“What’s Your Story?” is a guest post feature on BCBA’s blog. Indie/Self-Published authors are invited to write about their books, writing journey, creative process, inspiration, rewards and challenges of publishing, etc. They can go in whatever direction they choose. We are excited and grateful for their willingness to share, and we hope you enjoy Santita D’Anjou’s story. Go here for more WYS? posts.
Humble Beginnings. I wrote a blog with this title years ago, and today I find myself re-reading my words, trying to determine what part of “my story” I would like to share with you. There’s so much to say, but what fully encompasses how I came to being an author? I truly believe this particular phrase is what brought me here.
Although reading is my favorite pastime today, it was not anything desirable growing up. I remember so clearly being placed in the low reading group in first grade. Reading would cause me such frustration as a child that sometimes crying was the result. I cried in class, in my room, or while taking bathroom breaks to hide my tears. On top of that weakness, I also had a pretty bad lisp. This impediment served as a family joke and teasing means for my siblings, which led to my very low self-esteem when it came to reading in front of people.
By the time I got to fourth grade, I was fed up with the teasing. I was done hiding and feeling less than everyone else in my class. I became determined to prove my teachers wrong or even to stop the teasing. I began to work hard at improving my reading skills. All I knew to do was to read. I began to devour every book or magazine my mom brought home. I also worked at disguising my lisp. I figured out that if I stayed calm and did away with southern jargon, my speech became a lot clearer. Coupling my newfound strategies with reading aloud regularly, I soon began to surpass my peers, and the seemingly insurmountable challenge became a vague memory.
I continued to read throughout high school but found more enjoyment in adult fiction novels than anything else. I was in search of books that featured someone like me: teen, Christian, Black, ready for love. It was difficult. I fell into novels that were way too mature for my age. As the years passed, I continued falling in love with reading and decided I wanted to ignite this love for reading in others.
Ironically, my humble beginning led me to become a middle school reading teacher. But how did I become an author? How did I become a wordsmith after being someone who could barely express herself verbally, let alone read? Well, within my first year of teaching eighth-grade English Language Arts, my students took a fond desire in telling me about what they were reading. I was intrigued. I began reading the books they suggested and found that they were running into the same problem I encountered in high school, yet they didn’t know it. Or should I say, they didn’t realize the books they were reading were way too mature for their age.
I remember standing over a student’s desk peering down at a book I knew was inappropriate, thinking, “I could write a book that is just right for them.” After all, I had been their age not so long ago (I was only 25). I knew what I found interesting at their age and what I longed to read about. It was now my mission to give these teens what they didn’t realize they were looking for. Today, I write young adult fiction for those girls in search of adventure, realism, love, and truth. I recently released my third novel, Invisible, which features a teen I believe many of our teens will relate to.
So that’s my humble beginnings’ story. It’s difficult to share, but the more I live and experience students with similar challenges, the more I see how necessary it is to share. If anything, I want readers to know that humility isn’t about letting people walk all over you or being meek and quiet. Humility is knowing and remembering where you came from and, most importantly, where your help comes from. At the tender age of six and at the challenging age of nine (when I gained my courage to fight), I had no idea where my determination would lead me, but I am so thankful. I am thankful for nine-year-old me, for without her, there wouldn’t be The Window Series or Invisible.
Santita D’Anjou is a natural storyteller. Her storytelling ambition comes from her students and her strong passion for reading and writing. Santita is from Augusta, Georgia, but has also lived in exotic Hawaii, the sunny state of Arizona and beautiful Maryland. She loves seeing the ocean, visiting bookstores, reading young adult fiction, and telling her students about new and exciting books. She currently resides in Evans, Georgia with her two sweet children and her loving husband.
Invisible (Santita d’Anjou Books, January 29, 2021, YA, 234 Pages) Available Now!
Connect with Santita D’Anjou
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