Melissa Binstock began writing Nourishment just prior to entering the first of several residential treatment facilities for anorexia nervosa when she was fifteen. In 2005, Melissa was awarded the Gold Key Award by the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers for excerpts of Nourishment, and in 2006, she was invited to the Grand Rounds at Texas Children's Hospital to read excerpts of Nourishment at an eating disorders conference. In 2009, Melissa was invited to give a lecture about Nourishment at Texas Women's University and was interviewed by the Houston Chronicle. In 2010, she was invited to be the keynote speaker and honoree at the Tourette's Syndrome Foundation annual gala. 

Melissa is currently a junior attending the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas. She is a psychology major, and her future plans include obtaining a doctorate in clinical psychology with a major focus on Tourette's syndrome. Melissa currently lives at home with her parents and siblings in Houston, Texas, and enjoys horseback riding in her free time. Learn more at nourishmentthebook.com.