Melanie Dobson on The Lost Story of Via Belle

MELANIE’S INSPIRATION

“Via Belle was inspired by the life of Grace Livingston Hill, a Christian novelist I used to binge-read as a tween. Grace wrote mysterious, romantic, and often historical novels that always, always had a happy ending. I wanted to be just like her when I grew up until I discovered her real life wasn’t nearly as romantic as her fiction. Grace experienced tremendous grief in marriage and was frequently criticized for writing inspirational stories during the rise of steamy pulp fiction, but she remained faithful to her calling, ultimately publishing more than a hundred novels. When she passed away in 1947, she was working on Mary Arden. Her daughter Ruth finished that final novel.” 

“Once I became a novelist, I wanted to write a book inspired by the turmoil, loss, and redemption in Grace’s personal story. After visiting her home and writing space in Pennsylvania, my idea grew into a dual-timeline mystery about a novelist named Via Belle who slowly realizes, after marrying her second husband, that she’s been manipulated into a dangerous scheme. Sixty years after she disappears, a screenwriter named Harper determines to find out what happened to Via Belle and her last story.”

VIA BELLE’S THEMES 

“As I wrote this book, I wrestled through the question of: What is truth and how is it manipulated today? With social media, photo editing, and the rise of generative AI, our culture has become masterful at creating illusion. Facades. It’s easy to look perfect through a camera lens, but much of what we see online doesn’t reflect the reality of what’s happening off-screen.”  

“The Lost Story of Via Belle is ultimately a novel about betrayal and reconciliation as the main characters try to unravel and escape the antagonist’s conspiracy. In the end, I hope readers will be encouraged that none of us are alone in our struggles or failures, including those times we’ve been deceived. And we all need a little grace.”

JOY AND TAKEAWAY 

“I identified deeply with both of my main characters and their shared love for stories and writing. It was pure joy to capture some of this passion through their unique perspectives, in two completely different eras. I enjoyed the mystery and setting, particularly the moonflower garden and cemetery near Ashe Lake.”  Melanie says she loved walking with Via as she struggled to rediscover her words and the friendship between Harper, the other main character and writer in the modern timeline, and Kelsey, her close friend.  Of Finn, a significant male character and love interest for Harper in the modern storyline, she says, “He was so fun to write—one of the good guys, as the women liked to say.” 

“As Harper works on adapting Via’s life into a screenplay, she concludes: “The best way to honor a storyteller is to tell her story.” When readers finish this book, I hope they will ask how they can honor others as well, especially during life’s most difficult seasons. How can we use story for good?”

THE ROLE OF FAITH 

“Faith plays a significant role in both Via’s and Harper’s journeys. After losing her first husband, Olivia Belle is struggling in her faith and her writing. She needs to publish in order to maintain her home and support her beloved aunt, but her words have disappeared. As the story progresses, Via ignores the warning signs of a toxic relationship that drive a wedge between her relationship with God and the people she loves. Yet in the midst of her frailty and pain, something remarkable begins to restore the broken pieces. A miracle, I like to think.” 

THE WRITING PROCESS 

“In my world, the most challenging part of writing fiction is the actual writing. I love to dream up plot ideas, build characters, explore my settings, and spend weeks immersed in historical research. But the actual sitting down and putting words on the page is hard work. I have a lovely home office overlooking a wildlife refuge, but often I need to write at a local coffee shop so I don’t derail myself with the many distractions at home.”

To learn more about Melanie Dobson, or to order her newest book, The Lost Story of Via Belle, click the LINK! 

CREDITS

Author, The Lost Story of Via Belle (Tyndale, 2026) / Melanie has authored nearly thirty historical, time-slip, and romantic suspense novels. / Prior to her writing career, she was the corporate publicity manager at Focus on the Family and owner of Dobson Media Group. / B.A. in Journalism, Liberty University, M.A. in Communication, Regent University / Married to Jon, two daughters / Melanie enjoys kayaking, hiking, traveling, serving in her community and teaching at writing events and as an adjunct professor.