I was already a fan of actress Melissa Archer when I met her several years ago at a convention near Chicago. Melissa was kind enough to give me a short interview there. Fast forward to a couple weeks ago, I got an update interview from Melissa and what an update it was!

After getting her first role at age 17, Melissa followed it a couple of years later by joining the cast of television’s One Life to Live, a role she would hold until its final episode in 2013. Melissa started as a bad girl who moved into town with a big plan. Eventually, she altered her ways and became a beloved citizen of Llanview. The great part was the character kept her same spunk while softening around the edges.

Fans quickly embraced Melissa after her debut on OLTL. Even if they loved to hate her, they soon grew to simply love her and rightly so.

Since OLTL went off the air, Melissa has kept working, including a stint on tv’s Days of Our Lives. She also started a YouTube channel called Melissa is a Dork, which was extremely entertaining. Melissa’s humor, warmth and sense of adventure came through clearly.

It was that same sense of adventure that led her to a big change in life. A couple of years ago, Melissa decided to live a van life. This was the main focus of our interview. It’s better to listen to Melissa tell her story, than for me to try to capture her enthusiasm in words. Melissa discusses all aspects from buying and converting a van, to travel to ecological effects.

Along with the tales of van life, Melissa often posts inspirational quotes on her social media accounts. Recently, she introduced a product line, based on her thought of “It’s better to wander than to wonder.” Not only is that inspiring, it also ties into her travel mindset. I loved the idea so much, I immediately bought a shirt and look forward to more products in the future.

I really enjoyed this interview. Melissa is such a positive person. I hope you enjoy the interview and then check out her social media accounts to get interesting updates.