About Me:

Short bio (94 words): Anica Mrose Rissi is the award-winning author of more than a dozen books for kids and teens, including picture books, chapter books, middle grade, and YA. Her essays have been published by The Writer and the New York Times, and she plays fiddle in and writes lyrics for the band Owen Lake and the Tragic Loves. Anica grew up in Maine and spent many years in New York City, where she worked as an executive editor in children’s book publishing. She currently lives in central New Jersey with her very good dog, Sweet Potato.

Longer bio (193 words): Anica Mrose Rissi grew up on an island off the coast of Maine, where she read a lot of books and loved a lot of pets. After college, she moved to New York City, where she worked as a cheesemonger and book editor. She now tells and collects stories, makes up songs on her violin, and eats cheese with her friends in Skillman, New Jersey, where she lives with her dog, Sweet Potato. Anica enjoys speaking with kids and adults across the country about all stages of the writing process, from ideas and drafting to revisions and beyond. She is the author of the Anna, Banana chapter book series; the picture books Watch Out for Wolf!, The Teacher's Pet, and Love, Sophia on the Moon; the middle grade books Wishing Season and Hide and Don’t Seek: And Other Very Scary Stories; and the YA novels Always Forever Maybe and Nobody Knows But You. Her essays have been published by The Writer and the New York Times, and she plays fiddle in and writes lyrics for the band Owen Lake and the Tragic Loves. Anica post about bookish and doggish things on Instagram: @anicarissi. 

Wondering how to pronounce my name? It’s uh-NEE-kuh MROHSS (one syllable; rhymes with “gross”) REE-see. You can listen to me say it here. Most of my friends call me Nica. 

Looking for Arugula? Find her here.

Want to know even more? Check out these articles and interviews:

• Writers Alex Sanchez, Anica Mrose Rissi & Sheela Chari Reflect on Teaching Writing by Michael Leali (Cynsations, March 7, 2024)

• Our First Fears, Episode 1: Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark with Anica Mrose Rissi (Our First Fears podcast, August 2, 2023)

• Writer Anica Mrose Rissi Loves a Good Surprise by Maggie White (Island Ad-Vantages, June 30, 2022)

• Interview with Anica Mrose Rissi (Spooky Middle Grade, July 25, 2021)

• Anica Mrose Rissi on Her Latest YA Novel, Writing Tips, and Story Time (Foreword: A Podcast of Island Readers and Writers, September 16, 2020)

• From Editor to Author: A Lesson in Letting Go (Book Riot’s What’s Up in YA newsletter, September 14, 2020)

• Friend Friday: Anica Mrose Rissi on How Writing Letters Helped Make Her a Writer (Kirby Larson’s blog, September 11, 2020)

• Anica Mrose Rissi on Intense Friendships—and Lies—in Fiction (Writer, Writer Pants on Fire blog, September 1, 2020)

• Writing from a Place of Pain & How Process Can Change for Each Project with Anica Mrose Rissi (Writer, Writer, Pants on Fire podcast, January 19, 2019)

• Ham(ster) It Up! (Pop Goes the Page, September 18, 2018)

• Watch Out for Wolf! by Anica Mrose Rissi and Charles Santoso (Interview with Mr. Schu on Watch. Connect. Read., September 11, 2018)

• Epic Author Facts: Anica Mrose Rissi | Always Forever Maybe (Epic Reads video, May 29, 2018)

• Welcome to the FFBC: Interview with Always Forever Maybe Author Anica Mrose Rissi (Pink Polka Dot Books, May 29, 2018)

• Meet Children's Author Anica Mrose Rissi and Her Inspirational Dog by Dan Bauer (The Princeton Echo, September 2017)

• Deer Isle Native Finds Career in Young Adult, Children's Literature by Laurie Schreiber (The Working Waterfront, October 2017)

• Friend Friday: Anica Mrose Rissi on Writing The Teacher's Pet (Kirby Larson's blog, August 25, 2017)

• My Writing and Reading Life: Anica Mrose Rissi, Author of The Teacher's Pet (The Children's Book Review, June 20, 2017)

• The Teacher's Pet Q&A with Author Anica Mrose Rissi (Smart, Simple, Savvy, June 10, 2017)

• Un"leash"ing Creativity by Erin Soderberg Downing & Anica Mrose Rissi (Nerdy Book Club, January 24, 2016)

• Anica Mrose Rissi: From Library Violinist to Children's Book Writer by Elke Dorr (Island Ad-Vantages, August 20, 2015)

• A Girl's Best Friend: Author Explores Girlhood Friendships and Fallouts by Jennifer Osborn (The Ellsworth American, July 2, 2015)

• Interview with Anica Mrose Rissi, Author of Anna, Banana, and the Friendship Split (The Hiding Spot, May 6, 2015)

• Wednesday Debut Interview: Anna, Banana, and the Friendship Split by Anica Mrose Rissi (Operation Awesome, May 6, 2015)

• Anica Mrose Rissi & Arugula (Coffee with a Canine, May 4, 2015)

• Anica Mrose Rissi on Anna, Banana, and the Friendship Split (Simon & Schuster video, May 1, 2015)

Looking for writing or publishing advice? I've got some! Try these links:

• Digging Deep into Process by Anica Mrose Rissi (The Writer, March 2023)

• Fall in Love with Writing Again by Anica Mrose Rissi (The Writer, February 2023)

• Critiqueless Partners by Anica Mrose Rissi (The Writer, July 2022)

• Freshen Up! by Anica Mrose Rissi (The Writer, May 2022)

• Gifts to Self by Anica Mrose Rissi (The Writer, December 2021)

• No Place Like Home by Anica Mrose Rissi (The Writer, October 2021)

• Pencils Down! by Anica Mrose Rissi (The Writer, July 2021)

• Essential Questions for Revision by Anica Mrose Rissi (The Writer, July 2020)

• Eviscerating Envy by Anica Mrose Rissi (The Writer, May 2020)

• Ways to Level Up by Anica Mrose Rissi (The Writer, March 2020)

• Finding Hope Through Story by Anica Mrose Rissi (The Writer, January 2020)

• How to Be a Good Critique Partner by Anica Mrose Rissi (The Writer, November 2019)

• Strive to Fail by Anica Mrose Rissi (The Writer, February 2019)

• Writer, Writer, Pants on Fire July Editor Episode (podcast, July 2018)

• From Promising to Polished by Anica Mrose Rissi (The Writer, January 2018)

• Productive Procrastination by Anica Mrose Rissi (The Writer, August 2016)

• Price of Promotion by Anica Mrose Rissi (The Writer, March 2016)

• One True Rule by Anica Mrose Rissi (The Writer, January 2016)

• 9 Must-Follow Manuscript Rules by Anica Mrose Rissi (Writer's Digest, September 2010)

• YA Today (Writer’s Digest interview, May/June 2010)

Need a high-resolution author photograph? Click on any of the photos below to download a hi-res version. Please be sure to credit the photographer, Kim Indresano. Thanks!