Melissa Newman

Melissa Newman is an award-winning journalist and writer, having spent 20 years in the newspaper industry rising to the ranks of editor and publisher. She has called Southeastern Kentucky home all her life and truly embraces the title of southern writer, bestowed upon her by loyal readers. As a journalist, Melissa has written hundreds of feature stories about people and places in Southeastern Kentucky and elsewhere; covered several murders from the crime scene investigation to the courtroom sentencing; penned government corruption news; and has been instrumental in nudging local and state government to take action through her editorials and news columns. During her time in the newspaper industry, Melissa won many journalism awards, seized the opportunity to write for various regional news magazines and had several stories published by the Associated Press. House of Cleaving, Melissa’s latest novel, released June 2011, is a story about a young woman who has lost everything she cares most about in life. As a means to escape her small town and the painful memories which haunt her there, Annie Cleaving attempts to sell the only home she has ever known. When she finds out she is holding a faulty deed to the property, she discovers and uncovers a mystery surrounding her now-deceased mother and how the rest of the Cleaving family fits into this puzzle. Melissa’s first novel, Sister Blackberry released November 2009, has enjoyed much success and continues to gain reader interest in both the US and abroad. Upcoming titles include a third novel, Growing up Wilder and a fourth, The Gittie Bridge. More information about Melissa’s work can be found at www.melissanewman.net Melissa lives in Kentucky with her husband, Frank. Together they have two grown daughters, Brittani and Brooke. Visit Melissa Newman’s Web site at www.melissanewman.net