Wait…You Have a New What?…When?

Hey y’all—

So the other day, I was sitting backstage at church, waiting to go out and help lead worship. Just sitting there in my Spanx, drinking lukewarm coffee, minding my own business, when one of the band guys looked over and asked me,

“Hey, do you not post on Facebook anymore?”

Excuse me, sir?

Do I not—POST?

Of course I post! I’m out here sharing stories, writing my heart out, showing y’all my new finds, my favorite swimsuits, and yes—telling the world about my brand new book Chicken Fried Women: Friendship, Kinship, and the Women Who Made Us This Way.

But here’s the thing… the algorithm? It’s a mess.

It used to be that if you followed someone and they posted, you’d see it. Period.

Now?

Now if you like one dang recipe on a Tuesday afternoon, the algorithm assumes that’s all you care about for the next two weeks.

Liked a post about a crockpot meal? Congratulations—you now live in Crockpot Land.

Left a comment on a cake reel? You now only exist in the Cake Cinematic Universe.

Meanwhile, your favorite comedian/writer/speaker (hi, that’s me) is over here posting her little heart out, trying to tell you about her new book, her new courses, her favorite mascara, or the hilarious thing her Aunt Melba said at Walgreens… and you never even see it.

That’s why THIS—this email right here—is the most important real estate I own.

Social media may be the flashy billboard on the interstate, but email?

Email is your grandma’s kitchen table. It’s where the real conversations happen. It’s how we stay in touch.

So here’s what I’m asking you to do:

• Open these emails when they show up.

• Read them.

• COMMENT on them—I read every single one, and I love hearing from you.

• Share them with a friend who could use a laugh (or a cry-laugh).

• And for heaven’s sake, go grab a copy of my new book if you haven’t already!

Because believe it or not, there are people who live in my own TOWN—who see me weekly—who had no idea I released a new book. Y’all, I can’t let that keep happening.

Chicken Fried Women is out in the world, and it’s everything I hoped it would be—funny, heartfelt, real, and a love letter to the women who made us who we are.

Don’t just take my word for it…a month after the release Chicken Fried Women was still the Top New Release on Amazon with 4.8 out of 5 stars and 4.5 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.

And there’s so much more coming your way: courses, book club extras, speaking dates, and summer finds you’ll love.

But it’s all going to come through THIS email. This is how we stay in touch. This is our lifeline.

Thanks for being here. Thanks for reading.

And thanks for not letting an algorithm decide what you care about.

Love you,

Melissa

P.S. If you’ve already read Chicken Fried Women and loved it—please leave a review on Amazon. (Super important!) Or forward this to someone you think would love it, too. Word of mouth is everything right now!