We sit down with horror and thriller author Kenya Ross Dyme to talk about why “Read Books By Black Women” is a mission, not a slogan, and what underrepresentation really looks like in publishing. Then we unpack her dystopian horror novel Seed, where satire, social media, and real history collide in ways that feel uncomfortably plausible.
• building visibility for Black women authors through intentional reading and wearable messaging
• how merch and a dedicated website support the wider movement beyond one genre
• the horror roots of Seed including designer baby obsession, fetish culture, and colorism
• why political satire belongs inside horror when real life is already outrageous
• writing comedic beats into dark scenes without letting anyone off the hook
• the hardest themes to draft including medical racism, consent, and disposable bodies
• the Seed special edition details including bonus chapters, discussion questions, and extras
• navigating Amazon listing issues and how to spot the correct cover
• what’s next with Boil Advisory and environmental horror inspired by poisoned water crises
• upcoming appearances and a spotlight on Black thriller and horror events
Read books by black women. Visit readbooksbyblackwomen.com, and follow Kenya at kenyawrites.com

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We sit down with thriller author Talese Nicole to talk about how real anger, heartbreak, and therapy sessions can turn into unforgettable fiction. We dig into her psychological thriller process, the choices behind her twists, and what it means to go fully indie while staying true to her voice.
• starting as a childhood writer who builds worlds for emotions
• moving from reader and beta reader into publishing through the Black indie author community
• working through self doubt and learning to trust the craft
• choosing psychological thrillers as the long term lane
• unpacking Beautiful Disaster through character origin and consequences
• using therapy and creative outlets as healthy coping skills
• separating real life from fiction while writing rage safely
• researching twist structure for Very Secrets and planting details
• pulling from real relationships in romance work and dialogue
• planning the next thrillers and stepping into full self publishing
Make sure you guys are following Talise Nicole and of course Lakes Between The Lines. And until next time, make sure you like, comment, and subscribe.

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We talk with urban fiction and contemporary romance author Faith L Smith about writing characters who feel real, even when the love gets messy. From Sincere’s heartbreak to Jelani’s steady presence, we dig into healing, family pressure, and what it takes to build a series readers cannot put down.
• Sincere as a layered “good girl” caught in a bad love cycle
• Kyro’s repeated chances and why readers get furious
• Jelani as the communication standard and the calm after chaos
• Faith’s real-life inspiration behind Kyro and Jelani dynamics
• Mother-daughter conflict, parentified oldest daughters, and resentment
• The mother’s “I’m still your mama” mindset and why it fractures trust
• Trilogy plan and what to expect in books two and three
• Release timing goals for book two and why pacing matters
• Faith’s workflow: cover first, pen and paper notes, then drafting and editing
• Publisher support, submitting a manuscript, and building confidence in her voice
• Reader reactions, standout reviews, and writing with the goal to heal
• Teases about Mac, hidden backstory, and why details matter
Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe.
Make sure that you are following both of us.
Instagram, Threads, TikTok: author_underscore_faith_xo
Mailing list and email: faithfulsweethearts at gmail.com

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We hang out with Samya Alexander, author of The Hostage, and pull apart the chaos, the psychology, and the Halloween logic that makes this thriller so addictive. We talk craft, character motivation, audiobook surprises, and the real-life author grind behind promoting a backlist.
• Samara’s background as a licensed psychotherapist and how it shapes dark psychological fiction
• Spoiler boundaries and what actually counts as a spoiler
• Writing a story within a story and keeping plot twists organised
• Tom, Trixie and the warped logic of “rules” inside a violent family
• Brandy and Zane’s toxic dynamic, bipolar disorder and messy loyalty
• The delivery routine angle and how habits can make people predictable
• Why rats, why Halloween and how seasonal hooks help marketing
• The Hostage audiobook production with J.R. Mason and sound effects
• Backlist promotion strategy and what moves sales for older books
• Finding the niche audience for body horror like Booger Snatcher
• Getting ready for License to Thrill and the cost of doing book events
make sure that you guys like, follow, and subscribe

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We catch up with indie author SM Love and gush over the cozy Harlem summer vibe of Uptown Love while side-eyeing those “72 pages” that are not really 72 pages. We also get real about self-sabotage in love, what a patient partner looks like on the page, and how SM Love builds stories with editing, ARC feedback, and a lot of lived experience.
• SM Love’s background beyond writing, including being a mum and studying psychology
• The origin of Uptown Love as a New York collaboration and why Harlem fits the story
• Cozy nostalgia on the page, from cookouts to bickering aunties to family pressure
• Why she writes “happy right now” endings and why readers want more closure
• Malik as the steady love interest and how patience can still have boundaries
• Keisha’s self-sabotage when love feels too real
• The “you’re too much” breakup theme and what the right partner never says
• Novellas as tight, fast reads and how she keeps the pacing clean
• Her process with editors, ARC readers, and using feedback
• What’s coming next, including The Pink Room, Club Venus, collabs, and holiday stories
Don’t forget to follow Arthur SM Love and don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe if you are not already subscribed to my podcast or my YouTube.

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I talk with author Inez Moon about turning a painful marriage and a hard-won restart into All Signs Point Forward, a story built around self-liberation, sexuality, and healing. We laugh, gasp, and get honest about why the messiest scenes can still carry the clearest life lessons.
• introducing Inez Moon and her debut novel All Signs Point Forward
• breaking down Shared Hunger and writing erotica with plot
• stopping the first draft when it felt like a memoir
• leaving a relationship that crushes self-worth
• writing hypersexuality and desire without shame
• building characters with real backstory and emotional logic
• weaving LGBTQIA representation and unconventional soulmates
• adding spirituality through meditation, crystals, and intention
• using cultural details and Brooklyn influence for authentic representation
• flipping BDSM power dynamics and why readers loved it
• crafting a jaw-dropping ending and planning spin-offs like Steve’s story
• teasing His Favorite Crystal with cover reveal and release date
Make sure you guys are following author Inez Moon and of course Lakes Between the Lines

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We catch up with thriller author Keira N. James on the one-year anniversary of Orchid and why she now treats a release like an immersive experience. We talk craft, grief, revenge, and the real work behind showing up as an introvert while building a bigger platform and a live thriller community.
• rebranding Orchid for an anniversary edition with more intention
• using a business admin and social media marketing background to guide launches
• building a believable botanical artist through research and lived details
• writing Granny Irene from real memory and honoring loss on the page
• designing a creative, character-driven demise and why it feels “justified”
• unpacking Exodus as justice-seeker and problem-maker
• writing from the ending first, tightening drafts in edits, using a small beta team
• handling writer’s block by not forcing bad pages
• drawing boundaries around trauma and taboo topics in Black thrillers
• teasing romance without promising a romance ending
• previewing Love and War and the License to Thrill event
the anniversary edition book boxes um are available for pre-order.

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We sit down with thriller author and therapist Gilletta Shavers to talk about how real trauma, caregiving, and anxiety helped shape The Inheritance of Amaya Montgomery. We dig into the gaslighting, the inheritance stakes, the characters who make you want to yell at the page, and what Gilletta wants to explore next in book two.
• why the audiobook feels like a full production and changes the experience
• how dementia caregiving can reopen childhood trauma and push you toward therapy
• writing fiction as self healing before deciding to publish
• Amaya’s vulnerability and why some readers struggle to empathise with her
• the inheritance premise and how the gaslighting escalates into terror
• Bree’s future, identity, and the choice to challenge stigma in character arcs
• what got revised or cut after publication and how that affects pacing
• what Gilletta is releasing next and why she also writes under GP Jackson
If you leave a review before September the 30th on Instagram, TikTok, Goodreads, and Amazon, you go into a drawing for two $25 Visa gift cards, and each review is another entry

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