Melanie Jones

I balance work as a full-time newspaper designer for the nation's largest newspaper company with being a part-time freelance writer, so I take on only a few jobs at a time. I specialize in health and wellness articles, as well as profiles of artists, authors and musicians. I have held many roles at newspapers and magazines, including small-town reporter covering everything from ribbon cuttings to UFO sightings to kidnapping and murder. I can still do hard news, but I prefer features. One exception: covering barriers to mental health care, including government funding and problems within the criminal justice system. When I'm not writing professionally, I'm either researching what to write next, I'm at work on my novel in progress, or, when I'm not writing that, I'm reading. I do all my work from home, so I'm self motivated and do not require constant management, but I'm still a team player. I'm also an experienced copy editor proficient in AP Style and Chicago Manual of Style, so if you're looking for that skill, I'm your woman.

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CONNECT: The Storyteller

A rough history can't erase the soft spots from Rick Bragg's heart RICK BRAGG IS A HUGGER. Twenty minutes after a speech in Boaz, a line of autograph-seekers still snakes down the corridor. And every fan who wants a photo gets a smile and a hug. He takes time to chat with each one — some appearing to be old friends — and always encourages those with writing aspirations. “I feel like you're giving me a piece of your life,” one student says of Bragg's memoirs. “And I want to give you a piece o