Melissa Saavedra is a 33-year-old Peruvian immigrant and Navy veteran. In February 2021, she founded Steamy Lit, a romance literary collective that launched The Steam Box, a subscription box aimed at amplifying the work of underrepresented authors and promoting self-love. After three successful years online, she expanded with a brick-and-mortar store, Steamy Lit Romance Bookstore, in Deerfield Beach. She also established the Steamy Lit Foundation, a 501(c)(3) that organizes Steamy Lit Con in California, furthering her mission to celebrate diversity in the romance genre for both readers and writers.
Melissa holds a B.S. in Sport Management from the University of Florida and is currently completing a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies, focusing on Women, Gender, and Sexuality, from Florida Atlantic University.