Anissa Gray
Writing Coach
Anissa Gray is the author of two novels published by Penguin Random House praised by the New York Times for her beautiful prose and stories about family, love and loss. She is an award-winning journalist whose work has been featured in Washington Post, CNN, and The Cut.
Anissa Gray is the author of two novels. Her most recent, Life and Other Love Songs, was named a most anticipated book by Time, Essence, Real Simple, Good Housekeeping, and The Atlanta Journal Constitution in 2023. In its review, The New York Times said, “Life and Other Love Songs is a precisely observed, often beautiful book about family, love, loss and the hidden history that shapes lives…The prose is beautiful and poignant.”
Anissa’s debut, The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls, was one of the most anticipated reads of 2019 from Vogue, Vanity Fair, Washington Post, Bustle, and Cosmo. Care and Feeding was also named an Indie Next pick, Library Reads pick, and Barnes & Noble Discover pick as well as a Marie Claire 2019 book club selection. Additionally, the novel has been optioned for television.
Along with being a novelist, Anissa is also an award-winning journalist. She began her career as a print reporter for Reuters before shifting to broadcast news, where she has worked in various roles at CNN Worldwide for more than two decades. Anissa’s work has also appeared in The Washington Post, The Cut and other publications. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia, USA with her family and is at work on her third novel.
As someone who came to novel writing later in life without mentors in the industry, Anissa takes tremendous joy in helping writers of all ages, from all walks of life, hone their craft.
There are countless ways to tell a story, but no one can tell your stories like you. It’s a matter of finding your voice, which can take time. But you can get there. Keep writing.