Melissa Lee-Houghton was born in Wythenshawe, Manchester. She was named a Next Generation Poet 2014 following her second collection, Beautiful Girls, which was a Poetry Book Society Recommendation. Her most recent book of poetry, Sunshine, was published by Penned in the Margins in 2016 and saw her shortlisted for the Costa Poetry Award, Ted Hughes Award and Forward Prize for Best Single Poem. In 2017 Melissa was awarded a Somerset Maugham Award by the Society of Authors.

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Melissa's acclaimed pamphlet Cumshot in D Minor was the very first publication from Offord Road Books, in 2017.