Buddy the Beefalo captured the hearts and minds of people everywhere when he escaped from a meat-processing plant in Plymouth, Connecticut, and fled into the surrounding forest. Buddy's determination to survive led to an eight-month long search and eventually to his recovery. By then, fans of Buddy had set up a crowd-funding campaign and contributed enough money to send Buddy to a sanctuary in Florida, where he would remain forever free. Buddy's story has now been written for young audiences to reinforce their understanding that animals, like people, deserve to live in safety and without fear. Marliss Melton enjoyed an exotic childhood growing up overseas where entertainment meant riding on elephants in Laos, visiting museums in Paris, and tracking tigers in northern Thailand. With the world her home, she excelled in language, music, and story-telling. Marliss has taught various aspects of language in high schools and universities, including the College of William and Mary and ODU, her alma maters. She has published medieval romance but is most well-known for her military romantic suspense novels featuring Navy SEALs and agency heroes.
