Dr. Queesha Tillman grew up enjoying the simple life in Clinton, North Carolina. The Sampson County native has authored two quintessential books and her Book Signing Floating Event will take place Friday, March 8 from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Kiwanis Recreation Center at 352 Devers St.

The books are A Love That Shatters Barriers: A Mother’s Relentless Battle for Her Autistic Child and Untapped Power: Black Women’s EQ Superpowers and Leadership Ascent.

“A Love That Shatters Barriers: A Mother’s Relentless Battle for Her Autistic Child [was] released Wednesday, Feb. 14,” said Tillman, author and principal of 71st Classical Middle School.
“That is Valentine’s Day and it is like a love book to my son Desmond.”

October 12, 2001, was the day that changed everything. Tillman received the disheartening news that her three-year-old son, Desmond, was diagnosed with Severe Profound Autism. In the wake of the shocking revelation, Tillman was in a complete state of denial and took her son to three different pediatricians whose diagnoses were all the same.

“Our family noticed that around 12 to 18 months, Desmond was digressing in terms of developmental things going on with him,” said Tillman. “He shied away from looking us in our eyes and he began babbling instead of forming words.”

Propelled by her son’s diagnosis, Tillman penned a book that delves into her mental montage of moments as she navigates the journey of being a parent of an autistic child.

“The book discusses what it was like to receive that kind of news and how I had to work towards being the optimal advocate for Desmond,” said Tillman. “It talks about our challenging journey through receiving resources, opportunities and assistance that he needed, I needed and families like us needed.”

She added, “Desmond is now 26 years old and is an adult living with autism. With the family support that I have, I am able to do more than I ever dreamed such as bettering my family, spreading the word about autism awareness and being an advocate for families like ours.”

The woman of letters’ thought-provoking book, Untapped Power: Black Women’s EQ Superpowers and Leadership Ascent, was released on Jan. 1, 2024.

“This book is a spin-off of my dissertation that I did over ten years ago,” said Tillman. “I have been working on both books for years and I have just not dedicated enough time to finish them, but the Holy Spirit told me to take the time and get it done.”

Tillman added, “I spent weeks of working, staying up late on top of being a principal and I was able to get it done. I am proud and it was a hard process.”

Her dissertation was a qualitative study about emotional intelligences that she tailored around mental health professionals in North Carolina and their emotional intelligence ratings.

And what kind of advice does the riveting author want to share with emerging writers?

“My advice is to not be so hard on yourself and writing a book takes a lot of time and energy,” said Tillman. “There will be times that you experience writer’s block and it is also a good practice to prioritize by scheduling a time to write.”

The professional storyteller’s next chapter entails forging ahead in the pursuit of something greater with a mindset that leaves nothing off the table.

“I am still becoming and I am open to whatever God has for me,” said Tillman. “Education is dear to my heart so whatever I do will center around mental health, children and individuals with disabilities.”
Both books can be purchased at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

The Kiwanis Recreation Center is located at 352 Devers Street. Refreshments will be served and there will be raffles for prizes. To RSVP for the event, call 910-257-4262.

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Queesha%20Tillman
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Dr.-Queesha-T.-Tillman/author/B0CR9BJQRY?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true