What inspired you to start self-publishing?
Okay please try not to judge me too harshly, but I wrote B2K fanfiction from the time I was a preteen up until I went to college. I always dreamed of getting traditionally published, but my stories went on the backburner when my course load became too heavy. About a year after I left college, I randomly got back into writing so I started researching if there was a way to do it on my own. Once I saw that there was a whole self-publishing community I started working on my debut novel Music To My Ears and the rest was history.
Did you seek out traditional publishing first? And would you be interested in traditional publishing in the future?
I actually didn’t because I’ve always known that my writing style and subject matter is unconventional in the sense that it’s not what the publishing world is looking for in black female characters. And since I’m not willing to write according to trends or write black trauma in a way that’s palatable for nonblack audiences, I didn’t even consider going that route when I returned to writing in 2013. I honestly don’t ever want to be traditionally published because for me that means giving up all the freedoms that make writing fun for me. I couldn’t imagine completing a novel today but having to wait a year and a half before my readers got to experience it with me. I’m also a bit of a control freak so even though I sometimes complain about having to do everything myself, I wouldn’t change a thing because whether I fail or succeed I know that it was all because of me and not my publisher dropping the ball. But lately I have been looking into potentially getting an agent since they do most of the footwork for getting books turned into film and television shows which is the next thing on my checklist.
What is your writing process like?
Well I’m a Plotter which means that I have to heavily research and outline to know exactly where the story is going before I begin seriously writing. I’m always open to new ideas that come up, but if I don’t generally know what happens next then I can’t really get anywhere. As far as my writing space goes, I like writing on the floor and I need low background music along with white noise to help get me in the mood otherwise I’ll just stare at the screen and nothing will get done. And even though my books cover pretty heavy topics I make sure to write with levity to keep both my readers and myself laughing as much as possible because black women are so much more than just our pasts and our pain.
What has the marketing process been like when trying to sell new books?
When it comes to new authors I consider myself one of the lucky ones because even though I’m still figuring out social media ads and establishing my author brand, there are so many black book blogs, groups and websites that have shared my work from the very first release. And word of mouth is so pivotal to the success I’ve had thus far because nearly every new reader that I meet is a friend or relative of a reader that I’m already familiar with. I’ve found that just being myself and always giving my readers space to speak has helped me far more than ads do. As a black woman I know exactly what it feels like to not be heard so when a reader writes me in private or on social media to discuss my books I always make time to hear them out because little gestures like that can go incredibly far.
What made you decide on novellas vs full length novellas?
Well the first book in my Soundtrack Series, Music To My Ears, was a little more than 270K words/530 pages and it took nearly five years to write. The second book in that series, The Beat Goes On, was about half of that and it took one year to complete. Although I love both books and I wouldn’t change a thing about them, I decided that going forward to release at least three books per year which meant that I would have to switch to the novella format and that’s how The Faded Fairytales Series came to be even though they are technically too long to be considered novellas. Also as much as I enjoy writing longer books, when I’m reading even I enjoy a quick and fun read so it was a no-brainer to give my readers the same experience that I prefer.
Have you been able to find a community of authors?
Yes from the very beginning when I was still trying to figure out the ins and outs of marketing and covers and formatting, I was lucky enough to be warmly welcomed into what we call “Black indie romance Twitter”. It’s a beautiful community of black women authors who support and celebrate each other’s work and wins as a win for the entire black romance book community. I’ve met so many talented authors, some who I speak to daily and plan to work with in the future, and I’m so thankful that I get to be a part of such a dope group of black women.
What made you start your Faded Fairytales series?
With this series I wanted to give black women the fairytales that we missed out on as girls because so often we were told that Happily Ever After wasn’t for us. In Thickerella I decided to go further than just simply putting in a plus sized heroine. I explored black mother/daughter relationships and family dynamics when it comes to raising daughters but loving sons. In Sleeping Cutie I told a story about how difficult it can be navigating the world as a disabled black woman and the complications that can arise during relationships and dating. In Trapunzel I will take a look at a black adoptee who is searching for her birth parents while still trying to honor the family that she was adopted into while also being unapologetic about how she wants to live her life.
Who are your favorite Black romance writers?
My favorite Black romance writer of all time is Terry McMillan. Her work has reached millions and she’s checked off just about every goal I have as a writer. I grew up seeing her books lying around the house and the women in my family always celebrated the on-screen adaptations like Waiting To Exhale and How Stella Got Her Groove Back. But my favorite book of all time is Cheaters by Eric Jerome Dickey. Every time I read it I find something new to love and it just feels like I’m catching up with old friends because the characters and themes are so timeless.
Has the current pandemic situation and people’s need for Black books given an increase in readership?
I’ve definitely noticed an uptick in book sales in the last few months and I attribute it to people having more time to read and needing an escape from all the madness in the world. I always kid around and say that books are for those of us who can’t afford vacations, but I’m especially glad in times like these that I’ve been able to give my readers a much needed mental vacation with my back catalog.
Are you working on any new books?
Yes! I’m currently working on the final books in The Faded Fairytales Series and The Soundtrack Series. I’ve also just began working on a 90’s themed anthology series called 90’s Kinda Love with four other amazingly talented authors Tia Love (Afrodisiac), Sam Strahan (The Never List), Elle Jaye (The Ex Chronicles) and Black Cherrie (Quickies). The anthology will be available on Amazon in September.
Enjoyed the interview. I really like the covers Glover has gotten for her books. Especially Can I Get An Encore
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