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Welcome!

I’m Melissa Eskue Ousley,
award-winning author.

I live on the Oregon coast with my family, a neurotic dog, two charming cats, and a piranha. How does one end up with a piranha? Valid question. You’ll have to check out my short story page for the answer.

My novels are often inspired by our gorgeous forests and beaches. I love ghost stories and folklore, so there’s usually a paranormal twist in my stories.

When I’m not writing, I can be found on the beach, looking for sand dollars or building a driftwood fort with my twin boys. I love marine biology and have been known to nerd out over tide pools. I also volunteer for my local wildlife center, where I get to do all kinds of fun jobs like caring for pelicans and hand-feeding owls and hawks. 

I’ve had a number of other jobs, from spending a summer scraping roadkill off a molten desert highway to getting my Ph.D. and working in higher education, helping students obtain a college education. I also teach writing and publishing classes and have edited novels for various presses.

I love to talk with readers, so I hope you’ll connect with me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. Please visit my books page for more information about my writing, and be sure to visit my news page to read about upcoming projects and events.

Thanks for stopping by!

Grand Prize Finalist,
First Runner Up in Science Fiction/Fantasy,
and da Vinci Eye Finalist
with the 2022 Eric Hoffer Book Awards

Award-Winning Finalist in the Fiction:
Fantasy category of the 2021 International Book Awards

“An indelible story of loving yourself in a world of dreadful realities.” – Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“5 Stars. Constellations of Scars is one of the best, most original books I’ve read all year…an immersive masterpiece of fiction that I won’t be able to stop talking about for a long time to come.” –Readers Favorite

© Melissa Eskue Ousley 2012