As an up-and-coming author, 33 year-old, Tissanie has inspired others to reach for their dreams and create their own magic.  Known to her peers as a “Dream Builderâ€, Tissanie has been featured in “UBAWA” in December 2016, the “Transparency Library Magazine†in May 2018, and on the XoNecole entertainment blog. With her innate creativity, Tissanie can take readers on inspiring and imaginative journey. With a screenplay in the works, she is setting new goals and reaching new heights!
“I have found my magic in writing. Creativity lives in my spirit and writing has been my outlet to share the world inside my head. It has been my expression of inspiration, captivation and reality. Writing was a hobby, but creating has become my passion. I aspire to create and smile as people relate to my work!” Tissanie says.
Dive in and get to know this this dope author and creator below.
Fancy: How would you describe your swagher? What makes Tissanie,Tissanie?
Tissanie: My swagher is defined as simply Tissanie.
Half of my family members don’t know my real name. As a young girl, I cringed at the thought of someone attempting to pronounce my name, so I disowned it. In fact, I didn’t claim my government name until fifth grade. It was the first time a teacher had ever set me straight.
“Your name is Tissanie, not Tiffany. Why would you want to fit in?†Take ownership of your uniqueness.â€
Shout out to Mr. Barzzo for planting self-identity into a lost fifth grader.
So here I am; Tissanie Simmons, a creator birthed to be different and to stand out. I am my own person possessed with my own unique qualities and gifts. Not only am I proud of my name but honored to engage in corrected introductions. I specialize in being authentically myself. I believe this gives me a creative edge needed to write different, relatable stories, as well as, having a resonating voice to speak life into others.
Fancy: How long have you been writing?
Tissanie: I’ve been an unpaid storyteller since I was a child. My mom would force me to retell stories in front of her friends and family. I was labeled “extraâ€, because my stories would be so animated and exaggerated. Instead, I viewed “extra†as being gifted. So, innately there are tons of stories in my head. The storytelling continued until adulthood, where I developed a passion to create more. This realization forced me to write my first book, and I’ve been writing ever since.
There is a thrill that comes with storytelling. Receiving reader reactions and affirmations that my story hit home has been the ultimate gratification.
Fancy: So tell us more about your book, “Generational Curse†and what inspired it.
Tissanie: The African American community is infested with perpetual generational curses. It has been an ongoing pandemic for centuries and will always be a story worth exposing. However, there are millions starving to break these chains. “Generational Curse” is my story and the story of many others around me. It aims to inspire those craving purpose beyond their disparities.
I solely intended to write this book to inspire the younger generations in my huge family. I had been intentional about being a role model and showing them that achieving anything was possible.
Fancy: How did you realize the curse haunting your bloodline?
Tissanie: The reality of cursed living didn’t hit me until high school. Entering, I really didn’t have a vision for my life. It wasn’t until a mentor planted the seed of college for my future. She saw my potential before I did and guided me. I began spreading the word to peers and encouraging them to do the same. Man, it was so disheartening seeing many of them not believing in themselves enough to dream further. Complacency had already settled. I knew then I had to make a choice to dream beyond my disparities or stay cursed.
Fancy: How did your family feel about your publishing such intimate details?
Tissanie: My family loved the book. They are an open book, so I had no negative feedback. My aunt, “Bobbie Geneâ€, wanted to tell her story. She was illiterate but cried when I gave her a copy. I’m not sure if anyone ever got the chance to read it to her before she died.
Fancy: Now the book is being adapted into a short film. How did that come about?
Tissanie: Most of my reader’s feedback was the book should be a movie. The movie has been in my head for years. So, after so many affirmations I finally decided to go harder with the story. I found actors, a dope media team and filmed it. Bringing it to life literally brought tears to my eyes. When I tell you, I felt so full, because it had come full circle. It was everything! I am so excited for it to come out this year!
Fancy: What is your writing method like?
Tissanie: My writing method is not systematic, lol. It’s quite chaotic actually. I write what I feel, when I feel it. Then, I piece the story together in my head and move them around like a puzzle. I believe that in the end the stories come out perfectly. However, my readers are usually upset and/or want more.
Fancy: What advice would you give to other aspiring authors?
Tissanie:
- If you want to be author, sit your ass down and write.
- No one will believe in your stories if you don’t.
- Your stories are worth telling!
Fancy: Do you have any upcoming events or projects that you care to share?
Tisannie: Ouu, I fell in love with the cinema space. It literally gave me chills. Currently, I am writing two more short films and working on another novel. I can see one of the short films becoming a TV show. So, I am excited to learn more about making these come to life this year.
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