Rissa Miller is an editor, author, herbalist, seer, and storyteller.
Her storytelling expertise stems from extensive research into the area of esoteric history, including ghosts, witchcraft, cryptids, and folklore. Rissa believes the most enduring stories teach us not only about humanity's past, but also give reason to reflect on our own present beliefs and realities. She often leads ghost tours and gives lively history talks.
It's rare to find Rissa without tea. No matter where she is or what she's doing, a mug of green tea is her constant companion. Tea is one part of her love of plants. She holds a deep reverence for plants and the answers they offer, whether as tasseographs in a teacup, smoke in the air, a healing salve for the skin, a plant on the windowsill, or nourishment for the body.
In addition to adoring tea and herbs, her love of plants is made complete by the fact she is a vegan of 29 years. She's also a published author and poetess, and has had several plays produced in the mid-Atlantic area.
In her career, she’s worked for six publications and studied writing at New York University/Tisch School of the Arts and photojournalism at Western Kentucky University. Rissa currently studies clinical herbalism (online) at Herbal Academy.
If you don't find her foraging, wandering a garden, or hiking, Rissa often takes spontaneous road trips, and loves cooking and baking. Her sun sign is Pisces; moon sign is Capricorn; rising sign is Scorpio; and Rissa was born in the year of the Wood Rabbit.
Photos by Kirsten Weaver
Want to feature Rissa on your blog, podcast, show, or in print? Please reach out! Rissa loves working with writers, producers, and other creatives. Rissa is available for articles, blogs, lives, podcasts, and video interviews. Email her at rissa@teaandsmoke.com or you can check out her one sheet here.