Writing
As a writer, Melton plays with forms and formats: memoir, in-depth profile, oral history, celebrity encounter. She has traveled extensively, so her areas of interest are all over the map.
New York's 2025 Yesteryear Issue celebrates the Legends of Broadway. I am beyond thrilled to have contributed to this issue (if you know me, you're probably surprised I'm still breathing). I interviewed six incredible performers, who shared stories about the roles that launched—and in many cases, defined—their careers: Dick Van Dyke (Bye Bye Birdie), Joel Grey (Cabaret), André de Shields (The Wiz), Lea Salonga (Miss Saigon), Tommy Tune (My One and Only), and William Daniels (1776). The portfolio by Mark Seliger, who took this cover image, is spectacular.
From car chases to chorus lines to castles in the sky, some other subjects she has explored:
“A Year Like No Other”: Acclaimed photographers on one image that best defined an unforgettable time
“Why Your Next Vacation Should Be by Train”: What it's like to be hopelessly in love with riding the rails
“My Life in Lights”: A memoir of growing up at Hollywood High School
“Lens Master”: The life of photographer Julius Shulman. Winner of the 2010 PEN Center USA Literary Journalism Award
“Quest of a Royals Watcher”: A visit to London to celebrate the Queen Mother’s milestone 100th birthday
“If It Speeds, It Leads”: How televised high-speed car chases became a citywide pastime in Los Angeles
“The Last Page”: An homage to the L.A. institution Dutton’s Books, where Melton spent her teen years as a clerk
“Get Hitched”: On being lured into the cult of vintage travel trailers
“Grapes with Snape": A dream assignment: wine tasting in Malibu with the late, great Alan Rickman
"The Groundlings at 30": A couple dozen comedic geniuses walk through the history of L.A.’s legendary improv group
“There’s Something About Sammy":
Why is the movie industry still so scared of this classic Hollywood novel?
Celebrity Encounters
Melton has spent time with some beloved performers...