
Born: March 20, 1989 – Dayton, Ohio, United States
Anna Todd is an American author and producer focused on contemporary romance and new adult fiction. She is best known for the After series, which began as fan fiction on Wattpad and became an international bestseller and film franchise. Her work has drawn more than a billion reads online.
Anna Todd emerged from circumstances far removed from the conventional literary path. An Ohio native, she married shortly after high school, moved to Texas with her husband during his Army service, attended community college in Killeen, and worked a string of jobs, including at a makeup counter and an IRS processing center. What remained constant was reading. By her own account and later publisher biographies, she was an avid reader before she was a professional writer, and the sense of isolation she felt in military-town life pushed her toward online communities where books, music fandom, and conversation were always available. ((https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/books/a32330/after-author-anna-todd-interview/))
"Anna Todd is the original author-as-influencer"
— Aron Levitz
"Anna Todd’s legion of loyal fans ... will be thrilled"
— Booklist
"Anna Todd beautifully captures the magic of first love, summer nights, and moments that change us forever"
— Brittainy Cherry
"Anna Todd is one of Wattpad’s first breakout stars"
— Publishers Weekly
"I have to give all the credit to Anna Todd"
— Josephine Langford
"Anna Todd manages to make you scream, cry, laugh, fall in love, and sit in the fetal position"
— Fangirlish
"Anna Todd is the biggest literary phenom of her generation"
— Cosmopolitan
"No one delivers an emotionally satisfying read filled with vulnerability, desire, and dreams quite like Anna Todd"
— Colleen Hoover
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
