When not behind a keyboard, typing out the stories of the characters who dance in her head, Mel can be found behind her camera, snapping landscape or abstract photography, or in the garage up to her ears in car parts and grease. She lives in the midwest with a teenager who makes her crazy and a husband who makes her even more crazy—in a good way! Her favorite crayon is midnight blue. She hates the sound of Styrofoam crunching, but loves her daughter's laughter. She'd rather watch a fantasy movie, like Merlin or Lord of the Rings or even Pirates of the Caribbean, than horror, and she wants to watch it from her favorite corner of the couch. She can talk cars—especially classics—with the guys and has a ridiculously amazing memory for useless music trivia. Her characters are a mix of who she is, who she knows and who she admires. Her motto: Live life, don't just exist.