Get the Latest News & Updates!
You’re welcome to subscribe to my newsletter for sneak peeks, advice and opportunities, but I haven’t had time to send an issue lately. Below, you can also be notified anytime I publish a new post, which happens way more often!
Upcoming Events
Attend an upcoming event! From writing, art and mentoring to Aurora Chasing, Melissa plans to present at a variety of events. Here’s a quick preview:
- Solar Outdoors: Michigan Aurora Chasers, Livonia, Michigan, February 2024
- Upper Peninsula Dark Sky Festival, Copper Harbor, Michigan, April 2024
Featured News
Popular Book Published! Below the 45th Parallel
In 2022, Melissa published a book “Below the 45th Parallel: The Beginner’s Guide to Chasing the Aurora in the Great Lakes Region.” The book is now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, as well as International Dark Sky Parks and many independent stores!
Social Gap Experiment Anthology Published
Launched during the global pandemic, the Social Gap Experiment was featured on FOX 47 TV News and in the Lansing State Journal in 2021. Edited by Melissa F. Kaelin, the Social Gap Experiment Anthology features more than 40 writers and artists . It is available on Amazon, All proceeds go to charity.
Countdown to Launch
Melissa went behind the scenes for the Solar Orbiter launch in February 2020, as a NASA Social Media Ambassador. Read about the experience!
Book Reviews
Ann Arbor District Library
Staff Picks
Book Review, April 12, 2023
• “Below the 45th Parallel” was featured in the Ann Arbor District Library Staff Picks
The Metropolitan
March Book Guide
Book Review
• Melissa’s book “Below the 45th Parallel” was featured in a book review for a Detroit audience
In the Press
Thrillist
“Catch the Northern Lights Without Leaving the Lower 48”
Magazine Feature Story, January 16, 2024
• Melissa and the Michigan Aurora Chasers, as well as other Aurora Chasing groups, were featured in a story in Thrillist Magazine.
Northern Express
Magazine Cover Story, November 11, 2023
“Aurora Chasers Teach Us How to Watch the Sky”
• Melissa was interviewed and the Michigan Aurora Chasers group was featured in a story about chasing Northern Lights
iHeartRadio
Radio News Interview, May 21, 2023
“Melissa Kaelin on ‘Chasing the Aurora Borealis'”
• Melissa was interviewed about her new book, the Michigan Aurora Chasers, and the Aurora Summit
MLive
Feature Article, May 16, 2023
“Want to see the Northern Lights in Michigan? Follow these 5 expert tips”
• Melissa was interviewed for an article in MLive
Next Michigan News
Feature Article, April 2023
“The Beauty of the Northern Lights in Michigan”
• Melissa was interviewed for an article featuring the group she founded Michigan Aurora Chasers
MLive
Feature Article, April 28, 2023
“Why Michigan is seeing Northern Lights more often”
• Melissa was interviewed for an article in MLive
Copper Beacon
“Keweenaw Dark Sky Park to host first-ever Upper Peninsula Dark Sky Festival“
Feature Article, March 14, 2023
• Melissa was quoted in an article featuring the inaugural Upper Peninsula Dark Sky Festival, where she was a presenter
UP Matters
“Legends and mythology behind the aurora borealis”
Feature Article, March 13, 2023
• Melissa was interviewed for an article on the legends and mythology of the Northern Lights
Michigan Dark Sky Chapter
Spring, the Start of Dark Sky Events in Michigan
Quoted in March 2023 Newsletter
• Melissa’s photography, advice and book “Below the 45th Parallel” was featured by the Michigan Dark Sky Chapter
DP Review
“Orion and the Aurora: how to photograph these wonders of the winter night sky”
Feature Article, February 2, 2023
• Melissa was interviewed for an article on catching the rare natural phenomenon of the Aurora
Click on Detroit
“Northern Lights entering peak viewing season: Michigan group offers tips for spotting them”
Feature Article, December 2022
• Melissa was interviewed for a feature article on the Michigan Aurora Chasers and chasing the Northern Lights in the Great Lakes region.
WDIV Local 4 News in Detroit
“Michigan group using science to catch the elusive Northern Lights”
Feature Video, December 2022
• Melissa was interviewed for TV News about her role as the Founder of the Michigan Aurora Chasers, sharing advice to catch the Northern Lights locally. The segment also featured her iPhone photography and her new book “Below the 45th Parallel: The Beginner’s Guide to Chasing the Aurora in the Great Lakes Region.”
WJMN/U.P. Matters
“Forecasting the Northern Lights”
Feature Article, October 2022
• Melissa was interviewed on TV News about the The Michigan Aurora Chasers, a group she founded in 2021, and how to catch the Northern Lights in Michigan.
Washington Post
“How to see the northern lights without leaving North America”
Feature Article, June 2022
• The Michigan Aurora Chasers, a group founded by Melissa, was featured in an article on viewing the Aurora Borealis in North America.
FOX 47 TV News
“Local artists came together to launch a book and give proceeds to COVID relief”
Interviewed on TV News, June 2021
• Along with several writers from the anthology, Melissa was interviewed on TV news about the Social Gap Experiment Anthology. She created the book out of a pandemic project designed to bridge the gap of social distancing and support those in need during the outbreak of COVID-19.
Lansing State Journal
“Anthology of work from over 40 Greater Lansing artists celebrates connection during pandemic”
Feature Article, June 2021
• The Social Gap Experiment Anthology and the project’s summer book launch, slated for Saturday, June 12, 2021, was featured in the Lansing State Journal.
City Pulse
“Local Creatives Unite for the ‘Social Gap Experiment'”
Feature Article, December 2020
• The Social Gap Experiment Anthology, a publication raising funds for charity, was featured in the City Pulse, the arts and culture newspaper in Lansing, Michigan.
The Fledge: “Every Damn Day”
Interview with Jerry Norris at The Fledge, December 2020
• Jerry Norris of The Fledge interviewed Melissa about the Social Gap Experiment and a new anthology that will raise funds to support those who have lost income due to COVID-19.
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/uOuo2TSsVuo
The Artist’s Umbrella
“Lansing’s Creative Community Writer”
Blog Entry, May 2020
• Melissa was featured in The Artist’s Umbrella blog ahead of her performance with the variety show, which was held virtually during the global pandemic of 2020.
The Palm Reader
“Fiction 440 Fosters Fun, Creativity”
Press Interview, May 2019
• Melissa was interviewed alongside many other flash fiction writers for a piece in The Palm Reader of Michigan. She will be presenting at the Fiction 440 event for the first time during their appearance at the East Lansing Art Festival.
Star Tribune Magazine
“Secrets to spotting the Northern Lights revealed at northern Minnesota gathering”
Press Interview, December 2018
• Melissa was interviewed alongside many other Aurora Chasers during Aurora Summit 18: Celebrating the Art, Culture, Science, and Photography of the Aurora Borealis. She co-founded the event with Dixie J. Burbank and Mike Shaw Photography.
Minnesota Monthly Magazine
“Winter Wonders: Rare and remarkable winter phenomena”
Cover Story, February 2016
• Melissa’s 10-page article on rare and remarkable winter phenomena was featured as the cover story for Minnesota Monthly in the February 2016 edition of the magazine. Coming up with a unique idea, Melissa pitched an essay to the editor on rare weather phenomena observed in northern winters, ranging from hoarfrost and frost flowers, to steam devils and light pillars. She also recommended the work of over a dozen photographers from Minnesota and Wisconsin, and 14 of those photographers were featured in the finished piece. Among the photos chosen for publication was her own image of sun dogs, after she captured the optical phenomenon on a point-and-shoot camera.
KARE 11
“Exploring Minnesota’s winter wonders”
TV News Spot, February 2016
• Melissa’s cover story for Minnesota Monthly and her photo of sun dogs were featured on KARE 11. The photo essay she pitched on rare and remarkable winter phenomena was inspired by incredible photos taken by many talented photographers in Minnesota and Wisconsin, ranging from hoarfrost and frost flowers, to steam devils and light pillars.
Lake County News Chronicle
“Aurora Summit Heading to Two Harbors”
Press Interview, October 2017
• Melissa was interviewed alongside other organizers before the launch of Aurora Summit 17: Celebrating the Art, Folklore, Science, and Photography of the Aurora Borealis. She helped to create and plan the event alongside Dixie J. Burbank and Mike Shaw Photography.
City Pages
“Great Lakes Aurora Hunters seek out amazing shots of the Northern Lights”
Arts Blog, March 2016
• Melissa wrote an article on the Northern Lights in the Great Lakes region for the City Pages Arts Blog, featuring a local group where she played an active role. She has written many articles on photography and art for City Pages.
Rewire: Twin Cities Public Television
“Are You MN Enough? Great Lakes Aurora Hunters”
Documentary Short Interview, January 2015
• Interviewed for a short video documentary featuring the Great Lakes Aurora Hunters during their annual gathering in 2014. Here is the link to the Rewire website.
The Star Tribune
“Great Lakes northern lights hunters are a phenomenon all their own”
Press Interview, November 2015
• Melissa was interviewed for a feature on aurora hunters in the Outdoors section of the Star Tribune, covering Minneapolis and Saint Paul. Print edition titled “Caught in the Lights.”
Lavender Magazine: Arts Spotlight
Thirty Years of Hope: The Minnesota AIDS Project
Art Review, December 2013
• Melissa’s paintings were reviewed for the first time by John Townsend in Lavender Magazine.
Excerpt:
“Melissa F. Kaelin’s majestic Sweet Raspberry Sunset is softly optimistic. Blackened natural objects on the earth’s surface stand with persevering will and hope as if calling on the universe, beguilingly and colorfully represented by the sky itself.
“The earthbound seem to be reaching for the healing power of a splendid, as opposed to an indifferent cosmos. In Kaelin’s view, it seems to be a cosmos where we can faithfully turn to at those times when we feel insignificant and hopeless.
“Her universe seems to have an overwhelming possibility so powerful that our humanness doesn’t quite yet have the ability to comprehend it. An invocation to cosmic healing energies that are hopefully finally returning to our ailing planet. Good news!”
The Madison Press
Press Interview, April 2013
“Brush strokes soothe grieving heart of former resident”
• Featured on the front page of The Madison Press, in London, Ohio, before participating in Art-A-Whirl 2013.
Special Projects
Social Gap Experiment Anthology Published
Launched in 2020 during the global pandemic, the Social Gap Experiment aims to bridge the gap of social distancing using creative and social media. Aspart of the project, submissions from more than 40 writers and artists were published in the Social Gap Experiment Anthology.
Edited by Melissa F. Kaelin, the book features photography, art, poetry, prose, hip hop lyrics and more. It is available on Amazon, All proceeds support those who have struggled in the global pandemic.
- Featured by the Wharton Center for the Performing Arts!
- Featured on FOX 47 TV News
- Featured in the Lansing State Journal
- Featured in the City Pulse
- Jerry Norris of The Fledge interviewed Melissa in a video
- Read the press release
Social Gap Experiment Video Footage
- Summer Book Launch: Watch a full recording of the event on Facebook Live
- Throwback: Watch the virtual launch party from December 2020
Fiction Published
“The Cosmic Dance,” a work of fiction about an Aurora Chaser, is published in the first-ever REO Town Reading Series Anthology organized by Matthew Rossi. Check out the anthology!
Poetry Published
Two poems were published in the December 2019 edition of The Wild Word. Read the poetry.
Newsletter Updates
Subscribe to my newsletter to receive sneak previews, hard-earned advice, upcoming events, and opportunities for you to advance your work.
Archive:
- December 2021: An Adventure of the Creative Mind
- June 2022: Luck on the Aurora Chasing Trail
- Next Edition: December 2022 (Tentative)
Other Concepts in Development
Aurora Chasing: Nonfiction Book Proposal
With the goal of sharing awe-inspiring stories with the world, Melissa is developing a proposal to interview Aurora Chasers, write their story, and publish a book of nonfiction for a public audience.
If you have an incredible story to share about your first night or most unique experience with the Northern Lights, let us know!
melissa f. kaelin 