Melody Bonnette-Swang gives advice to aspiring writers at the Southern Christian Writers Guild, Mandeville, Louisiana.

Education plays an important role in Melody Bonnette-Swang’s life. The Mandeville, Louisiana resident is a history teacher, serves as director of broadcasting for the St. Tammany Parish School System’s educational access television channel, and is currently enrolled in the PhD program in education at the University of Southern Mississippi. She was named Louisiana Overall Teacher of the Year in 1999. Melody has also contributed to Guideposts magazine and Angels on Earth magazine.