Meet the Authors
Karen Melvin
Karen Melvin loves the light, a driving force in her photography reflected in her passion for creating beautiful interiors. Based in the Twin Cities, she photographs nationally for architects, shelter magazines, interior designers, book publishers and advertising clients in the homes products industry. Her books Boathouses of Lake Minnetonka and Great Houses of Summit Avenue, are completely produced, art directed, and photographed by Karen.
Karen's three previous books of architecture and historic homes have won national publication awards and are regional best sellers; Legendary Homes of the Minneapolis Lakes (2012), Legendary Homes of Lake Minnetonka (2009) and Great Houses of Summit Avenue ( 2013)
Melinda Nelson
Melinda Nelson is an award-winning writer with a passion for architecture, design, and historic preservation. Prior to working with Karen Melvin on Boathouses of Lake MInnetonka, Melinda was the editor of Mpls.St.Paul Home magazine. She contributes to a variety of publications including Twin Cities Business and Artful Living magazine. Melinda’s love of stately homes, ancient gardens, sumptuous fabrics, and handmade furniture is due in large part to the fact that she was born in England. Melinda now lives in a 1935 Cape Cod in the historic city of Excelsior, Minnesota, where she’s lived for nearly 25 years. She has served on the Excelsior Heritage Preservation Commission and is a member of the Excelsior-Lake Minnetonka Historical Society.