Welcome, friends!
I’m Melanie Conklin, award-winning author and designer. My books are published with Penguin, Little Brown, and Macmillan and have won awards such as Bank Street Best Children’s Book, the International Literacy Association Teacher’s Choice Award, and nominations to six state reading lists. Prior to writing, I spent fifteen years designing products for brands such as Johnson & Johnson, Swingline, Papermate, Crate & Barrel, Fiskars, and Medela, which received awards such as Business Week's International Design Excellence Award, the JPMA Innovation Award, and the Good Design Award. I am now a writing coach at The Novelry, where I help writers reach their goals. After 25+ years of award-winning work in creative industries, I seek to uplift and inspire the creativity that is inherent in each of us. I love the creative process and believe everyone can live a creative life. Keep scrolling for more about my books and subscribe for weekly fodder that will inspire you and spark your creativity!
Why upgrade to paid?
My weekly fodder arrives every Tuesday morning at 9am EST and will always be free to everyone. Paid subscribers get a bonus Thursday newsletter and the opportunity to respond directly to me via email, along with permanent access to ALL of my archives with deep dives into my writing career and the creative process. Paid posts are unlocked for all readers for a week and then they join the archives. Thank you for helping me continue to send weird little bits of fodder your way every week!
A #MeToo story set in middle school that addresses social media, consent, and boundaries, and includes a Greek chorus of voices sharing their opinions on the situation.
A mindful, gentle picture book about patience and learning to find beauty in the act of waiting.
Eleven-year-old Max struggles with his ADHD and making mistakes, so when a mistake leaves one friend in a coma and another shutting him out, Max resolves to find out what really happened that night.
Eleven-year-old Maddy thinks the new boy in her neighborhood is really a child who went missing six months earlier.
Her younger brother’s critical illness and a transcontinental move create upheaval in 11-year-old Thyme’s life.
