about
Meet Melissa
Welcome to the Foggy Bottom Bookery! I’m Melissa and I’ve worked for the last 20+ years in the publishing industry as a ghostwriter, managing editor, print/digital marketing strategist, and publishing consultant. And now, I’m taking all of my experience and sharing it with you.
Hello, my friend!
I’m so glad you’re here.
Over the past two decades, I’ve been immersed in the fascinating world of words. With degrees in both Journalism and English, I embarked on my professional journey in corporate America, channeling my passion for marketing and storytelling into various roles. For 10 years, I thrived in the corporate landscape, blending my skills in branding and corporate marketing, editorial management, and content curation for clients such as Coco-Cola, Home Depot, Xerox, Kodak, Carrier, Universal Studios, and Disney.
In 2001, I transitioned into the publishing and editorial field with my first position as a strategies editor. I then spent two years serving on a media and mobilization marketing matrix for an international non-profit before taking over as editor-in-chief of a children’s magazine.
Looking to broaden my skillset and challenge myself in the editorial world, I accepted a position as Senior Copyeditor of Publishing for an internationally-known television/radio personality and New York Times bestselling author. Working as his ghostwriter, editor, and liaison with publishers in New York, I learned a great deal about creating and curating content that would help meet the needs of a broad and diverse audience. As the landscape evolved and changed, I took what I learned in that role and applied it to the new and emerging world of social media, spending many years creating, strategizing, and managing online/digital content across many social media platforms for my employer while still ghostwriting and editing his books.
I truly believe that each of us has been positioned on earth with gifts and talents to use in helping and encouraging others. I’ve reached the point in my career where it’s time to share all of my experience with a new audience—the next generation of writers who will entertain, help, and change the world. I look forward to bringing you all I’ve learned in the marketing and publishing industries to help you create, polish, and market the books you’ve always wanted to write.

Get to Know Me — Summer Edition
COFFEE ORDER
Iced Vanilla Latte
What I’m reading
Diana Gabaldon’s “Outlander” and Leo Tolstoy’s “Anna Karenina”
on weekends you’ll find me
Hiking the mountain near my house, antiquing for forgotten finds, and flipping through a stack of books and magazines at Barnes & Noble
I couldn’t live without
My fluffy white pup, Lexie the Tzu … and an ice cold fountain Dr. Pepper
Morning person or night owl?
Hoot-hoot!
Currently binging
“The House of the Dragon”, “Widow’s Bay”, and the entire filmography of Bette Davis (I’m obsessed!)
favorite travel destinations
The Appalachian Mountains, Charleston, the Carolina Low Country, and sailing around the Caribbean
great advice i’ve received
“Don’t spend your life building someone else’s dream … believe in yourself enough to build your own.”
FAQ
looking for a new book?
What’s Stacked on My Shelves
I’m turning pages …
Welcome to the cozy corner of my little book nook! As someone who’s spent years editing, crafting, and polishing stories, my shelves are always brimming with new reads—and trust me, they’re never boring! Lately, I’ve been lost in the worlds of mind-boggling mysteries, frightening thrillers, gothic haunts, witchy reads, classic tales, and historical fiction. These give me the perfect blend of intrigue, endless chills, and timeless storytelling (because, let’s face it … who doesn’t love a good plot twist or haunted manor?!). If these genres are calling your name—or you’re simply looking for a fresh page-turner—take a look at what’s currently keeping me up at night.


























