“The morning after I was held hostage in a hotel room at the Ritz-Carlton by one of Lindsay Lohan’s male friends was the day I knew I needed to take my work in another direction,” says writer Kelly Mellott. Kelly first started her career during journalism school at Columbia College Chicago with an internship at women’s music and culture magazine, Venus Zine. She eventually landed a staff position at the publication writing, editing and handling social media and live events. She’s interviewed internationally recognized artists like Perry Ferrell, MGMT, Minus the Bear and CSS. Kelly spent the majority of her early 20’s covering the backstage chaos happening behind the scenes of music festivals like Lollapalooza, Pitchfork and SXSW. As both a staff writer and a freelancer, she spent a lot of time on tour buses, vans and hotel after-parties.

“But alas, there’s only so many free drinks and parties a journalist can handle. Or maybe I just got too old for rock and roll.”

Now you can find Kelly at home, where it’s safe, tapping away on a vintage typewriter by candle light like all serious writers do. Or watching the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills with her dogs while eating an entire pint of Ben and Jerry’s Greek FroYo. Either/or.