Are you currently writing another book? If so, would you tell us a bit about it?
I’m currently hard at work on the sequel to When Love Isn’t Enough, tentatively titled The Space Between. This book explores Samantha and Damion’s love story, how that came about, and the epic adventure they embark on together. I will follow very soon after with Soul Mates, which was originally marketed as the sequel to round out the trilogy. There is a lot more story to tell for Samantha, Tony, and Damion, and I’m excited for everyone to see what comes next.

Do you ever become bored with what you are writing? If you do, how do you get past that point?
Never, ever bored. If anything, I wish I had MORE time to dedicate to my writing! At times I’ve gotten fatigued with certain projects, but I have so many projects in the queue that if I get stuck, I just shift my focus and work on something else.

How do you manage to balance your time between family, friends, and writing?
I have to confess, balance isn’t my strongest area, lol. I’m one of those hard-working gals with a superwoman complex who feels I can be all and do all for everybody. I’ve definitely had my battles with burnout. But I’m trying very hard this year to carve out more “me” time, because I’ve realized that being more in balance, and less stressed out, increases productivity across the board. But I constantly have to remind myself to make time for rest and leisure because its almost counterintuitive for me to NOT be working.

If you could spend one hour with just one person, whom would you choose?
Barack Obama. I have an intense admiration for him as a man, not just as the President. We also have very similar backgrounds and interests (writing, growing up mixed race, to name a few) so I would jump at the opportunity to “hang out” with him and express my appreciation for all he has done and let him know what an inspiration he has been for me.

You are part of the Pantheon Collective. How did you join up with James W. Lewis and Qwantu Amaru? What is it like to be part owner of a publishing company, as well as an author?
James, Omar (Qwantu is his pen name), and I met at the Black Writer’s Reunion and Conference in 2006. We were all aspiring authors at the time, shopping our books around, and trying to land an agent and that elusive “book deal.” We kept in touch after the conference and formed very strong, enduring relationships. A year later we reunited in New York at Book Expo America (BEA) and made a pact that if none of us were published by 2010, we would start our own publishing company. Sure enough, Omar shot me a text in November 2010 to remind me of our pact, and a few months later, The Pantheon Collective (TPC) was born.

It is very challenging to be a small-business owner, author, and freelance editor on top of having a full-time day job. There is no shortage of things that need to be done, and it can get really crazy at times. But I wouldn’t want it any other way. I’m very proud of my publishing company and the quality books we’ve put out. It’s also great to be on this journey with two of my best friends.

What new doors has your writing opened up for you? Were there any opportunities that you had never considered before?
I never thought I’d own my own publishing company, and the opportunity to partner with these two fantastic men has been life-changing. My freelance editing also took off as a result of the networking I did at writer’s conferences over the years, and editing has definitely been the most financially lucrative of all my “side hustles.”

Do you have any advice for writers who are striving to be published?
Don’t give up! We writers are sensitive folk, and repeated rejection is not easy to swallow. I know, cause I’ve been there. But there are many, many pathways to the published land these days, and if you persist, network, and produce the best manuscript possible (which includes investing in professional editing, which I highly recommend ALL serious authors do), you can see your dream come to fruition. I’m living proof of that!


Thank you, Stephanie, for such an interesting and informative interview.