Melissa Haines

Melissa Haines is an Appalachian-born author whose work lives at the intersection of raw psychological grit, survival, and modern folklore. Originally from the rugged ridges of West Virginia and now residing in Indiana, Melissa writes with a searing honesty that can only come from lived experience. A survivor of a two-year abusive marriage, Melissa channels the realities of trauma, dissociation, and reclaimed autonomy into dark, atmospheric fiction. Diagnosed with Borderline Paranoid Schizophrenia and Personality Disorder, she rejects the idea of the broken victim; instead, her narratives explore the intricate, fiercely protective architecture the human mind constructs to endure the unendurable. Her second novel, A Fortress of Ash and Iron, is the culmination of that journey—a story where psychological resilience, ancestral power, and mountain justice collide. Through complex character systems and high-stakes tension, she crafts worlds where the marginalized find their teeth and the silenced take their power back. When she isn't unearthing the dark truths of the high ridges, Melissa lives a quiet, grounded life in Indiana alongside her fiancé, Jason, and their two dogs, Raisen and Petey.