In 2007, Melissa met her husband while taking a salsa dancing class in NYC.  Fast forward to 2013, they got married and started a family.

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When the world stood still in 2020, Melissa was building their children's home library with DEI books.  As she was building it, she wasn't able to find any children's books that represented her family -- Asian and Black.  One night in October 2020, she sat down and wrote

'A Family Full of Love'.

 

Over the course of 3 years, Melissa has spoken to many people within both publishing worlds - traditional and self.  With her full-time job and mother to 2 young kids, it was difficult to fathom self publishing her own book.  Melissa submitted her manuscript to a few publishers that were accepting manuscripts without an agent, but was met with either rejections or no response.  She has always believed in her manuscript and the importance of the story, therefore couldn't let that stop her.

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In December 2023, she decided to self publish!

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