield is a woman with a difference in her life. A difference, which up to a certain point was probably seen by those around her as an ideal middle-class American lifestyle. But one event that she says she was driven to, in order to protect her family changed all that. Did it! Most definitely. Melisa’s life before that occurrence was a devoted mother raising two successful children. She was the eldest of three, and only girl. Her father served in the Marines before supporting his family with a career in the cosmetic industry. Melissa was not always a New Yorker, she was born in Brooklyn and raised in northern New Jersey. She married a dentist, and for eight years played Army wife. Melisa graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in social work, that world was everything to her, she gained so much experience from the people she engaged with, her main focus was eventually in the field of psychotherapy, now that was an area, she had great affection for, but again one event but a stop to all that. What was this one event that changed Melisa’s life so much? A spell in prison! What for? Well, read the book to find out.
Life after prison is very different to what it was before, now divorced and with her licences to continue her work as a psychotherapist rescinded, Melisa now coaches people with some of their social and mental issues instead. Her daughter and grandson now live with her, and she has taken to writing with a more rigorous approach. This book is her documented viewpoint of circumstances that led up to her arrest, the trial and her experiences of New York state penal system. A gripping story from an author whose love of writing stems right back to her teenage years with her personal diaries which she kept under lock and key as a means of keeping her younger brothers’ beady eyes from seeing what she had written.
Why has Melisa written this book, for revenge! No. Would she liked to have said more! Yes. But for legal constraints and protective issues she’s given you a balanced view. Her real aim behind reason for publishing this book is to give hope and a voice to women who have been incarcerated for carrying out an act that they felt they had no other choice but to carry out. An act done to protect those they love.
So, let’s turn to the book.
Check out our video chat here!
The Book
There are nine chapters to this extraordinary book that lays bare the documented circumstances that led up to Melisa’s arrest, the trial procedures and the experiences of life behind bars in a New York State Prison. Some of you might debate my calculation of nine chapters as only eight are listed, but I’m including the one chapter in part three of the book as the nineth chapter for that’s how I see. For me the foreword and the preface: just the facts, are two fundamental sections of the book for they alone set the scene with clarity and punctiliousness. The Chapters are written in such away that yes, there’s a story coming across, but equally the facts surrounding the story are given to you as well. I think, the areas of the book, which are exceptionally written, that I personally found compelling were the Foreword, Chapter 1: The Dream, Chapter 3: Mama Bear, chapter 8: Life at Taconic Correctional Facility in Bedford Hills, New York, and Part 3: The Light at the End of the Tunnel.
Is this book worth a read! Most definitely.
Social Media Sites
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/melisa-schonfield-39502b48
Tiktok: https://TikTok@freebirdgranny
Facebook: www.facebook.com/melisaSchonfield
Facebook: www.facebook.com/bitter_or_better_15g0717
Instagram: www.instagram.com/bitter_or_better_15g0717
YouTube: www.YouTube/schonfield
Publishers
Dorrance Publishing Co
www.dorrancebookstore.com
Search Bitter or Better by Melisa Schonfield
New Publisher
www.urlinkpublishing.com
Search books under the Featured section, Melisa Schonfield
Podcast Info
This podcast is available to listen to on all major social podcast platforms search Talking Books hosted by J T Crowley. The video is available on YouTube search Talking Books hosted by J T Crowley, and now on Roku and Amazon Fire Stick streaming devices. Download the Experts and Authors app on your television or visit: www.Expertsandauthors.tv online and click TALKING BOOKS.
Melisa I’m so glad that I reached out to you on LinkedIn, and that you agreed to come on the show, thus giving me the great opportunity to not only have the chance to read your book, but to be able to interview you about it. Thank you.