Jessica Simpson tested positive for COVID-19 at some point over the last year. The Open Book author, 40, made the revelation while debuting the cover of her new Amazon Original Stories essay Take the Lead. Simpson said the essay is about “self-acceptance, parenthood and overcoming fear,” the latter part coming into play after her diagnosis. “We have all been handed challenges and fears in our lives that, at times, felt like too much to overcome,” Simpson wrote on Instagram on Monday. “This past year has been especially intense for me and so many of you. I started writing this essay on the same day I received a positive test result for COVID-19. I decided instead of being driven by fear, I would manifest a hopeful conversation with you. I felt strong, resilient, and God-inspired through my pen teaching me as I was sharing with you ways to get to the other side of fear.” Simpson announced her partnership with Amazon Studios in December 2020, but it’s unclear when she tested positive for the coronavirus. In addition to writing two new original essays, the best-selling author will star in a new unscripted docuseries and produce new coming-of-age scripted series for the company. Simpson has been promoting the newly released paperback version of her memoir Open Book but has yet to elaborate on her experience with COVID-19. In a recent interview with People, she said she has learned “that I am capable of so much more than I thought I was” over the past year. “I definitely had to multitask on a whole new level this year, between my kids being in school on Zoom and being a working mom, keeping the Jessica Simpson Collection running remotely and pushing through inspired ideas that became endless and so many rewarded all while keeping my family smiling,” she told the magazine. Simpson shares three children with husband, Eric Johnson: Maxwell Drew, 8, Ace Knute, 7, and Birdie Mae, 2. “I think the takeaway is that it’s not easy and every day presents challenges and blessings,” she added. “Life is a blessing to be lived, and the more we overthink things, the more we fall behind on our personal journey.”