Mel Schmitz is a Developmental Psychologist, author, and illustrator who discovered that two decades of professional training still couldn't fully prepare her for the soul-baring, nerve-shattering, heart-bursting adventure of raising her own children.

Born in Malaysia and educated across the UK and Australia, Mel earned her Masters in Applied Developmental Psychology and has spent the last 17 years working with families at an international school in Germany. Throughout her career, she's been privileged to witness the raw, beautiful chaos of family life from both professional and personal vantage points.

Mel currently lives and creates in Stuttgart, Germany with her husband and two children—including the one who, yes, really did have an encounter with a bird of prey.