Shelissa Kearney is a graduate of The University of Maryland, and studied at Harvard University in Cambridge. At the age of 20 she signed with an elite modeling agency, traveled for several years all over the world and went on to formulate and develop a line of organic lip care sold globally. After being nominated by her 5th grade English teacher, Shelissa participated in a college writing program at Towson University and marked the summer her love of writing would blossom. Her first book I Wish received the Kirkus Reviews Award & Accolade “GET IT!” during the first week of its publication. In 2011 Shelissa moved to Honolulu, Hawaii and it was on the island that she started her family and began writing I Wish, a story about embracing the beauty that resides in each of us.

Shelissa has appeared on television on shows such as The Today Show; The Ellen Show; NBC. Her work has been featured in magazine and online in outlets including USA Today, Marine Spouse Magazine, The Knot, Huffington Post, The New York Times, InStyle, Shefinds.com, Parents Magazine, and Brides.com, among others. In the corporate space, Shelissa has worked with national brands such as Steer, Goldwell, Head Tennis, PGA Tour, and the recipient of the prestigious “Finest Under 39” award for her dedication to philanthropic causes. 

Shelissa has lived in the Annapolis, Maryland area for 30 years. She is the mother of a preteen and a goldendoodle named Lilly. I Wish is her debut picture book. Shelissa’s new novel Pickles on the Side releases 10.8.25 and is a love story with an unforgettable twist.