Melissa Connelly dropped out of high school at age fifteen. In spite of this, she went on to receive a BSN in nursing, an MA in special education, and an MFA in creative writing. She’s had a long career working with children in a variety of roles in schools, hospitals, psychiatric clinics, and day cares. Her work has been published in American Heritage Magazine and the anthology It’s All About Shoes, and she was a finalist for the 2019 Montana Prize. Connelly has a home in the mountains of Western North Carolina but lives most of the year in Brooklyn, New York.