Christine Macdonald is a Los Angeles-based writer who grew up on the Hawaiian island of O'ahu. Her work has appeared in Salon, SMITH Magazine, Power Women Magazine, Guide to Literary Agents, Anaheim Examiner, and many other publications. She is featured alongside various celebrities and fellow writers in the book: The Best Advice in Six Words: Writers Famous and Obscure on Love, Sex, Money, Friendship, Family, Work, and Much More (Larry Smith/St. Martin's Press).
Through her writing she uses her voice, a unique blend of cutting truth and self-deprecating humor to inspire others to release their shame and tell their story.
At age 13 Macdonald was diagnosed with *Acne Conglobata, a very rare and severe skin disease that left over 80% of her face severely scarred. The trauma she endured subsequently led to her working as a topless dancer in Waikiki at the age of 19 in 1987. She is noted as saying the first time she felt beautiful is when she was on stage.
By the time she was 21, Christine worked as a burlesque dancer and was highly addicted to cocaine and the psychoactive drug MDMA ("Molly", "Ecstasy").
She is very public about her past struggles, including mental illness (Clinical Depression, PTSD) and childhood abuse. It is her belief that when people are honest with their story, the dark shadow of shame and stigma turns into palpable illumination of strength and inspiration.
Macdonald's chapter, Sunset Strip, about her final night on stage is published in Larry Smith's book The Moment: Wild, Poignant, Life-Changing Stories from 125 Writers and Artists Famous & Obscure (Harper Perennial). She is currently working on finishing her memoir. Christine's passion and vision is to speak to young women with self-esteem issues and rather than judge them for their choices, help them see their value in embracing what they consider to be their flaws.
Christine brings her love of the coast to California where she has lived since 1996.
