Heather Wilde wants to empower people through publishing.

She uses her local publishing company, Hezzie Mae, to help authors with life experience tell their stories and even work through trauma. It started with writing her own memoir.

“It cracked things open. And then people started sharing how they had stories they wanted to share. And the publishing process itself is rather dicey,” Wilde said. “So I just started giving advice, and it turned into something where I’m able to help a lot of people.”

Hezzie Mae has been behind books featured on The Lift like “Aligned Enchantment” and “Suck Less at Love.”

Soon, she’s helping Steven Peyer put out a cookbook.He didn’t want photos of food in the book because he feels they can’t “capture the energy.”

“I don’t live in a box,” he said. “Everything I do is very dynamic and very innovative. I saw an opportunity to collaborate with her as an artist and as an illustrator.”

Wilde is also an artist.

Hezzie Mae has six books coming out in the next three months.