IL, UNITED STATES, January 29, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Amazon Bestselling Author Melanie Verbout’s evocative, coming-of-age memoir, “Go Pick Peas: A Childhood Out of Touch,” is available worldwide. This heartfelt and nostalgic reflection explores the complex intersection of neglect, resilience, and the human yearning for connection.
Across 212 pages of vivid, vulnerable writing, Verbout shares the story of her nomadic Midwest upbringing during the 1950s, shaped by an emotionally fraught home life. Her parents, including a controlling inventor father and a nervous stay-at-home mother of seven, struggled to provide the stability all children need. Despite poverty, heartbreak, and intensely challenging circumstances, Verbout approaches her childhood with dignity, authenticity, and a heart full of gratitude for small but impactful gestures of kindness.
Through poetic prose and passages brimming with honesty, “Go Pick Peas” unveils how early experiences of shame and neglect were tempered by a deep appreciation for family bonds, moments of joy, and the stark beauty of Midwest living. Ultimately, the memoir is a love letter to siblings, pets, and a landscape that shaped the author’s survival and strength.
One Amazon reviewer called the memoir a “gem of a book that deserves a place alongside ‘The Glass Castle.’”
Melanie Verbout, an Amazon Bestseller and award-winning writer with accolades from the Writer’s Digest Personal Essay Contest, believes her story sheds light on what it means to find hope amidst pain. “Not all wounds are visible,” she explains. “I wanted to share a story that acknowledges the pain but also celebrates the beauty and resilience of the human spirit.”
Whether you’re drawn to poignant tales of survival, vivid depictions of Midwest life, or narratives that reveal the quiet power of touch and connection, this debut memoir is sure to resonate.
“Go Pick Peas” (ISBN: 9781966799412) can be purchased through retailers worldwide, including Amazon and Barnes & Noble. The paperback retails for $18.99, and the ebook retails for $2.99. Review copies and interviews with the author are available upon request.
Learn more at: www.melanieverbout.com.
From the Back Cover:
“From the richness of castle living to the poverty of abandoned farmhouses, an inventor’s daughter depicts the fear and neglect clinging to a childhood lacking simple human touch.”
“Get it. Verbout is a gifted storyteller.”
– Kirkus Reviews
“I wish you all the best on your memoir.”
– Jeannette Walls, author of “The Glass Castle”
“Your entry placed in the top 1% in our national Personal Essay competition.”
– Moriah Richard, Managing Editor, “Writer’s Digest”
“I wish Melanie great success with Go Pick Peas-what a poetic title!”
– Laurie Albanese, author of “Blue Suburbia”
“Verbout’s memoir is harsh and heartbreaking, but also deeply appealing – it is the presence of this little girl, spunky and resilient, in the midst of breathtaking family chaos, that makes for a winning story.”
– Lisa Dale Norton, author of “Shimmering Images: A Handy Little Guide to Writing Memoir” and “Hawk Flies Above: Journey to the Heart of the Sandhills”
About the Author:
Melanie is a writer, dancer, and artist, and received her B.S Ed. from Illinois State University. She lives in Central Illinois where she edits books and writes for magazines. Her writing recently won awards in two Writer’s Digest national essay contests. She volunteers at the humane society, and hosts tours at the local zoo. Go Pick Peas is her first book.
About NH book publisher Seacoast Press:
NH book publisher Seacoast Press provides authors with traditional-quality book publishing services while allowing authors to retain publishing rights and 100% royalties. Seacoast Press’ wide variety of publishing services includes book design; editorial; printing; distribution; publicity; and marketing. Seacoast Press books are available through retailers and booksellers worldwide. All Seacoast Press books can be purchased wholesale through Ingram. To learn more about Seacoast Press, the premier book publisher in NH, visit http://www.seacoastpress.com/.
Michelle VanSledright
Seacoast Press
+1 800-767-0531
email us here
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