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Best Indie Author of the Year 2024
I am incredibly honoured to announce that I have been awarded the “Best Indie Author of the Year” by the prestigious 8 and Halfilm Awards in Italy. This recognition came as a delightful surprise and I am deeply grateful for it. This journey has been a testament to the power of dreams and the magic…
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Transparent Storytelling
Coming soon is an extraordinary documentary film out of the US – Sensitive Men Rising. It is the first documentary to explore and engage the highly sensitive man who over many years have been labelled shy or not macho enough. It is time for the sensitive men to rise and find their place in the…
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Press Release
Say My Name (2023) Australian Short Film Wins International Awards Filmed in Sydney, Australia, Say My Name has won two prestigious awards, Award of Merit (for Women Filmmakers) and Award of Recognition (for Contemporary issues / Awareness raising) from the IndieFEST Film Awards. Director, Rhoyce Nova, Producer, Mel Baker, and lead actor and composer, Quinn, set the…
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Audio book
Sleeping Under the Bridge, book 1 in a trilogy of my life story, is now available as an audio book. It is narrated by Natalie Baxter, a young voice from the USA, who did a brilliant job in sharing my younger life story. Available in your favourite audio book app, or see these links: Kindle…
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Finding hope
Over the past month, I’ve had the opportunity to be interviewed by Georgia Free, Hope 103.2FM broadcaster and producer. I shared my story with her on three separate occasions for over 3 hours. Georgia could see from sharing my story that it won’t be the usual 30 minute episode for her Finding Hope podcast, it…
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Light a candle of hope
It’s homeless week 1-7 August 2022 Light a candle this week for those who are homeless, or better still come to the book launch this Sunday to support StreetHeart with the volunteer work they do with homeless people across Sydney and NSW. I was homeless at 16, it’s definitely a vulnerable place to be and…
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Book launch, Sydney
The first book launch will be live on Sunday 7 August 2022 at the Pylon Lookout of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The afternoon will be relaxing with a panorama view over Sydney. Along the way we will learn about the history of the Harbour Bridge, view a presentation in the cinema, hear about homelessness then…
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Holding onto Hope
How do we hold onto hope when we are overwhelmed and consumed? We can do more for ourselves than we realise. In this short episode, I share those moments in my life, and it includes the first public reading of my new book Sleeping Under the Bridge. This is the first book in the trilogy on…
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Press Release
Sleeping Under the Bridge, a powerful true story where despair finds hope At age 16, author Melissa Baker, slept under the Sydney Harbour Bridge after being sexually abused as a child. In the 80s, Human Rights Australia states there were over 3,500 homeless youth in Sydney. Today, whilst abuse has lessened, homelessness is 8 times…
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Empowering You
I started my first podcast show, LivingWell Talks, in July 2020. This was the very first episode I recorded that shares some of my story that is written in the first book of my up-coming trilogy series – Sleeping Under the Bridge. From nearly taking my life at 16 years of age to empowering people…
be true to who you are
Mel’s vision extends beyond the written word and short film. Her trilogy books are a blueprint for a larger cinematic venture that will inspire audiences through its portrayal of Mel’s resilience and determination. It is a testament to the power of storytelling in igniting hope and driving societal transformation.
dr mel baker: author, FILMMAKER, INTERNATIONAL SPEAKER
BEST INDIE AUTHOR OF THE YEAR 2024
BEST INDIE PRODUCER OF THE YEAR 2024
My latest book
Paperback, eBook and Audio available now
Short Film
Based on book 1: Sleeping Under the Bridge
Say My Name has won over 70 international film awards
About the author
Dr Mel Baker ED.d
Mel (@drmelbakerbooks) is a writer, producer and speaker living in Sydney, Australia. Read more…
Baker’s writing courageously and lucidly excavates deep emotional recesses… Stylistically explosive at times…the memoir is meditative as well. Baker is a talented, versatile writer whose frank book will resonate strongly with those facing similar issues. An intelligent, harrowing, and boldly confessional account of a survivor.
KIRKUS REVIEW 2022 – full review
Sleeping Under the Bridge is a book about hope and how the human spirit holds onto life and deep down know that with love and compassion, a life worth living can be found. This book is a powerful read.
David Vernon, Stringybark publishing, 2022 – full review
This is a very powerful story; it should be read by all of us who are concerned about the future of our society. This story is about an incredible courageous, strong, intelligent and optimistic young girl who believes in herself and survives the horrors of her childhood and early adult life. This is a story that is more than just the strength of the human spirit. This story is really about the strength of one person who never gave in.
Mel’s story should not be put aside and forgotten. It should be read by everyone and discussed by everyone. This story could be the springboard for putting an end to the outrages perpetrated against the vulnerable people in our society.
Dr Rick Williams, Old Douro Yass, 2002 – read Rick’s full review
Have you the read Sleeping Under the Bridge? Add your review to Barnes & Noble, Goodreads and/or Amazon
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