Melissa M. Garcia has lived most of her life in the sometimes gritty, but always entertaining landscape that is Southern California. She graduated from California State University in Long Beach with a degree in English/Literature. Garcia is the author of the Los Angeles crime series featuring Luc Actar (including Falling Angels and Chasing Demons) and the Death Valley Mystery series (Stranger and Next of Kin). She has also published an e-book collection, Faith Departed: Short Stories of Mystery, Crime, and Despair. Her novels are available in paperback and e-book formats. She currently lives with her husband in Southern California. http://www.amazon.com/author/melissagarcia   

Melissa's first mystery novel, "Falling Angels" was selected as a finalist for the 2006 Word/Work Self-Published Book Awards sponsored by Media Darlings. Media Darlings Literature, Art & Sound, who sponsors the literature contest announced its list of 14 finalists for the best self-published or small press fiction and non-fiction books on May 1, 2006.
Falling Angels was selected as a finalist in the Dark Oak Mystery Contest sponsored by Oak Tree Press.
Her second novel, "Stranger: A Death Valley Mystery" was selected as the Editor's Choice Award from iUniverse, Inc.