​Born and raised in Anniston, Alabama, Ashley Blackwell (aka Ashley Te'Arra) is a digital pop culture journalist, best-selling author, and creative entrepreneur.

Jumpstarting her journey in 2015, Ashley previously served as the Editor-in-Chief of Polish Magazine, where she was dedicated to helping young women of color share their stories.

From there, she moved on to become a celebrity news writer for Kontrol Girl (a sister brand to Kontrol Magazine) and famed gossip blog Baller Alert, along with a few other small publications. Today, she's an editor and interviewer for New York-based entertainment site Parlé Magazine. 

Throughout her journey, Ashley has also done her share of freelancing. She's written a press release for a FUBU collaboration campaign, website bios, and a handful of ghostwritten articles for the University of Baltimore's college newspaper.

Additionally, she specializes in content creation. In 2017, she began working with Dallas-born skincare line Elle Vie Body, brainstorming concepts and promotional material for the brand's social media pages, as well as copy editing. Graphic designing is, too, a skill that she's acquired.

However, May of 2018 is when Ashley made her leap into the literary industry. An avid reader and lover of African-American/urban fiction, Ashley has always aspired to add ‘author’ to her roster of achievements. At an early age, she began penning short tales and poems, which eventually led to her writing her first unpublished novel in 2015. 

Now a published author, under the pen name, 'Ashley Te'Arra,' her two-book series If These Pews Could Talk went on to become a bestseller in Amazon's 'African American Christian Fiction' category. 

Five titles and counting, Ashley's only hope is to unapologetically deliver authentic stories that readers can relate to and enjoy.

Earlier this year, she launched Fat Girl Takeout, an inspirational platform that serves as a virtual safe space for fellow plus-size women.

Ashley continues soaring for success, and she's hoping to go wherever the stars align.