about

Melody L. Simpson (she/her) is a young adult science fiction writer, screenwriter, songwriter and the Founder of Melanin in YA, your source for all things Black in traditional young adult books.

A lifelong lover of books, theatre, film, television, and pop culture, she created Hollywood the Write Way in 2008 to write about all things entertainment. Through this, Melody has interviewed hundreds of actors, writers, directors, and more in the entertainment industry.

When not writing or reading, she can be found in the audience of a musical or play thanks to her musical mother, walking around the exhibit floor of conventions that she grew up on thanks to her comic book artist father, or at home enjoying Netflix. She was born and raised in New Jersey and currently splits her time between Los Angeles, California and Austin, TX with her calico cat, Bird.

anthologies

Writing in Color: Fourteen Writers on the Lessons We've Learned Edited by Nafiza Azaad and Melody Simpson

Release Date: August 22, 2023

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1665925648

Genre: Nonfiction, Creative Writing

Starred Reviews: Kirkus, Booklist

Available Now

Betty Bites Back: Stories to Scare the Patriarchy Edited by Mindy McGinnis, Demitria Lunetta, and Kate Karyus Quinn

Release Date: September 16, 2019

Publisher: Independent

ISBN-13: ‎978-1074809164

Genre: Horror

Contributor: Read Melody’s short story, “The Guardrail Disappears” in this feminist horror anthology.

Available Now

find me

Email: melodysimpson@hollywoodthewriteway.com

Literary Agent: JL Stermer at Next Level Lit

Instagram: @melliesimps

Threads: @melliesimps

Facebook: Melody Simpson Author Page

Letterboxd: Melody Simpson

Melody also has fairly inactive accounts on TikTok, YouTube, Tumblr, Pinterest, Hive, and Spill as well as private accounts on Goodreads and Neopets. You can find some of her playlists on Tidal. Please do not request Melody on LinkedIn if you do not personally know her. Thank you.

Note: Melody supports causes in the following areas: cancer, multiple sclerosis, AIDS / HIV, heart disease, diabetes, sickle cell, alzheimer's, autism, epilepsy, lupus, mental health, education, sexual assault and abuse, human trafficking, poverty alleviation, animal rescue, and disaster relief.  

Psalm 12:6