Anna Hillinger, known professionally as Anna Shinoda, is an American author and mental health advocate born on November 7, 1977.
She is best known for her 2014 young adult novel Learning Not to Drown. She is also married to Linkin Park co-founder Mike Shinoda.
Who is Anna Hillinger?
Anna Hillinger writes under her married name, Anna Shinoda. Her debut novel, Learning Not to Drown, introduced her to readers in April 2014. That book remains her most recognized published work.
Beyond writing, Anna also works as a mental health advocate. She serves as a senior advisor to the nonprofit Change Direction. Her advocacy work has grown alongside her writing career over the past decade.
Early Life of Anna Hillinger
Anna Hillinger was born on November 7, 1977, in Los Angeles, California. She grew up in a small mountain community that did not even have a traffic light. As a child, she often read and wrote stories while sitting in trees near her home.
Her parents are Zita Marie Hillinger and William Robert Hillinger. During high school, she served as editor of her school newspaper. That early role helped shape her interest in storytelling and writing.
Anna Hillinger Age
Anna Hillinger is 48 years old as of 2026, born on November 7, 1977. Her zodiac sign is Scorpio. She published her debut novel at age 36, in 2014.
Anna Hillinger Ethnicity and Nationality
Anna Hillinger is American, born and raised in Los Angeles, California. Her specific ethnic background is not consistently confirmed across reliable sources.
She was raised by her parents, Zita Marie and William Robert Hillinger, in a small California mountain town.
Anna Hillinger Height and Weight
Anna Hillinger’s exact height and weight are not publicly confirmed. She keeps her personal life private, much like the rest of her biography. Detailed physical statistics are not part of her public profile, unlike many entertainment figures.
Anna Hillinger Writing Style and Themes
Anna Hillinger writes young adult fiction that centers on family dysfunction and personal identity. Her debut novel follows a teenage girl trying to hold onto her sense of self. That story unfolds inside a chaotic, troubled household.
Mental health themes also run through much of her later writing and public speaking. She has spoken openly about grief and trauma in essays published on her own website. Those themes connect directly to her advocacy work outside of fiction.
Anna Hillinger Education
Anna Hillinger earned a bachelor’s degree in communication studies. She graduated from California State University, Long Beach. That degree came after her years as her high school newspaper editor.
Anna Hillinger Career
Early Career
Anna Hillinger’s writing interests started in high school, where she edited the school newspaper. She spent much of her free time reading and drafting stories. That habit continued well into her college years at Long Beach.
After graduating, she worked in music public relations for several years. During that time, she also began developing story ideas that would eventually become her first novel.
Breakthrough Novel
Anna Hillinger published her debut novel, Learning Not to Drown, through Atheneum Books for Young Readers in April 2014. The story follows a young girl striving to preserve her identity within a dysfunctional family.
That novel earned her two nominations for the Sue Alexander Most Promising New Work Award.
She also joined the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators around this period. That membership connected her with a wider community of children’s authors and illustrators.
Advocacy and Recent Work
Anna Hillinger has led fundraising and outreach efforts for Music for Relief, the disaster relief nonprofit founded by Linkin Park. She has worked on those campaigns both in the United States and abroad.
As a senior advisor to Change Direction, she also promotes public understanding of mental health. In July 2017, Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington, a close family friend, died by suicide.
Anna has since written and spoken publicly about grief, later launching an initiative called Books Change Direction to encourage responsible mental health portrayals in children’s and young adult literature.
Anna Hillinger Bibliography
Anna Hillinger has published one novel to date, Learning Not to Drown, released by Atheneum Books for Young Readers in April 2014. The book focuses on family dysfunction and a teenage girl’s search for identity.
She has also written personal essays on grief and mental health for her own website and for partner organizations.
Anna Hillinger Awards and Recognition
Anna Hillinger received two nominations for the Sue Alexander Most Promising New Work Award. That honor recognizes debut work from members of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.
She has not won a Sue Alexander Award outright, based on available records. Her recognition today comes more from her advocacy work than from literary prizes. Even so, those nominations marked a strong start for a debut novelist.
Anna Hillinger Husband
Anna Hillinger has been married to Mike Shinoda since May 10, 2003. Mike co-founded the rock band Linkin Park and serves as its rapper, vocalist, and rhythm guitarist.
The Fort Minor song Where’d You Go is reportedly dedicated to Anna. The couple has lived in Agoura Hills, California. Their marriage has lasted more than two decades within the entertainment industry.
Anna Hillinger Children
Anna Hillinger and Mike Shinoda have two children together. Their son, Otis Akio Shinoda, was born in 2009. The name of their second child has not been publicly confirmed.
Anna has generally kept her children out of the public eye. She rarely discusses details of her family life in interviews or on social media.
Anna Hillinger Net Worth
Anna Hillinger’s estimated net worth is $2 million as of 2026. Her income comes mainly from book royalties, speaking engagements, and her advocacy-related work.
That figure reflects her career as an author rather than her husband’s separate earnings from music.
Anna Hillinger Social Media
Anna Hillinger is active on X, formerly Twitter, under the handle @AnnaShinoda. She uses that account to discuss books, mental health, and family life. She also posts on Instagram at @annashinoda.
Her personal website features longer essays on grief, writing, and advocacy work. Readers can find that writing at her official blog.
The Bottom Line
Anna Hillinger published her debut novel, Learning Not to Drown, through Atheneum Books in April 2014. That book earned her two nominations for the Sue Alexander Most Promising New Work Award.
She grew up in a small mountain town without a traffic light, escaping into trees to read and write. Anna later turned that early love of storytelling into both a literary career and a platform for mental health advocacy.
Today, she serves as a senior advisor to Change Direction and continues supporting Music for Relief alongside her husband, Mike Shinoda. Anna also leads Books Change Direction, an initiative promoting responsible mental health stories for young readers.
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