Melissa de la Cruz

Melissa de la Cruz is a Filipina-American writer known for her young adult fiction. She wrote several popular series, including Au Pairs, Blue Bloods, and The Beauchamp Family. De la Cruz has achieved significant recognition, becoming a #1 New York Times, #1 Publisher's Weekly, and #1 IndieBound bestselling author.

Her works have also appeared on USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Los Angeles Times bestseller lists and have been published in over twenty countries.

Melissa de la Cruz was born in Manila, Philippines. She aspired to be an author since she was eleven years old. In 1985, at age thirteen, Melissa immigrated to the United States with her family, settling in San Francisco. She graduated salutatorian from Convent of the Sacred Heart High School and later attended Columbia University in New York City, majoring in art history and English. After graduation, she initially worked as a computer consultant.

De la Cruz wrote her first full-length novel at twenty-two while living in New York City and working at Bankers Trust. Although the book did not sell, an editor suggested she gain experience as a journalist. Her first essay was published in New York Press in 1996. She also worked as a beauty and fashion editor until she sold her debut novel, The Cat's Meow (2001). After a layoff from Morgan Stanley, she pursued writing full-time.

Her work as a fashion writer for Marie Claire inspired How to Become Famous in Two Weeks or Less (2003), co-written with Karen Robinovitz. Experiences as a nanny and visits to The Hamptons provided the background for The Au Pairs series (2004–2007). De la Cruz has also written original novels for Disney's Descendants franchise, with the first, The Isle of the Lost (2015), spending over fifty weeks on the New York Times bestseller list.

Melissa de la Cruz's bibliography includes many notable series. The Blue Bloods series has three million copies in print, and The Witches of East End was adapted into a television series. Her recent releases include The Queen's Assassin, the Alex & Eliza series, Gotham High, and The Birthday Girl. Her latest book, Murdered By The Mist (2024), continues her exploration of thrilling and mysterious themes.

In addition to writing, de la Cruz is the co-director of YALLFEST and the co-founder of YALLWEST, the two largest young adult book festivals in the United States. She is also the founder of Melissa de la Cruz Studio at Disney Publishing, focusing on creating diverse and engaging books for all age groups.

Melissa de la Cruz lives with her husband, Michael Johnston, and their daughter in West Hollywood.

Photo credit: melissa-delacruz.com