Rissa has a gift for noticing moments others miss, and turning them into something you can feel. She believes poetry belongs within reach, waiting for the moment your world grows quiet.She loves hot green tea in antique cups, lingering walks through the produce department, and paying compliments to strangers. Everyday life is her constant inspiration for writing poems, plays, fiction, essays, and recipes. Rissa studied writing at New York University and photojournalism at Western Kentucky University, and has spent years gathering stories from both page and place. A poet, folklorist, and lifelong observer of small wonders, she is the creator of Tea & Smoke, where she shares readings, workshops, and gatherings centered on dark history, lore, and everyday enchantment.Her children's book, Room With a Boo, won the 2026 Best Children's Fiction category in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards as well as Honorable Mention for Best New Author from Purple Dragonfly Book Awards.You can find Rissa wandering in the night air, seeking out the kind of magic that doesn't announce itself. Or go to her website, teaandsmoke.com