Rebel In Venus

"Rebel in Venus" is a gripping and heartfelt portrayal of two women picking up life's wreckage after trauma and learning about solidarity, honesty and hope. Through its inspirational tale of two survivors, Rebel In Venus allows its reader to discover the strength in letting go of what haunts you, in order to be free. Taking place in a post covid world, and inspired by cultural shifts, such as metoo, girlhood in America, and the power of sisterhood - this quick paced novel takes place over one night spent between best friends Maria and Layla. Over the course of their evening, Layla's memory is jolted, and her once carefully repressed past begins to return to her. Sexual revelations, high-school humiliations, unwanted pregnancies, unwavering friendships, sex work, divorce, and loss unfold across the pages. As the confessions unfold, Layla's anguished past starts to crystallize and challenges the strength of her friendship with Maria, as well as her own life. Will Layla learn to save herself in time, or will her past win over her ability to see the future?

REBEL IN VENUS takes place over one 'girl's night in' spent between best friends, Maria and Layla. Over the course of the witty and unexpected evening, Layla's memory is jolted, and her once carefully repressed past begins to return to her, triggering a sequence of events that ultimately jeopardizes Layla's unconventional life. In REBEL IN VENUS, the bold, and sometimes brutally honest stories that unfold, are filled with sexual revelations, high-school humiliations, unwanted pregnancies, unwavering friendships, sex work, divorce, and loss. As the confessions unfold, Layla's anguished past starts to crystallize and challenges the strength of her friendship with Maria, as well as Layla's own life. Will Layla learn to save herself in time? Or will her past win over her ability to see a future? Marissa playfully blends literary genres, to bring to life the dynamic world that is Layla's past, and present. And through Layla's story, she points out how easy it is to wrap ourselves up in a cloak of shame, especially when we don't yet understand what we're so ashamed of, or rather... that there isn't anything to be ashamed of. Marissa expresses the power we hold in our vulnerability and the strength we can find in expressing it. REBEL IN VENUS is a powerful, and honest story of redemption, an intimate portrait of friendship, the impact of trauma, the power of our first love, and the unforgettable experience of our first love lost.

Marissa Alma Nick is a writer, choreographer, survivor and fierce advocate for mental health awareness. She was born in Miami, Florida, and lives and works in Miami, Florida. Nick received a high school degree from the New World School of the Arts (2003) and received her BFA in Dance-Performance from the University of South Florida (2007), as well as continuing her education through the Creative Capital Professional Development Program (2016 - 2019). Her practices include choreographing and directing for live and immersive dance-theater, writing books and screenplays, and directing screen-dances (specific dance-for-camera projects). In 2015, Marissa established her own dance performance company, Alma Dance Theater, which has produced four full-length live and immersive shows in Miami, Florida: "Flowers" (2015), "Cask"(2018), "Rebel In Venus"(2020), and most recently, her adaptation of "Giselle" (2022); as well as collaborating with notable Miami, Florida venues like Showfields Miami (2021), Faena (2019 - 2022), Vizcaya (2019), and Perez Art Museum Miami (2017 - 2023). Marissa was also the original founding Artistic Director of Screendance Miami, under the direction of Mary Luft and Tigertail Miami (2014 - 2016), and she is an adjunct professor at the University of Miami's, Musical Theater Department (2020 - 2021); as well as a guest choreographer at Nova University (2018, 2019), and a guest instructor at Miami Dade Community College (2015 - 2017). As of 2023, REBEL IN VENUS, is Marissa's first published novel.