Alright, so I know the title of this post sort of gives away the surprise, but I had to grab your attention, after all. And now that I do have your undivided attention, you might as well stay for the party! What’s that, you ask? A Party? Oh. YES. You know there is most definitely going to be a party because…I’VE GOT AN ESSAY IN GOOD HOUSEKEEPING PRINT MAGAZINE!!!
Yes, you DID read that correctly! My newest writing clip is in a national glossy women’s magazine! The holy grail of my dreams as a freelance writer!
(Side note: Since I’ve always been a keeper of dates, it’s interesting to note that it’s been exactly 10 years since my last byline in a glossy! Isn’t it funny how things work out sometimes?)
Anyway, I’m *still* on a publication high and have been SO EXCITED to share this story with you for a few months now! The essay is called “My Dad Made Me Feel Beautiful” and appears in the June issue, which is on newsstands NOW. In a nutshell, it’s about the intersection of beauty and my physical disability and how I’ve reconciled the two over the years with the help of my father. It was with my father, not my mother, that I remember taking me on my first trips down the beauty aisle — something he was perfectly comfortable doing — and from whom I learned my first lessons about true beauty and where it comes from.
The Backstory: I’d actually had the idea for this essay floating around in my head for a good year or so before I even pitched it. I knew I wanted to aim for print with this one and Good Housekeeping has long been one of my favorite magazines! Seriously, even as a teenager, I loved the magazine — shout-out to Heloise, one of the magazine’s long-time, classic columnists!
Anyway, I submitted a pitch to an editor in February and she replied that she was interested in the idea and asked me to write the essay. After I sent the first draft, she said there would be some edits to get it in shape for the mag and asked if I was up for it — YESSS, I thought. I revised the piece and she ultimately accepted it in early April.
It was certainly a whirlwind couple of months, but the experience was amazing and totally worth it! I can’t say enough nice things about the editors — they gave amazing feedback and were really supportive of my vision for the piece. Whenever I write about my father, I sometimes get a little nervous because I wonder what he’d think. I just hope he’d be proud of me and I wish he were here to read it.
Make sure you check out the magazine this month if you get a chance! Thank you to everyone who’s emailed me with your thoughts about the piece! I hope you know just how much it means to me! I love hearing from you, so feel free to email me (mellow1422@aol.com), Tweet me or send a message on Facebook and we can chat!! xoxo
Emily says
Congratulations on yet another writing success! You are totally killing it lately! Next time I’m out I’m going to hunt this down and be like, “I know her! (sort of)” haha
Barbie says
Such an inspiring article. This is how I found your blog!
Sheri Silver says
Wow – this is BIG Melissa – congratulations. You are such a talent and how thrilling it must be to have your work seen on such a national level. Ride this high – you’ve EARNED it! xo
LIz says
Congratulations! You totally deserve it. You work so hard, and that is totally inspiring. I can’t wait to pick up the magazine to read the article!
Ch4 says
I love Good Housekeeping and what a great magazine to have an in print essay published.
Valerie says
I subscribe to Good Housekeeping and this is how I discovered you and decided to follow your wonderful blog. It was a beautiful and heartwarming essay. Congratulations!
LIz says
I read it while I was at the library today. Such a great essay! Congrats again. 🙂
Nicole Aiken says
I receive my monthly Housekeeping magazine and was drawn to Melissa’s title about her father. What a love story, brought tears to my eyes to see the love of this father for his disablesd child and how he was able to make her feel beautiful at all times. What a gift!!! What a sad thing that he is no longer by her side.
Melissa, continue to follow your life with all those wonderful memories.
Would love to hear more about you.
MelissaBlake says
Thank you for the kind words, friends!! You’ve all warmed my heart!
jeanneandonlyjeanne says
I just read your essay and now I am a new follower of your blog!! So inspiring and you are a wonderful writer ~~ Looking forward to reading more <3 Love to you
Cynthia says
Loved your article, so inspiring! And enjoyed hearing about your special relationship with your dad. He would be proud. Keep up the good work.
Lauren in NC says
I just read it, and I loved it. Thank you for sharing your story with us!