Melissa Aden has harbored a passion for writing and storytelling from her earliest memories. With an Armenian father who came to America to pursue his dreams and a mother who is a patron of theater, film, and the arts, Melissa was raised in a creative environment and taught that if she worked hard to reach her dreams and sought God for direction, the possibilities for her future were limitless. From writing and illustrating stories for her family through childhood to becoming the youngest reporter to write for her local newspaper in high school, she went on to secure a Journalism degree and worked in marketing, event planning, graphic design, and freelance writing before daring to pursue a career as a novelist. Melissa felt long lost in a world of corporate ladders and schemes when God redirected her path with an amazing dream on June 7, 2008. God began revealing Melissa’s future to her, as well as a story that would change her life forever. Sparked by this divine inspiration, she began writing what would become the first Young Adult novel of “The PORTAL Chronicles" series. Melissa lives in Omaha, Nebraska, with her precocious toddler, Lina Grace. She enjoys reading, watercolor painting, coloring, and visiting museums and the zoo with Lina, as well as noshing on blueberry scones and mint tea and participating in women's ministry at her church. You can catch her musings and book updates from her blog at http://melissaaden.wordpress.com. Her debut novel, FLY: A PORTAL CHRONICLES NOVEL, was released May 2012 with other novels in the series soon to follow. http://amzn.to/Ks2FqA