Literary Journals & Anthologies
- REO Town Reading Series Anthology, Forthcoming
- The Wild Word, Poetry, #44: Celestial, November 2019
- Still Point Arts Quarterly, Short Story, Winter 2018
- The Aurorean, Poetry, Spring 2018
- Dispatch Literary Journal, Poem, 2005
Books & Chapbooks
- Hope in the Hoarfrost
Author, Poetry Chapbook, Self Published in 2016 - We Had To Go On Living
Cover Artist, Red Bird Chapbooks, Featured in 2013
Honors & Awards
- Mid-Michigan ADDY Awards, Bronze in Online/Interactive Digital Communications, ComArtSci Today, 2020
- NASA Social Media Ambassador, 2020
- Medallion Awards, 2nd Place Best College Newsletter, 2017
- City Pages, Best of the Arts Blog, 2013
- Capture Minnesota, Photo of the Day, 2013
- Loft Literary Center, Short Poem Award, 2011
- Minnesota Newspaper Association, 2nd Place Social Issues Reporting, 2010
Magazines & Nonfiction
Area Voices: Astro Bob’s Astronomy for Everyone, 2020
- MSU Today Contributor, 2019 – Present
- ComArtSci Today, 2018 – Present
- Minnesota Monthly, Cover Story, 2016
- City Pages, 2013 – 2016
- Scene in the West Metro, 2016
- Minnesota Historical Society Magazine, 2015
- Mitchell on Law, William Mitchell College of Law, 2014 – 2015
- SCAN: St. Catherine University Magazine, 2011 – 2013
- Portraits Magazine, 2008 – 2011
Public Speaking Appearances
- Aurora Summit, Conference Co-Founder, 2017 – Present
- Aurora Folklore & Mythology, Aurora Summit Presenter, 2017, 2019
- Inkwell Poetry Reading Series: Featured Author, 2019
- East Lansing Art Festival Main Stage, Fiction 440 Event, 2019
- Fiction 440, Performances
— May 18, 2019: #54 Winsome, Whale, Wonder
— Sept. 24, 2019: #56 Starlight, Exhausted, Price
— Jan. 7, 2020: #58 Hazard, Bounce, Tonic - The Poetry Room, Performances
— Aug. 13, 2019: Season Three
— Nov. 11, 2019: Survivor Series
— Dec. 7, 2019: Promise
— Jan. 14, 2020: Dirty Laundry - REO Town Reading Series, Author Reading, 2019
— May 30, 2019: Volume 13 - Careers in Journalism, Media & Writing, Various Colleges & Clubs, 2013 – 2018
- Minnesota Congressional Race, Political Debate Moderator, 2016
- Minnesota State Government IT Symposium, Social Media Panelist, 2015
- Social Media Forum, Facilitator for Various Nonprofit Organizations, 2012 – 2015
- Great Lakes Aurora Hunters Gathering, Presenter 2015 – 2016
- BrandLab Youth Field Trip, Guest Speaker, 2015
Newspaper Writing
With years of experience in journalism, Melissa has written hundreds of articles and feature stories for community newspapers. Selected publications include:
- The Associated Press
- Sun Newspapers
- Carver County News
- Owatonna People’s Press
- Waseca County News
- The Madison Press
Art Exhibits
- Still Point X, Online Exhibition for Still Point Art Gallery, 2018
— Painting selected for publication in Still Point Arts Quarterly literary journal - Art: Diverse Perspectives Through Local Eyes, Art Works Eagan, 2017
- Wintry Art Exhibit, Eagan Dunn Bros., 2015
- Art-A-Whirl, Northrup King Building Open Studio Tour, 2014
- First Thursdays in the Arts District, Exhibiting Artist, 2014
- Thirty Years of Hope, Cargill Gallery, Minneapolis Central Library, 2013. A joint effort by Altered Esthetics and Hennepin County Library, for the MN AIDS Project.
- Summer Art Exhibit, Apple Valley Dunn Bros., 2013
