Anisa Ashabi - Young Adult Fiction
Anisa Ashabi grew up on Bainbridge Island and began writing
Finding
Chaz (2022) while attending Woodward Middle School. Two hundred pages in, Anisa
pushed her work aside and focused instead on growing up. She studied
journalism and communications at Washington State University, during
which time she worked in many fields-- local news, Capitol Hill, and
even did a stint at the FBI. A former kickboxing champ, Anisa put down
her gloves and returned to her story. At the young age of 23, she
completed and published
Finding Chaz, a postmodern uniquely American
coming-of-age story set against the social backdrop of the 2000s. The
story’s voice is unique, told through its strong female protagonist,
Roxie Nazari, who is navigating high school with a colorful group of
friends in a small town in Washington State. While the book’s characters
are purely fictional, they were all inspired by real people Anisa
crossed paths with while growing up on the Island.
