Happy Birthday, John Bellairs

The calendar rolls around again as we celebrate the 87th birthday of John Bellairs.

Memoriam: Melanie Lea Hayes

Melanie Lea Alford Hayes of Carbondale passed away on Dec. 31, 2024. She was 48.

Melanie was born on Feb. 20, 1976, to Gail Marie Schebella Alford of Onaway Mich.

Melanie graduated from Onaway High School in 1994, having excelled in creative writing, drama and over the next two years she wrote her first novel, “Dead and Buried.”

She was employed as a classified ad taker and obituary writer at the Daily Progress in Charlottesville, Va., a job she enjoyed for four years. Though not published, she wrote two more novels, “Number One Crush” and “The Prisoner of Shallot.”

Melanie’s main passion was writing, and she loved to write fantasy, horror and science fiction. She was inspired by the works of John Bellairs, Ray Bradbury and Peg Herring, and by the films of Steven Spielberg and Tim Burton. Her favorite actors were Christopher Lloyd and Harry Groener. Her favorite bands were Shakespeare’s Sister, The Breeders, Garbage, Cyndi Lauper and Led Zepplin. She was also a huge fan of the show "Mystery Science Theater 3000." As an animal lover, she cared for many cats, dogs, rats, and other animals.

Source:

dailyrepublicannews.com

The Figure in the Shadows: 1975-2025

2025 marks the fiftieth anniversary of Dial publishing John Bellairs's The Figure in the Shadows, the second book in the long-running Lewis Barnavelt series.