Meet Author Felicia Alford

Author Felicia Alford is an award-winning author and mother of two beautiful children. She is also a proud native of the South Side of Chicago. Felicia has cultivated a successful career, spanning over twenty years of elevated leadership and brand management, with an accomplished tenure as a corporate sales executive in the beauty industry. She is known by her colleagues as someone who is dedicated and takes on each task with tenacity and a strong commitment. Felicia applied that same determination in fulfilling her goal of writing a personal true story that she hopes the readers find compelling and enjoy!

Felicia Alford is on a personal mission to spread encouragement and inspiration on how to find strength and overcome adversity during challenging times, with her book, “Through The Fire”.

Alford’s book, “Through The Fire” highlights the early morning of February 21st, 1964, where a tragedy occurred on Chicago’s West Side that forever changed the lives of a renowned Chicago detective and his family. Their unforeseen catastrophe sent a shock wave through the city and brought unity during a time when racial discrimination was still at a peak.

The book discusses the detailed accounts of stories shared by Mr. Spencer Leak Sr., owner of Leak and Sons Funeral Home, former Chicago Police Superintendent James O’Grady and others are heartfelt, as they relive the huge impact that one of Chicago’s biggest disasters had on the city.

The book also highlights the painful memories that continue to haunt this family, as they desperately attempt to pick up the pieces and move forward. Their will to overcome obstacles and adversity is tested throughout this story.

Through the Fire reflects a remarkable strength of courage by the Alford family and the African American people and reveals a family’s journey of faith, hope, fear, and most importantly, survival.

When did you discover your passion for writing and sharing stories?
I first discovered my passion for writing as a little girl just jotting down my thoughts here and there on pieces of paper. As a teenager, those thoughts turned into poems, letters, and not-so-good songs. I never really thought to share my writings with others until I decided to write my first book, Through The Fire. Now, I can’t stop sharing my story.

Balancing writing and family life must be difficult, how do you practice self-care?
Somewhere in between being a single mom, working full-time, traveling for work, and writing late into the night. I find balance in prioritizing self-care time by practicing meditation, yoga and just setting aside some “me time” and getting massages.

What has been your greatest lesson learned during your author’s journey?
Learning to have patience has been my greatest lesson on this journey of being an author. Encountering challenging setbacks forced me to pivot and change course in order to achieve my goals.

What message do you hope readers take away from your work?
I hope the readers find my work to be impactful and inspiring. “Through The Fire” is a powerful story rendering you to dig deep, restoring hope once lost, and the strength to survive anything.

Where do you hope to see your work in the next 3-5 years?
In the next 3 to 5 years I hope to see my work in retail outlets, libraries, schools, stages, and on-screen.

What is your definition of a Pretty Woman Who Hustles?
My definition of a Pretty Woman Who Hustles is a woman who is dedicated to her purpose, consistently wears many hats, is a multi-tasker with intent, and unapologetically knows she is divinely guided. I am a Pretty Woman Who Hustles!