Maria's Journal

Melissa began performing in musical theater at the age of twelve. Melissa performed in over thirteen plays before she even turned fifteen years old. With a love of the arts, Melissa played the piano and violin and developed a love of reading and writing. Currently, Melissa is working on her first novel. Tell us a little bit about your writing, what is the process like? I usually get a picture, a small grain of an idea. And, if this idea persists over time, I then explore how to build story. Who’s your favorite author? Louisa May Alcott What are you currently reading? I tend to read a few books at once so currently, I'm reading: The Kid Stays In The Picture by Robert Evans and The Invited Jennifer McMahon. What is the one piece of advice you’d give new writers? Read, read, read! What are you working on currently? A suspense novel, something I’m really excited about! To learn more about Melissa and her upcoming projects, please follow her on  Twitter .

Cinco de Mayo, (Spanish for “Fifth of May”), also called Anniversary of the Battle of Puebla, is a holiday celebrated in parts of Mexico. This particular holiday celebrates the date of the Mexican army’s 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. While it is a relatively minor holiday in Mexico, in the United States, Cinco de Mayo has evolved into a commemoration of Mexican culture and heritage, particularly in areas with large Mexican-American populations. In the state of Puebla in Mexico, the day is celebrated with parades, speeches, and reenactments of the 1862 battle, though it is not much noticed in most of the rest of the country. In the mid-20th-century in the United States, the celebration of Cinco de Mayo became among Mexican immigrants a way of encouraging pride in their Mexican heritage. Click here to learn more about the Battle of Puebla. Happy Cinco de Mayo! Maria