![\"\"](\"https:\/\/melinakantor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/06\/aboutmelina.jpg\" "\\"aboutmelina\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a> I’m now a card carrying member of Romance Writers of America<\/a> (National<\/a>, New York City<\/a>, and Chick Lit<\/a> chapters). I’m currently writing my third novel.<\/p>\n In addition to being a writer, I’m a computer teacher and freelance editor. If you want to know more about me, read on:<\/p>\n The name is also fitting because this bee pendant is one of the symbols of Crete:<\/p>\n \n Here’s a Greek song my cousins used to sing to me. It’s called “Mikri Mou Melissa” or “My Little Honey Bee.”<\/p>\n [youtube]http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=R3PFd1r0X78[\/youtube]<\/p>\n \n My birthday is March 28th. It’s also<\/span><\/span> Jennifer Weiner’s<\/a> <\/span>and<\/span><\/span> Lauren Weisberger’s<\/a> <\/span>birthdays. <\/span>Not sure what to make <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>of that. <\/span>Maybe it’s a Jewish women’s fiction author thing. \u00a0Who knows?<\/span><\/p>\n I was born in Berkeley, CA, but I live in New York City now. My mother’s family is originally from Queens, and I seem to have inherited the New York gene.<\/span><\/p>\n All of my relatives on my father’s side of the family live in Greece. Most of them live in a tiny village on the southern coast of Crete.<\/span> (You can see photos here.<\/a>) <\/span><\/p>\n While my mother was pregnant with me, my parents played in a Greek band. \u00a0They sometimes played for money at<\/span> Ghiradelli Square<\/a> in San Francisco. My mother played the rhythm on the guitar, which she believes is the reason for my love of music.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Speaking of my love of music, I study voice, piano, and Arabic percussion. Not kidding about the Arabic <\/span>percussion. I even went to a<\/span><\/span> world music camp<\/a> <\/span>to study in the<\/span> woods<\/a>. Fresh air, music from all over the <\/span>world, some of the planet’s most glorious trees. . . What could possibly be better?<\/span> (See photos here<\/a>.)<\/span><\/p>\n Here’s a picture of my dumbeks (the one on the left is from Turkey, the one of the right is from Egypt):<\/span><\/p>\n Someday, I hope to be able to play\u00a0like this<\/a>. That’s\u00a0Sarit Hadad<\/a> playing. I absolutely\u00a0LOVE <\/strong>and adore<\/span><\/em> her! Her song Yam Shel Ahavah<\/a> was the springboard for my very first novel.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/a> When I was 15, I shook the hand of the<\/span> king of Belgium<\/span><\/a>. <\/span>I once saw Bill Clinton through the window of a restaurant. I’ve seen Paul McCartney in concert. When I was five years old, I sat on Joan Baez’s lap. I’ve also had wine with Lani and Sam. I <\/span>know! <\/span><\/em>Talk about brushes with fame!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n I spent my junior year of college at<\/span> <\/span>The Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Rothberg School<\/a>. <\/span>So did<\/span> Wolf Blitzer<\/a> <\/span>(from CNN)!<\/span><\/p>\n My coolest job ever was teaching kids to build robots out of LEGOs. I taught<\/span> Kindergarten and first grade for four years, and have a degree in Instructional Technology and Media.<\/span><\/p>\n If I could choose to have a super power, it would be stopping time, like in that<\/span> <\/span>show from the eighties<\/a>. <\/span>It would be such a cool power to have when the alarm clock starts shrieking every morning, don’t you think?<\/span> Then again, maybe I’d prefer the ability to be “beamed up” like on Star Trek. That would seriously cut down on my commute time and keep me out of rush hour. And just think of all the places I could visit and save on airfare. Plus, I wouldn’t have to deal with motion sickness. Such a tough choice.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n I spend an embarrassing amount of time having useless debates in my head about stuff like what super power <\/span>I would choose if given the choice. This is scary.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n I cook with a ton of garlic. Just visit my<\/span> recipes<\/a> <\/span>page and you’ll see what I mean. Oh, and just so we’re clear, I make the absolute best<\/span> hummus<\/span><\/a> in the world. Well, to me it’s the best because I make it exactly the <\/span><\/span>way I like it. You personally, although really I don’t see why, might possibly like it another way. Mine is very garlicy and lemony, and definitely not for wimps.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/span>On October 6th, 2007, I went to Central Park with the dog and my iPod. I sat on a bench by Turtle Pond<\/span> <\/span><\/span>and listened to the<\/span> Will Write For Wine<\/a> <\/span>e<\/span>pisode on NaNoWriMo<\/a>. <\/span>Less than two months later, I had a 50,000 word <\/span>manuscript that eventually turned into<\/span><\/span> <\/span>Daphna in the Rough<\/a>. <\/span>This is why I feel so indebted to <\/span>Lani<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> and <\/span>Sam<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a>. They got me to write a book. I wonder what other crazy things my addiction to their poscast could cause me to do.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span>Daffodils are my birthday flower. And I love them because I feel like they’re going to sing to me. They also play a big role in Daphna In The Rough.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span>Hamudi (aka Creature)<\/a>, my cocker spaniel, looks like he’s right out of a Disney movie, but really, he’s just 25 pounds of trouble. Although now that he’s out of puppyhood, he’s a much better roommate, even though he’s managed to steal <\/span>two<\/span><\/em> loaves of bread in the past<\/span><\/span> year. If you ask me, that’s a bit too<\/span> <\/span>Jean Valjean<\/a> f<\/span><\/span>or such a spoiled animal.<\/span><\/p>\n
![<\/a>](\"https:\/\/melinakantor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/06\/dumbeks.jpg\"){kind=link}