A. L. Simien

An avid reader since age 11, A. L. Simien knew by high school that she had a story to tell. As a young adult, she advocated for trauma victims, volunteered as a telephone crisis counselor, and advocated for youth in foster care. After nearly three decades in public-sector administration and management, she retired and spent two years writing her first novel, the young adult book The Hidden Gem. She continues to mentor teenage girls and women, and is now writing her second novel, with a focus on books that open the door to conversations about abuse, neglect, and isolation.