CHRISTIE MELLOR

AUTHOR, ACTRESS, ARTIST AND MOM

If passion were a sport, then Christie Mellor can write the playbook. This actress, author, and artist proves that you can raise a family and do what you love and maybe even profit from your life experience. I first came across this talented writer when I picked up a copy of THE THREE-MARTINI PLAYDATE - an irreverent look at the way kids should be raised today. I still remember some of the hilarious scenarios Christie painted for her readers in which she offered up great suggestions on how to get your kids to do more work around the house. Christie's laugh out loud book, is one of the highest ranked parenting books on Amazon and she says, it's not because she had a huge promotional campaign behind her, the success of her book was spread by word of mouth.

Even more inspiring was the way Christie managed to land a publishing deal without the help of an agent. Christie says after sending her manuscript to a friend who worked at Chronicle Books, he offered to put it on the desk of one of the editors there. As fate and good taste would have it, the editor instantly took a liking to Christie's writing and offered her a book deal. From there, THE THREE-MARTINI PLAYDATE was born and Christie, became a first-time author. Following the success of the book, Christie decided to pitch a few ideas that showcased her talents as an illustrator, but unfortunately, they weren't received as strongly as her first. And so, she set out on a search for the perfect literary agent who would share her passion for both writing and illustration - incidentally, Christie illustrates all of her books.

After several meetings, Christie finally did find an amazing agent who not only sewed up a second book deal with Chronicle for Christie's sequel to The Three-Martini Playdate, aptly titled, Three-Martini Vacation, but she also sold her two additional book pitches - one a non-fiction guide for twentysomethings and another, an illustrated book for adults, to powerhouse publishing house Harper Collins.

If you thought becoming a best-selling author and mom were enough to keep things interesting for Christie, well think again. Before she began typing away on her first manuscript, Christie pursued a career as an actress. Today, she can be seen in dozens of commercials and heard on the airwaves through her voiceover work. Christie says her roles these days are not much of a stretch - she usually plays the foolish mom who bought a really bad cleaning product; the ticket taker in an American Airlines commercial; or the memorable role of a mom driving a minivan - hmmm...I think we can all relate to that one!

In her down time...as if she has any - Christie is mom to two sons, ages 14 and 9, who obviously have provided her with plenty of fodder for her entertaining books. THREE-MARTINI VACATION will be released by Chronicle Books in Spring 2007. In the meantime, if you haven't read The Three-Martini Playdate yet, then CLICK HERE so you can make a purchase you'll be raving about for years to come! To find out more about Christie Mellor, visit her website at www.christiemellor.com