Jean Meltzer

{{Infobox writer

| occupation = Author, producer

| nationality = American

| awards = {{Awards|Daytime Emmy|2004|Assignment Discovery|Producer}}

| education = New York University Tisch School of the Arts (BFA)

| genre = Jewish young adult romance

| website = {{URL|https://jeanmeltzer.com/}}

}}

Jean Meltzer is a Jewish American author, former producer, writer, director for Tapestry International, and a Daytime Emmy Award winner.{{Cite web |title=Jean Meltzer {{!}} Bookreporter.com |url=https://www.bookreporter.com/authors/jean-meltzer |access-date=2024-02-08 |website=www.bookreporter.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Jean Meltzer {{!}} Producer, Writer, Director |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1860759/ |access-date=2024-02-08 |website=IMDb |language=en-US}} In 2006, she left the television industry to study in rabbinical schools and seminars in Jerusalem for five years until she left as a result of myalgic encephalomyelitis.{{Cite web |title=Jean Meltzer Books |url=https://www.hachette.com.au/jean-meltzer/ |access-date=2024-02-08 |website=www.hachette.com.au}} In 2022, the rights to her novel The Matzah Ball have been optioned. Along with Lance Bass Productions and Brett Gursky, it is to be produced by Sugar23.{{Cite web |last=Kroll |first=Justin |date=2022-02-03 |title=Sugar23 To Develop Jean Meltzer’s ‘The Matzah Ball’ As Feature Film, Lance Bass Productions Producing |url=https://deadline.com/2022/02/sugar23-jean-meltzer-the-matzah-ball-lance-ball-1234926423/ |access-date=2024-02-08 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}

Early life and education

Meltzer was born to an American Jewish family. She grew up keeping kashrut and attending Hebrew schools. She attended New York University Tisch School of the Arts, Department of Dramatic Writing, and received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2002.{{Cite web |title=About Jean – JEAN MELTZER |url=https://jeanmeltzer.com/about-jean/ |access-date=2024-02-08 |language=en-US}} Meltzer lives in Virginia.{{Cite web |last=Macomber |first=Debbie |date=2021-09-23 |title=Jean Meltzer |url=https://blog.debbiemacomber.com/jean-meltzer/ |access-date=2024-02-09 |website=Welcome Home |language=en-US}}

Career

= Television career =

After graduating from college, Meltzer worked as creative director of Tapestry International. She worked as a producer for several shows including Assignment Discovery which won the 2004 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Series. She also directed episodes of the show TLC Elementary School, which she also served as a producer for, and was as a writer for the television film Christmas and the Civil War. Meltzer is currently serving as a producer to the upcoming movie The Matzah Ball which is based on her novel by the same name. Meltzer left the television industry in 2006.

= Writing career =

Meltzer writes young adult romance with Jewish main characters. Her debut novel The Matzah Ball, centered around a Hanukkah romance, was published in 2021. Since then, she has written three more books: Mr. Perfect on Paper, Kissing Kosher and Magical Meet Cute.{{Cite web |title=JEAN MELTZER – Books With Ahava |url=https://jeanmeltzer.com/ |access-date=2024-02-09 |language=en-US}} In an interview about Jewish representation in her books, she explained that one reason for writing Jewish stories is her niece, saying:

“I didn’t have happy Jewish stories growing up and I realized my niece needed these types of stories, so I sat down and wrote a book for her,”.{{Cite web |last=Karpen |first=Elizabeth |date=2023-11-02 |title=Jewish romance writers break down their latest novels and why we need more Jewish stories |url=https://jewishunpacked.com/jewish-romance-writers-break-down-their-latest-novels-and-why-we-need-more-jewish-stories/ |access-date=2024-02-09 |website=Unpacked |language=en-US}}