We’re looking forward to introducing you to Stefanie Annis. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Stefanie , thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What do you think others are secretly struggling with—but never say?
I think a lot of people are silently struggling with loving someone battling addiction. It’s such an isolating kind of pain, you’re watching someone you love self-destruct, and you can’t fix it. It’s hard to talk to people about the emotions that come with it, the hope, the anger, the guilt, the heartbreak, because most conversations focus on the addict’s story. That’s why I wrote Heartbreak and Hope, to give that side a voice.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Stefanie Annis, and I’m a California-born author who believes in the power of words to heal, uplift, and inspire. I’ve self-published six books, each one rooted in themes of love, loss, and growth, created from a very personal place with the hope that they reach whoever needs them most.
My newest release, Heartbreak & Hope, is my first poetry collection written for anyone who’s ever loved someone battling addiction. It’s for the ones living in the space between heartbreak and hope.
These poems don’t try to fix the pain, they sit with you in it. They give voice to the ache of watching someone you love slowly slip further and further away. Heartbreak & Hope is a hand to hold, a mirror for your pain, and a reminder that you are not alone.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
Figuring out how to self-publish my first book, Coco the Chameleon, was one of the first times I felt truly powerful.
I had no idea what I was doing, but I had a dream and was determined to bring it to life. I Googled, I researched, I made mistakes, but I figured it out. I ended up selling over a thousand copies and saw the impact it had on so many kids and parents.
That moment shifted something in me. I realized I don’t need all the answers before I start. I just need to trust that I’ll figure it out along the way.
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
When I realized I could write through it. Every book I’ve written has come from something real I was going through.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
My friends would probably say that what really matters to me is creating with meaning. I always put my heart into everything I make. I care about emotions, storytelling, and helping people feel something real whether it’s comfort, connection, or confidence.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
You know you’re doing what you were born to do when your whole soul feels at peace while you’re doing it, and lights up when you share it with the world.
That mix of calm and fire? That’s how I know I’m on the right path.
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