Mel’s back—and the jukebox’s not the only thing moaning.
If you’ve been following the Mel series, you know she’s all sharp edges, sharp heels, and even sharper comebacks. In earlier stories, I kept things tight—dialog-only, no narration, all innuendo and sass tossed across yoga mats or cocktail bars. But with The Bell Don’t Ring Itself, I let the scene breathe.
This time, Mel struts into a backroom poker game, settles a score, and drags a tattooed cowboy into a neon-lit alley for a bourbon-soaked encounter that’s equal parts blues song and barroom brawl. The dialogue still crackles—but now there’s sweat on the walls, smoke in the air, and a jukebox humming through every beat.
The story draws inspiration from one of my favorite old blues tunes—Lil Johnson’s “Press My Button (Ring My Bell)”. It’s raw, shameless, and full of heat, just like Mel. I wanted to write a story that felt like that song sounds: dirty, defiant, and irresistible on repeat.
Writing this story was a shift. I realized that while dialog-only stories are fun and punchy, they can also be limiting. Mel demands atmosphere. She demands narrative. She wants the heat of the alley and the glow of the neon to tell part of her story too—and honestly, she was right.
I’ve also started experimenting with OpenArt.ai to create visuals that match the mood of these stories. I’m still learning, but I’d love to hear your thoughts—does the art capture Mel’s fire? Does it hit the right tone?
The Bell Don’t Ring Itself is live now. Feedback always welcome. Mel wouldn’t have it any other way.
Eric