Welcome to the other side of 2021! We’re getting fired back up with featuring wonderful authors and writers. I have a great series of Black Women Authors I’m so excited about introducing, and I hope that you all enjoy learning from them and reading their stories and begin following their journeys.

Without further ado. The first author in the Black Women Write series is: Latedra Gladney.

About L. M Reynolds:

L. M. Reynolds is a mom of two tiny artists, a budding gardener, and a puzzle extraordinaire. She is a proud black woman, dedicated to making stories that makes you laugh, draws you in like a sister, an auntie, or a friend and most importantly, just a good tale. Though she typically writes in Speculative Fiction with titles such as- I Am Sasha Grey: Divulge- Funny Meeting You Again is her first romance novella.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

There was a show called The Glades on ABC. I hated how it ended and would talk about it so much. My mother said, why don’t you write that better ending. I started writing that better ending and never looked back. I didn’t even write the ending. I wrote a book about magical Norse wolves.

Tell me a little about your writing journey, thus far.

I had the wolf story from the first questions then another story about the boogeyman legend mixed with angels. That story involved into some of everything. It’s so big and complicated that I often get intimidated by it. I wrote it when I was in a dark period of my life. It’s often hard to go back there. So, I have a love/hate relationship with that story.

At the beginning of 2020 I released my first book on Wattpad. This story actually got me through my days as a housekeeper. I would clean and think about Sasha and Sango. Two years later I had half a script for it. But I finished it, kind of. lol

I now have my Funny You romance series and I’m about halfway finished writing the first copy of my paranormal/romance/mystery called The Legacy Witch.

What do you do outside of writing?

I co-own a platform called The Write Talk that is dedicated to helping black authors in the fantasy genres understand the industry. I have a podcast. I also help other writers flesh out their plot and characters for their works. Mostly my life revolves around writing. I try to keep a garden but that doesn’t always work out. I do like yoga and music. Reading of course. Sometimes, I vlog about my mental health journey.

What genre do you write and why?

I write paranormal romance, paranormal mystery, romance and erotica. Reading paranormal was the first time I felt like me, like a kinship. It’s my forever love. Romance and erotica, I just kind of dropped into it. I felt like I couldn’t write sex scenes nor short stories, so I started writing short erotica stories to learn how. The romance took me by surprise. I don’t know what happened. I thought I’d never write romance ever. So…. lol

What are you currently working on in life, or in writing?

I’m working on myself. I’m always working to be mentally and spiritually stable. In writing I have two WIP I’m working on.

The Legacy Witch, a paranormal/romance/mystery:  Colandria didn’t understand how she was appointed Queen Legacy of her coven. On coronation day, the missing Legacies she was replacing, fell dead from the sky. Either her and King are being set up or monsters are real?

The romance novella Funny Thing Is: Delany was stuck. She’d experienced so much loss in the past year, including herself, that she had no idea which way was up.  Terrence was the type of man you considered settled, confident, accomplished. He had a dream he knew would stay a hobby. He wasn’t ready to give it up but no idea what to do with it. They both were searching for meaning, not realizing that the push they needed for their new journey, was each other.

What inspired you to write?

Wow, I can’t remember. Nowadays, I hear stories in my mind and it’s like an impulse to get them out. And they are noisy! I can’t really focus on much else until I’ve at least written down what I know about the story. I may never come back to it but…

What are your top 5 favorite books?

1.  The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen

2.  The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

3.  Twilight (first paranormal book I ever read)

4.  I Think I Might Love You by Christina C. Jones

5.  Funny Meeting You Again by L. M. Reynolds

What does literary success look like to you?

Writing full time, building my TWT platform and just enjoying those things and being able to provide for my family from them.

What is your writing routine?

I wake up super early, so once the family is off for the day, I start writing at 6:50 am to 8 am. That’s normally my set writing times even on my off days, even if I go past it.

How do you incorporate feedback into your work?

I consider it to understand. I know that as an artist and one so public that, your work will be a hit or miss with some people, so take it with a grain of salt but don’t ignore critique to the point where you think you can’t improve or clarify.

What advice would you like to give to aspiring authors?

Find your niche. Find groups. Find a platform. Get yourself around others that write, especially in your genre. Take all the workshops you’re able to or ask so many questions. Don’t be afraid of failure. Don’t get discouraged by a bad first draft because everybody’s first draft sucks. Most importantly, believe in yourself; you don’t need anyone else to do that for you. You are enough.

Any additional advice?

I don’t really know what else to say but enjoy your craft. Read books yes, but watch tv, take a class. Experience life. Ask yourself hard questions to learn about yourself. I love affirmations. I love most things that help me improve myself. I think we should always strive to be better with the understanding that you are living for you’re here and now. I hope that makes sense.

 Peace, love and hair grease!

You can connect with her on IG and Twitter @wordscansingtoo

Book link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08CS5HYTS/

Medium(erotica) : https://teasetee.medium.com/

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/wordscansingtoo

The Write Talk: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsSiroz9FRM9VSe3Wyf6OCg