About the Authors
Melissa Harvison
Melissa Harvison is the founder, managing editor and senior writer of The Voluptuary.
Melissa was born in the rural town of Richton, Perry County, Mississippi, in 1975. Both of her parents were native Missippians, but her father’s work forced them to traverse the continental United States in travel. She attended more elementary schools than she could count (over 100) and as a result was exposed to many customs, dialects, trends and friends. During this time, at the age of 9, she won third place in a Louisiana state-wide student literary competition. She began playing the alto saxophone at the age of 12.
In 1990, after the loss of her parents, Melissa returned to Perry County where she attended Perry Central High School, graduating with highest honors and as the STAR student in 1994. She was first chair alto saxophone in the band, and her other honors included: U.S. Marine Corps Semper Fidelis Award in Recognition of Musical Excellence, John Phillip Sousa Award for Musical Excellence, National Merit Semi-Finalist, Georgia-Pacific Foundation Scholarship, National Honor Roll, National History and Government Award, National Honor Society, Perry Central Physics Award, Perry Central Economics Award, Perry Central Math Award, Student of the Month, Band Member of the Week, and All-South Honor Band.
Melissa attended Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi, where she majored in English literature with a focus on Southern literature and critical theory. She also studied Spanish and Hispanic film and was a staff writer for an alternative student publication, The Millsaps Monitor, and she was Entertainment Editor and contributing writer for the college newspaper, The Purple & White. Melissa was first chair alto saxophone in the wind ensemble, Pledge Class President of Phi Mu Fraternity, and was on the president’s list and the dean’s list. She earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1994.
Melissa has written several short stories and has done freelance writing for publications such as The Planet Weekly (an alternative weekly newspaper in Jackson, Mississippi) and BettyConfidential.com. She modeled for Budweiser in 1999 and played sax in a funk band in Mississippi and a punk rock band in Washington, DC. She has enjoyed diverse work positions such as a credit manager, legal secretary, paralegal, copywriter, sous chef, and ESL (English as Second Language) textbook writer and editor.
Melissa currently resides in London with her South African husband and Ignatius the Cat.
Melissa Harvison
John Smith
John Smith is the voice of the commonest man. He considers himself vaguely reflective, sporadically insightful and meanderingly blabberful. He is undoubtedly a product of the middle classes, with outlook and prospects to match. Mr. Smith is a self-made man (built from Ikea instructions) – with the additional screws that you’re never quite sure of. He is endlessly seeking divine purpose, everyday passion and candy.
Meekly virtuous and compulsively obstinate, he has become a disciple of the school of Passion Asbentia – substituting stubborness for drive, pride in mediocrity for ambition. By no means a writer, perhaps more of a commmentator – he always makes others look good.
He believes he will live to a ripe old age – it would be too easy otherwise.
Cornelius
Cornelius is a government employee cursed with a wandering imagination, no social life, and way too much free time on his hands.
