Melissa Ashley

Melissa Ashley is the author of the bestselling historical fiction novels The Bee and the Orange Tree, The Naturalist of Amsterdam and The Birdman’s Wife, which won the Queensland Literary Awards Fiction prize and the ABA Booksellers Choice Award. She has published one collection of poetry, The Hospital for Dolls. She is passionate about historical women’s forgotten lives, particularly in art and science, and loves researching and travelling to discover all she can about the experiences of her fascinating characters. Melissa teaches creative writing and poetry workshops and is an experienced editor and mentor. She lives in Brisbane with her family.