Before she ever called herself an author, Anita Placido was a lifelong journaler. “I’ve always written down random thoughts or things that inspired me,” she says. “I never thought it would become a profession.”

That changed when God began speaking to her through dreams. While working through childhood trauma in therapy, Anita found that her emotions surfaced in vivid, symbolic dreams. “They were too painful to process consciously,” she recalls. “But in my dreams, I could work them out—and my depression started to lift.”

The Call to Write

At her therapist’s urging, Anita wrote the stories down. Initially, she refused to publish them. “I didn’t want my dirty laundry out there,” she laughs softly. “But then God said, It’s not about you—it’s about those I will help through your story. That’s when I finally said yes.”

Her first book, Dreams of Sanity, took six years to complete. Some chapters, such as “Sexual Predators,” were painful to revisit. “I almost left it out,” Anita admits. “But survivors would recognize themselves in it. They’d know it came from someone who understood.”

Courage to Publish

Anita waited until after her mother’s passing to release the book—then found unexpected healing through sharing it. “People would come to book signings and start telling me their stories,” she says. “Just being able to listen and let them talk was incredibly meaningful. I realized I’d created a safe place for healing.”

Her book cover captures that hope: a child dreaming beneath affirmations like I am loved by God and I am not damaged goods. “Those were the words I wanted survivors to see first,” she says. “You are not broken. You can be whole.”

Learning Publishing Her Way

Originally published through Guideposts’ self-publishing arm, Anita later republished through Amazon KDP to regain control of her work. She credits the Women in Publishing Summit for helping her navigate the process. “They had everything — editors, marketers, publishers, cover designers. It was invaluable.”

Her second book, Whispers from God, is a devotional that reflects her continued healing journey. “It shows growth from the first book. It’s about sitting in God’s presence and listening instead of doing all the talking.”

Advice for Writers

For new authors, Anita offers simple but powerful advice: “Write something every day — even if it’s only two sentences or an idea for a character. If you’re feeling stuck, take a break, do something fun, and come back refreshed.”

Her story is a reminder that healing and courage often grow side by side — and that sometimes the most personal stories are the ones that free others too.