Melissa Payne is an accomplished American author, well-known for her contemporary fiction novels. Payne made her debut in 2019 with "The Secrets of Lost Stones," followed by "Memories in the Drift" in 2020. She has always been a storyteller at heart, having told stories her whole life. As the middle child, Payne believes she was born to be a storyteller, and her writing covers a range of topics from newspaper features to her master's thesis, as well as blogging about motherhood and marriage.
Payne's writing career took on a more significant meaning when she began working at a day and residential treatment center for neglected and abused children. She was tasked with writing letters and speeches to raise funds for the treatment center, which brought home the importance of storytelling. Payne's writing became a tool to invoke her readers to help, give and take action to make a difference. The truth of the stories was so painful and piercing that it made her readers realize the importance of their contributions.
Payne is the bestselling author of four novels, including "A Light in the Forest" and "The Night of Many Endings." She began her writing career after an early career in nonprofit organizations, driven by a dream to become a published author. Payne's stories are set in small mountain towns and feature characters searching for redemption, love, and second chances. Her writing has been recognized three times as a Colorado Book Award finalist and has won the Colorado Authors League 2020 and 2023 awards for mainstream fiction. Payne enjoys speaking about her writing journey at book clubs, literary festivals, and in interviews. She believes that everyone has a story to share. Her upcoming novel, "The Wild Road Home," will be released in 2024. Payne lives in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains with her husband and three children, a friendly mutt, a very loud cat, and the occasional bear.