Kara Melissa logo

Writer. Educator. Advocate.

About me

I am a writer and mom of two. My work has appeared in The Calendula Review (Issue 1), Tampa Review (Issue 63/64), Drunk Monkeys, Today’s Parent, The Mighty, and the Firefly Friends Community Blog. A transplant Torontonian, I live with my two children (tween and teen!), my son’s service dog, Ewok, and our rescue  from Mexico City, Jengibre (hen-he-brey).  Spending time at Lake Ontario reminds us to slow down and be present. I have an MFA in Creative Writing, Nonfiction, from Antioch University LA and am the recipient of the AWP Intro Journals Project Award in Creative Nonfiction, 2022, for an excerpt from my book project, “Yes/No: Conversations with My Son.” 

photo of Kara Melissa

I write creative nonfiction, with the occasional poetry or fictional story. I love exploring different story paths and am especially interested in hybrid works, or works that cannot easily be defined by a predetermined genre. 

I’m glad you’re here. I hope you’ll stay awhile and join me for my next journey or sit with me while I take you through a previous one through a story or an essay or a poem or a photo or something entirely outside the box!

In addition to working on my own writing projects, my goal is to provide free/pay what you can writing workshop opportunities for marginalized communities and young adults. I support parents of children with disabilities through education, advocacy, and creative writing workshops.

sidewalk stencil art
“I don't believe in writer's block, I only believe in fear.”
Melissa Febos