In 2018, I chose to risk it all. I resigned from my position with a Fortune 100 company. To say I’d had enough would be an understatement. I would physically get ill as soon as I drove into the parking deck. Hopefully, that will paint a visual for the readers. I’ve always written, but the journey of being a published author is a long and tedious path that for the majority of black writers, typically ends with either letting go of your dream or choosing to self-publish. 20-plus years ago I wrote my first book, but with life, I chose to put all my energies into being a mother. Fast forward, my oldest is now an adult, and I realized that writing was missing in my life, so I began my blog, blendedlikeus.com. There my passion and purpose for writing were rekindled. Doors of opportunities begin to open for me. I became a contributing writer for RollingOut, and a weekly writer for Beautiful Brown Girls. Now I’m on book three and living my best life. Take that risk. Have confidence that what you want will align with the Universe. Trust me, you’ll get everything that you desire.

I am a Life Coach and published author with a calling to help others heal from past trauma. Creatively, my writing is to remind us that we can all be more tolerant of each other. We have become such a judgmental society with little to no patience for things that make us uncomfortable. My writing is meant to do just that. Be the voice for those who feel unheard. Tell stories that have pain but show the resiliency that we all possess. What sets me apart from other authors is my ability to write in such as way that you visually are taken to that moment in time, feeling the pain, and sharing the happiness and growth of my characters. I’m most proud of my brand, which is me. I’m authentically Anissa without trying to become the latest TikTok dance mom or IG star. I’m just Anissa who has stories to tell, that will tell them.

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being creative is receiving feedback from readers on how my books made them feel or impacted their lives somehow. That’s what being an author is about. To leave a little piece of you with everyone who takes the time to dive into your book. To discover aspects about themselves that they may not know or to tap into compassion. Or to better understand the power we possess and the importance of getting to that place of total acceptance of who you are and what you owe to yourself.