Antonia Deignan is a mother of five children by choice, a dancer by calling, and a writer by necessity. She was born on the east coast, but lived primarily in the Midwest, where she danced with multiple dance companies and raised her children. She opened her own dance studio and directed a pre-professional dance company before a bike accident wish-boned her path, and her identity. She has multiple publications in magazine and online formats. Her memoir,Underwater Daughter, will be published in 2023.

“Underwater Daughter is a must read for anyone who has ever suffered abuse at the hands of someone they love–or loved someone who has.” – Julie Cantrell, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Perennials

“Underwater Daughter starts  with disjointed pieces of prose and poetry violently breaking across the page like smashed glass. As you compulsively turn its pages, the writing gradually becomes more lyrical and coherent, the jagged shards subtly glued together to produce a beautiful and colorful mosaic out of all the broken bits. It is a writing style that perfectly suits its underlying subject. This is the story of an abused child, running from her terrors as an adult, finally made whole through self-reflection and a searing honesty. A brave, moving, and compelling work.” – Richard C. Morais, international bestselling author of The Hundred Foot Journey