Liberian-born and Georgia raised writer, Hanifa L. Barnes, uses her culturally diverse background and experiences to develop story ideas that infuse culture and history.

An avid reader and writer, she is set to complete her first fiction novel which takes place in pre-Civil Rights Mississippi. She enjoys dabbling in themes that blend magical realism, history, and faith. One of the challenges she has had to overcome is putting words on paper when the “idea honeymoon” is over.

Hanifa finds solace in the quiet greenery of her backyard, enjoys working out when writing allows, and learning more of herself by sparring (verbally and totally clean!) with her teenagers. She resides in central New Jersey with her husband and four children.