Melissa Keil hails from Melbourne, Australia and her passion for books has been a lifelong affair. With a background in Cinema and Anthropology, she expanded her academic horizons through graduate studies in Professional Writing and Editing. Keil's diverse career has seen her embrace roles as a high school teacher, a Middle Eastern tour guide, a waitress, a contributor to community theatre, and even a stint as an IT help desk operator. Presently, Keil dedicates her days to the world of children's book editing, while her spare time is filled with writing, indulging in comic books, exploring YouTube, and caring for her spirited spoodle, Hugo.

Her writing career took off with her debut YA novel, Life in Outer Space, which garnered the 2013 Ampersand Project award and the 2014 Ena Noël award, alongside nominations for prestigious accolades including the Prime Minister's Literary Award, The CBCA Book of the Year (Older Readers), and the Gold INKY. Further cementing her place in the YA genre, Keil has published titles such as The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl and The Secret Science of Magic. Her short story 'Sundays' features in the celebrated #LoveOzYA anthology, Begin, End, Begin.