Out of the broken pieces, something beautiful grows
There are moments in life that crack us open — moments we never asked for and wouldn't wish on anyone. But sometimes, in the breaking, we discover who we truly are and what we are capable of becoming.Melissa Sharman knows this truth intimately.
A writer, advocate, and domestic and family violence specialist based on the Gold Coast, Melissa's life is a testament to resilience and transformation. Once trapped in an abusive marriage, she found the courage to break free — and then turned that experience into fuel for change. She has spoken in the Queensland Parliament and presented a petition signed by nearly 100,000 Australians, helping reshape the state's domestic violence laws. Today she works in a refuge, supporting families as they take their first steps toward safety.
Beyond her advocacy, Melissa has given hope in one of the most personal ways imaginable. As the founder of Egg Donation Australia, she has helped bring twenty-three babies into the world for fourteen families through egg donation and surrogacy — work that has deepened her understanding of love, loss, and the extraordinary lengths people go to for family.A winner of the Queensland Writers Centre / Hachette Manuscript Development Award, Melissa writes creative non-fiction and contemporary fiction that sits at the intersection of the deeply personal and the universally human. Her work has appeared across Australian and international media, including The Today Show, The Project, ABC Radio National, Australian Women's Weekly, HuffPost USA, and Cosmopolitan USA. Her writing is shaped by lived experience, raw honesty, and the occasional streak of unexpected humour. She writes to understand, to connect, and to celebrate all the messy, magnificent ways we put ourselves back together.
Melissa lives on the Gold Coast with her husband, children, and a growing collection of rescue dogs.Her debut memoir, The Beauty of Broken Things — a deeply personal story about turning pain into purpose, and finding beauty among the ruins — is available now for pre-order, releasing 3 May 2026.
Book Launch- Coming May 3
The Beauty of Broken Things is coming. Releasing 3 May 2026 through Hawkeye Publishing, Melissa's debut memoir is a raw, honest, and ultimately hopeful account of survival, resilience, and the unexpected beauty that grows from life's hardest moments. Pre-orders are open now — be among the first to hold this story in your hands.
Reader Reviews
‘Melissa Sharman’s The Beauty of Broken Things is not only raw and honest, but also one of the most beautiful pieces of writing I’ve ever read. Sharman has already touched the hearts and lives of so many, but this book will reach even further, offering readers comfort, courage, and a reminder that even in our darkest moments, there is hope.’Rachael Johns, Author.jpg)
'Raw, courageous and Impossible to forget!'Tania Zaetta, Actress & Radio Host
‘A hauntingly beautiful journey that is unique and heartrending. Melissa wields her literary skill like a surgical blade that infuses her soul onto the page.’—Kylie Chan, author
‘A moving story of faith and family, of a girl growing out of trauma. Of wrong turns and sharp learning curves, of walking into beauty. Melissa Sharman is a born writer.'—Kristina Olsson author, Boy, Lost, Shell
‘Equal parts shattering and life-giving, this memoir shows how a woman can walk through fire and still cradle the world with open hands. A triumph of spirit and storytelling.’—Michelle Faye, author of Invisible Prison and DFV advocate
‘Raw. Unapologetic. Necessary. This is what resilience looks like when it finally speaks. A story that reminds us our darkest chapters can still write a radiant future.’—Renee Eaves, author of Flirt with Justice and social justice advocate
‘A complex and rich narrative of one woman’s survival, eclipsed only by her profound capacity to love. Her insightful prose safely guides readers through a lifetime battling abuse and control whilst she refused to yield to circumstance. Set against a backdrop of violence The Beauty of Broken Things navigates complexities of identity, faith and family, and how love can completely redefine them.’—Taysa, The Good Feelings Desk
‘Moving, confronting and ultimately uplifting. The core of this story is female friendship. The strength of it; the sheer necessity of it; and how women, together, can rise, support, and make change. A book for anyone who has suffered at the hands of another; for those who believe in the strength of human will; and for readers who devour tales of determination, love, and friendship.—Lorena Otes, author of Solo Mum by Choice