Melanie Holmes

Melanie Holmes is the author of five books. Her first book, "The Female Assumption," earned a 2014 Global Media Award from the Population Institute (Washington DC) for its message of equality for women. Her second book: "A Hero on Mount St. Helens," published by University of Illinois Press in May 2019, is a biography of Dr. David Johnston, who died in the line of duty as a USGS volcanologist when Mount St. Helens erupted in May 1980. His family, close friends, colleagues, and even David's own writings (diary, letters from the field) contributed to this book. People know how Johnston died, it is time the world heard how he lived. Holmes's third book was published by Arcadia Publishing in their Images of America line: "Manteno." A small town that sprung up where the Potawatomi once dwelled, it began as a train town - like so many Midwestern villages - and later became known for a state hospital that was on its fringe until 1985. Holmes's fourth book came out in April 2021: "The Secret Life of Postcards: Tracing Art & History Through One Woman's Collection," which reveals the art, symbolism, and history that is hidden in her grandmother's vintage collection (1906-1930s). Her grandmother was a Costigan who hailed from Herscher, IL, and who married a Lemenager, (of the Eugene Lemenager clan). Holmes' fifth book (May 2023) is part of Reedy Publishing's nationwide line of statewide bucket list books. As a lifelong Illinoisan and travel enthusiast, Holmes reveals insider tips for roaming the Land of Lincoln! For more info, visit www.MelanieHolmesAuthor.com