Because storytelling makes the world a better place.

I’m Melissa Hart—Oregon author, journalist & educator devoted to sharing stories that entertain, educate, and inspire readers. As well, I’m passionate about teaching writers at any age and stage of their career to give voice to their own stories.

I grew up near Los Angeles with a mother who came out when I was nine, and a brother who has Down syndrome. At 17, I worked as a reporter for Senior News, pedaling my bike through L.A.’s streets to interview extraordinary people over age 55. These experiences shaped me into a journalist fascinated by how people interact with one another around the world in creative, supportive ways. I’ve written about triathletes with Down syndrome, about foster children who’ve become community leaders, and about cafes revolutionizing the way cities approach food insecurity.

When I moved to Oregon 23 years ago, I fell in love with the natural world. As a Pacific Northwest travel writer, I’ve told stories about mulching native saplings on a creekbank in the pouring rain, learning to train owls for educational presentations at a raptor rehabilitation center, and tent-camping on the deck of an Alaska Marine Highway ferry. I’ve reported on volunteer vacations that give back to local communities, and on the Northwest’s historic vaudeville theaters in which my great-grandparents performed their comedy/wire-walking/juggling act.

I’m the author of two memoirs—Gringa: A Contradictory Girlhood and Wild Within: How Rescuing Owls Inspired a Family—and two middle-grade novels: Daisy Woodworm Changes the World and Avenging the Owl. As well, I wrote Better with Books: 500 Diverse Books to Ignite Empathy and Encourage Self-Acceptance in Tweens & Teens. In 2025, Sourcebooks will publish my nonfiction book Down Syndrome Out Loud: 20+ Stories to Change Your Mind about Disability. I teach for the MFA in Creative Writing Program at Southern New Hampshire University.