(HOUSTON, Texas – June 5, 2024) Tarris Marie worked for 15 years in corporate America before she was diagnosed with Stargardt disease, a genetic condition that caused her to become legally blind. Not long after her diagnosis, she lost her job. Over 40, recently disabled and out of work, she turned her senses toward her passion for writing.
“After becoming legally blind and jobless, I was at the lowest place of my life,” said Marie. “While I was depressed and lying on my bathroom floor, God said to me, ‘Get up and write a book.’ On Juneteenth 2020, I started writing and haven’t stopped since.”
Having written four books so far, Marie crafts strong but flawed female characters as a means for self-healing and inspiring others.
In September 2023, Marie released her debut novel Blaque Pearle, which tells the story of an aspiring actress from Compton named Pearle Monalise Brown who resorts to her beauty and acting skills to swindle money and expensive jewels. She meets a handsome gentleman named Blaque, and together they become passionately entangled in a whirlwind romance as they try to outsmart their enemies.
“Blaque Pearle is a riveting page-turner, fueled by complex characters, erotic energy, and high-stakes action. I couldn’t put it down,” said Tanisha C. Ford, author of Dressed in Dreams: A Black Girl’s Love Letter to the Power of Fashion. “Tarris Marie is a fresh voice on the literary scene who is reimagining the urban crime and suspense genres. I’m excited to see what she writes next. She’s definitely one to watch.”
In January 2025, Marie will release her second novel, Empress Creed. Marie’s new book follows two outlaw lovers from opposite sides of the war who face off. Their second chance at happily ever after comes at a cost only one crime king and one queen pin are willing to pay.
Marie hopes to take readers on captivating adventures in Blaque Pearle and Empress Creed, and she hopes her real-life triumphant testimony encourages others to follow their dreams.
“Whether it is through writing or acting, I use my characters and storytelling as a means for self-healing and to be an inspiration to others,” said Marie. “I hope that my story and books inspire other women to overcome their adversities and pursue their passions.”
Blaque Pearle is available in paperback, Kindle and Audible on Amazon and wherever books are sold. Empress Creed, which will be released January 21, 2025, is now available for pre-order on Amazon and Target’s website.
To learn more about Tarris Marie and her projects, visit www.tarrismarie.com.
About Tarris Marie:
Tarris Marie is proudly a Midwestern girl of the ’90s, born and raised in Gary, Indiana. After 15 years in corporate America, Tarris lost her central vision and eventually her six-figure career in a battle with Stargardt disease, a genetic condition that caused her legal blindness. In addition to being a novelist, Tarris is a screenwriter and actress who uses slivers of her life-experienced pie to create vivid characters and roller coaster journeys to inspire and entertain others. Tarris received a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing and business administration from Indiana University, where she also became a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. Marie currently resides in the great city of starships known as Houston, Texas, with her husband and two children. For more information, visit www.tarrismarie.com, or connect with the author on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @tarrismarie.
For more information or if you would like to interview Tarris Marie, contact Jennifer Sharp, The Carter Malone Group, LLC, at 901.278.0881 or jsharp@cmgpr.com.