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We have a title and a release date!

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I’m glad to announce that we have a title and a release date for my next romance novel! And it is available for pre-order now.
Click here to pre-order your copy. The link shows a list of retailers from which to choose.
TITLE: A SWEET LOWCOUNTRY PROPOSAL
RELEASE DATE: November 8, 2022 (may be subject to change b/c of supply chain issues)
STORY SUMMARY:
It was supposed to be the happiest day of Jaslene Simmons’ life, the day she’d say “I do” to Marcus Clark. But when her sister dies in a tragic accident everything changes—including her once rosy future with Marcus.
Jaslene instead pours all of her energy into caring for her now-motherless niece and running the wedding planning company she and her sister had built, wanting to honor her sister’s dream even if she has to sacrifice her own.
As an archivist at Charleston’s Black history museum, Marcus shines a light on the stories of forgotten people. Researching history is better than dealing with his own heartache—and the guilt he has over the role he may have inadvertently played in the death of Jaslene’s sister.
Jaslene never thought she’d cross paths with Marcus again, but her need for an affordable office space brings her to the museum which is faced with the threat of closure. As they work together to save it, their buried feelings slowly reignite. They soon realize there is still room in their hearts for love…if only they can overcome their past.
**The cover will be revealed soon. Be on the lookout!**

Exciting News! More books coming your way!

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I have wonderful news today! I’m extremely happy to announce that I will be writing TWO more romances set in the Lowcountry!

Thank you to May, my amazing editor, and Avon/HarperCollins for their unwavering support. I am very thankful.

Also, be sure to subscribe to my newsletter to get news and updates as I write the book. Here’s the link to subscribe: https://subscribepage.com/preslaysa

 

Thankful Thursday – Reviews of A Lowcountry Bride

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Thank you to everyone who took the time to read and review A Lowcountry Bride.

I love this Amazon review:

“This was an unexpectedly touching story. Loved all of the characters, especially Maya.”

Click here to order your copy today!

This was an unexpectedly touching story. Loved all of the characters, especially Maya
Amazon Review of A Lowcountry Bride

Preslaysa’s 2021 Pitch Wars Wish List

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Hi! I’m Preslaysa Williams. Welcome to my 2021 Pitch Wars Wish List. This is my first year as a mentor, and I’m thrilled to be part of such an amazing program. I’m an Adult (or New Adult) mentor looking for Contemporary Romance (all heat levels) and Women’s Fiction. Keep reading for more details.

Text says Pitch Wars 2021 Adult Mentor and there is a picture of an owl holding a book and a cup of coffee
Pitch Wars 2021 Adult Mentor

A Little About Me

I write contemporary romance and women’s fiction. My contemporary romance novel, A Lowcountry Bride, released with Avon/HarperCollins on June 1, 2021. A Lowcountry Bride is about an Afro-Filipina bridal gown designer who finds love and her true voice when she ends up working at a struggling bridal shop in downtown Charleston, South Carolina. A Lowcountry Bride is my second published novel.

I self-published my first full-length novel, Healing Hannah’s Heart, in 2019.  It’s a women’s fiction about an Afro-Filipina fashion model who flips her definition of beauty and her identity after losing her skin in a fire.

My Background, Family Life, and Formal Education

I was born and raised in New Brunswick, New Jersey. After finishing high school, I graduated from Columbia University in New York City with a degree in Spanish Language & Literature.

Shortly after earning my undergraduate degree, I married a Navy man, and we lived at various duty stations around the United States: San Diego, California; Norfolk, Virginia; and Charleston, South Carolina. I’ve also experienced the challenges of deployments, and so I salute all military families!

After he left active duty Navy life, we settled down in Virginia. We have two lovely children, and I homeschooled them for 8 years until 2021. (Homeschooling during a pandemic/quarantine was a huge stressor for me! We needed to make a change.)

I also earned a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of South Carolina/College of Charleston, and I earned a Masters in Fine Arts in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University in June 2020. (Can you tell that I love school? LOL)

My Writing & Acting Experience

I have been writing fiction since 2008. During this time, I’ve had two agents, and I’ve experienced the highs and lows that come with being a career writer. If we pair up, then you will gain access to a deep well of publishing knowledge. I love to share my experiences with other writers.

I’m also a professional actress. I’ve been acting since I was eight years old. I co-starred on the Nickelodeon TV series, The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo. I’m a member of the Screen Actors Guild, and I’ve acted on TV commercials, radio voice overs, and regional theater.

How I Identify & Contact Information

My ethnicity is African-American and Filipino. My pronouns are she/her.

If you have any writing/Pitch Wars related questions for me, you can always email me at preslaysa.w.pitchwars(at)gmail(dot)com I will answer your emails within five (5) business days.

I don’t answer my social media DMs, but you can certainly comment on any of my tweets or social media posts with a writing/Pitch Wars related question. I’ll respond on that specific tweet or post! My Twitter handle is @preslaysawrites and my FB Author Page and Instagram handle is @preslaysa

 

My Wish List

I’m looking for stories from BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and/or neurodivergent writers. While it can be helpful to know which submissions are #ownvoices, please don’t feel obligated to share any personal information that you would rather not disclose.

I’m looking for contemporary romance with all heat levels. I have a soft spot for sweet, small town, hopeful love stories with depth. I enjoy reading romance novels that explore deeper issues while remaining a love story at the core.

In women’s fiction, I’m interested in contemporary stories about family, friendships, and/or stories that explore issues affecting historically marginalized communities. I like stories about main characters who discover their voice and rise above stifling circumstances.

I also love women’s fiction with magical realism and/or women’s fiction that draw parallels between history and the present day. If you have a dual-timeline women’s fiction, I would love to read it!

Genres That I’m Not Looking For

  • Erotica
  • Paranormal romance
  • Mafia romance
  • Historical romance
  • Fantasy and Sci-Fi romance
  • Historical fiction
  • Literary fiction
  • Horror
  • Sci-Fi
  • Fantasy
  • Thrillers
  • Young Adult
  • Middle Grade
  • Picture books
  • BDSM in the storyline

Triggers & Content That I Don’t Read

  • Stories that lack clear sexual consent. And yes, I look for clear consent even in romance novels with no heat and low heat.
  • Stories with rape, incest, bestiality, or pedophilia.
  • Stories that show characters fantasizing about rape, incest, bestiality, or pedophilia.

Contemporary Romance Favorites (books & movies)

  • The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
  • A Princess In Theory by Alyssa Cole
  • My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade
  • anything by sweet romance author, Denise Hunter
  • The Best Man (film)
  • Poetic Justice (film)
  • The Wood (film)
  • The Wedding Planner (film)
  • You’ve Got Mail (film)
  • Love Jones (film)
  • Love and Basketball (film)
  • While You Were Sleeping (film)
  • Hope Floats (film)

Women’s Fiction Favorites (books & movies)

  • anything by Terry McMillan
  • anything by Mary Alice Monroe

My Ideal Mentee

I’m looking for a mentee who has a clear vision for their manuscript, who already trusts their writing voice, and who is looking for a mentor to assist them in making their vision clearer to the reader.

I am also looking for a mentee who is willing to receive and incorporate writing craft-specific feedback on their stories. Even if you don’t land an agent, I would love for this mentor-mentee relationship to improve your manuscript and take it to the next level.

 

My Mentoring Philosophy & Preferences

I will honor your theme, your vision, and your voice. Most of my suggestions will be focused on writing craft, not story theme. If there are non-negotiable elements of your manuscript, I am happy to work around them.

I also love to work from an outline. If we pair up, I would like to read your scene-by-scene outline before we start revising. If you despise outlines and plotting, then I’m not the mentor for you! If you love outlining and plotting, then I’m your person. If needed, we will revise your outline and use it as a reference tool as you revise.

In addition, I like to provide regular feedback on your story as you revise your manuscript. I usually give in-line comments, and I prefer to use Google Drive’s shared document feature.

In addition to revisions and writing-craft stuff, I am also willing to provide feedback and advice on the publishing industry. If my mentee has questions related to publishing, they can always contact me – even after 2021 Pitch Wars is over.

If you have questions, leave a comment below or email me at preslaysa.w.pitchwars(at)gmail(dot)com

I can’t wait to read your submissions!

Be sure to check out the Wish Lists of my fellow

Pitch Wars Mentors below!

 

Pitch Wars 2021 Adult Mentors’ Wish Lists

  1. Anna Kaling (Accepts NA)
  2. Ian Barnes (Accepts NA)
  3. Jackson Ford
  4. Jake Nicholls (Accepts NA)
  5. Jesse Q. Sutanto and Grace Shim
  6. Charish Reid and Denise Williams
  7. Saara El-Arifi (Accepts NA)
  8. Rosie Danan and Ruby Barrett (Accepts NA)
  9. Carolyne Topdjian
  10. Falon Ballard and Brooke Abrams
  11. Mary Keliikoa (Accepts NA)
  12. E.A. Aymar
  13. Amanda Elliot (Accepts NA)
  14. Kelly Siskind
  15. Vaishnavi Patel and Sarah Mughal (Accepts NA)
  16. Mary Ann Marlowe and Laura Elizabeth (Accepts NA)
  17. Mia P. Manansala (Accepts NA)
  18. Peggy Rothschild (Accepts NA)
  19. Natalka Burian
  20. Courtney Kae and Jenny L. Howe (Accepts NA)
  21. Rochelle Karina (Accepts NA)
  22. Swati Hegde (Accepts NA)
  23. Nanci Schwartz and LL Montez
  24. Paris Wynters
  25. Hudson Lin
  26. Sarah Remy (Accepts NA)
  27. AM Kvita (Accepts NA)
  28. Heather Van Fleet and Jessica Calla (Accepts NA)
  29. Melissa Colasanti (Accepts NA)
  30. J.A. Crawford (Accepts NA)
  31. Michella S. Domenici
  32. Yvette Yun and Marith Zoli (Accepts NA)
  33. Sari Coritz and Rosalie M Lin (Accepts NA)
  34. Stephenie Magister and Noreen (Accepts NA)
  35. Regina Black and Nikki Payne (Accepts NA)
  36. Farah Heron and Namrata Patel
  37. Alicia Thompson and Amy Lea (Accepts NA)
  38. Lyn Liao Butler
  39. Preslaysa Williams (Accepts NA)
  40. Keena Roberts and Molly Steen (Accepts NA)
  41. Alexandria Bellefleur (Accepts NA)
  42. Samantha Rajaram
  43. Ashley Winstead
  44. Clay Harmon (Accepts NA)
  45. Rob Hart
  46. Cole Nagamatsu and Sequoia Nagamatsu
  47. N.E. Davenport (Accepts NA)
  48. Katherine Lim
  49. Alexia Gordon
  50. Cynthia Pelayo (Accepts NA)

Click here to view all Pitch Wars 2021 Mentors’ Wish Lists. To view the wish lists by genre, visit this link.

Friday Five with Karen Heenan

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Hello and welcome to today’s Friday Five. I’m so happy to have author Karen Heenan on the blog today. Her novel, A Wider World, is available now! Let’s get started with our interview.

 

Describe your decision to become a writer.

I’m not sure if there ever was a decision. I just started doing it. Unlike all the other things I wanted to be as a kid – artist and ballerina were two of them – writing was something that I could actually do without special classes or art supplies or any of the things we couldn’t afford. Paper and pen were always handy, and the only real training I needed was to read a lot, which I already did.

What is your writing process like?

I envy writers who outline, but I wouldn’t want to be one of them. By my mid-fifties, I’ve come to accept my process, which is that I get an idea out of nowhere (or I read some tiny historical fact that spurs an idea) and I have to let it develop on its own. Sometimes that leads to a lot of wasted writing, but it’s not totally wasted because I’ve learned a lot about my characters, even if I have to cut.

Generally, I try to write about the first 20% of a book in order. Or mostly in order. Once I have an idea where I’m going and who my characters are, then I allow myself to write scenes as they occur to me, putting them in what I hope is chronological order. My least favorite part of writing is when I decide I might be done, and then I have to find a way to link all those scenes together. It’s not usually that bad, but it’s one of those chores that you dread, even though you know it won’t be bad.

In the last year or two, I’ve dictated a lot of my first drafts. This started pre-pandemic, but even after, it was a way to get out of the house and walk around my small town, masked and dictating into my phone. It comes out a bit rough, but then I go home and upload it onto my computer and clean it up. I can get a surprising number of words out if I’m just talking to myself, and it’s great for developing dialogue and voice.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Stop worrying about what people think, or if you’re good enough. Stop telling yourself that you’re “writing just for yourself” and actually try to do something with it. I wrote for myself when I was in my teens; I was not writing just for myself when I was forty, but I wasn’t up for the rejection of attempting to publish, and self-publishing wasn’t an option at that point, unless it was through a vanity press.

Are you and introvert or extrovert? What’s that best thing about being an (introvert or extrovert)?

A lot of people assume I’m an extrovert, and I play one pretty well online – and even in public, after years of practice. Actually, I’m an introvert. I need a lot of quiet and time to recharge my batteries after I have too much people time. It’s difficult because I’ve learned to enjoy it, but it still takes a lot out of me and I need down time after to build myself back up. I think my writing stems from how much time alone I had as a kid, and how the people in my head are never as exhausting as “real” ones.

How long on average does it take you to write a book?

I joke that if Songbird, my first book, were a child it would be accruing college debt by now. Since I wasn’t writing to deadline (writing for myself, remember?), I just kept tinkering with it and deciding it was never going to be perfect.

With my second book, A Wider World, and Lady, in Waiting, the one I’m currently working on, it’s taken me about 9-12 months to produce a draft I’m willing to show people. Which means I “finished” in 6-9 months, and edited and rearranged and tinkered for 3. Since I write historical fiction, there’s also a significant amount of research time involved, but my process there is to get a basic framework in my head, write the draft – leaving brackets with notes of what needs to be filled in – and do further research before the second draft.

Thank you so much for being on the blog today, Karen!

About A Wider World

Memories are all he has…

Now they could save his life.

Returning to England after almost five years in exile, Robin Lewis is arrested and charged with heresy by the dying Queen Mary. As he is escorted to the Tower of London, Robin spins a tale for his captor, revisiting his life under three Tudor monarchs and wondering how he will be judged—not just by the queen, but by the God he stopped serving long ago.

When every moment counts, will the journey—and his stories—last long enough for him to be saved by Mary’s heir, the young Queen Elizabeth?

About Karen Heenan

Karen Heenan was born and raised in Philadelphia. She fell in love with books and stories before she could read, and has wanted to write for nearly as long. After far too many years in a cubicle, she set herself free to follow her dreams – which include gardening, sewing, traveling and, of course, lots of writing.

Connect with Karen on her website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or sign up for her newsletter.

Friday Five with Benjamin Carr

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Hello and welcome to another edition of the Friday Five. I’m so happy to host author Benjamin Carr today. Benjamin’s novel, Impacted, is available now. Let’s get started with the interview.

What inspired your latest story?
I got this tacky, R-rated sentence stuck in my head. A variation on it is on the first page of the book. The initial idea was that someone married was cheating with their dentist.
But then I realized that I couldn’t get into the mind of a female narrator, for that is not an experience I can easily write about. Besides, there’s a book called Compromising Positions that uses that angle.
When I realized that I could write the story of a young gay man stressed by too many secrets, for that is a life I have known, Impacted came together.
What is your writing process like?
It’s a mix of brainstorming, self-doubt and procrastination that eventually leads to sentences on a page.
With Impacted, I had a daily word goal, a tracking spreadsheet, a distraction-free writing tool, a bulletin board full of index cards and a table at the 24-hour Dunkin Donuts where I wrote most nights.
What’s the best piece of advice you’re received for writing?
As I finished every chapter with a cliffhanger, I would send it to friends of mine, but I said not to give me any notes or feedback – because I didn’t want outside comments given too soon to dissuade me. I instructed them to please just tell me to ‘Keep going.’ And they were great about doing that.
So that’s the best advice I’ve ever received on writing a novel. ‘Keep going.’
What are some of your favorite novels and novelists, and why?
Jim Thompson’s ‘Pop. 1,280’ and Raymond Chandler’s ‘The Big Sleep’ probably influenced my book the most. I wanted to write a noir from the perspective of the dumb floozy who keeps making boneheaded mistakes, trying to stay one step ahead of the law. My floozy character is a guy named Wade Harrell. He’s in a murder mystery where the detective never shows up.
I like the blunt language of old pulp novels. I also like reading stories and novels from reclusive authors who were maybe unpleasant jerks: J.D. Salinger, Richard Yates, Patricia Highsmith and John Cheever. I love Michael McDowell’s ‘Blackwater’ series. And my friend Brian Panowich has three books out that are rollicking good Southern thrillers, beginning with ‘Bull Mountain.’
As modern novels go, no one beats Jennifer Egan’s ‘A Visit from the Goon Squad’ and Elizabeth Strout’s ‘Olive Kitteridge.’
I’m an extrovert. What’s the best thing about being an extrovert?
Being an extrovert served me by connecting me to the writing and storytelling community in Atlanta. It caused me to never let stage fright or embarrassment stop me from sharing a story, finding a way to connect.
There’s a sort of brazen audacity in anyone who dares to share their experiences – the good, the bad, the raw. Every voice has value. The most vulnerable stories, the ones that dwell in dark truths that polite societies refuse to discuss, intrigue me the most.
Thank you so much for being with us today, Benjamin!

Friday Five with AJ Super

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Happy Friday! I’m so thrilled to have author, AJ Super on today’s Friday Five.

AJ’s novel, Erebus Dawning, is available now.

Let’s dive into the interview!

Angela earned two Bachelors’ degrees from the University of Idaho in the Creative Writing and Theater programs. Currently, she lives in Kansas with her husband and fuzz-brained kittiots. Her debut from Aethon Books, Erebus Dawning, book one of the Seven Stars Saga, came out on May 11th, 2021.

What is your writing process like?

I am chaos incarnate in the world of writing. LOL! I’m a pure pantser. I write from a blank     page EVERY DAY. The most I plan is a quick brain storming session with the hubster the
night before I write a chapter. And honestly, it’s 50/50 whether I use that
information we think up. I tell my stories to myself, fresh, from the tips of my fingers. THEN,
when I do my first edit, I pretty much do the same thing. I run through the manuscript and find
what I feel isn’t working and fix it right on the spot. If it messes with something else down the
road, I keep a note in my brainpan and when I get to that spot, I fix it, but I don’t jump forward
and fix it until I’ve read what’s in between. Sometimes it means I have dozens of notes in my   head that I literally have to list before each editing session so that I remember them. But I have yet to forget an important change, alteration, edit, or such. Because if it’s not important, it’s not
worth remembering… Same goes with drafting. If I have an idea for a story while drafting, I don’t take notes. If I forget it before I get it down, it wasn’t worth putting in the story in the first
place. Like I said. Chaos incarnate. LOL!

What advice would you give to your younger self?

  Persist. Simply persist. This is a very hard business to be in. From the beginning, you’re told   no. There are terribly long waiting periods. And it doesn’t stop once you get published. It only   gets worse, because what happens if you can’t get your second, third, fourth books published? The anxiety is real and the imposter syndrome never goes away. But you have to persist
through it all.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received for writing?

It isn’t even writing advice, per se. It’s just general life advice that made writing a possibility
in my life. And to top it off… It was a fortune cookie. “If you can shape it in your mind, you   will find it in your life.” If you can imagine it, so many things can come your way. Granted,   there are some things that I can’t even imagine that have happened to me so far that have   made   this journey interesting. But all through this, if I ever want something, I imagine it,   work for it, and I get it. Of course, the big caveat is the “work for it” bit. You can’t have   imagination without work.

What the hardest thing about being a writer?

The waiting. You are always waiting for something. Responses to queries. Edits. Approval of your next books. Book covers. ARCs. Whatever it is, you are always waiting. (Then suddenly
you’re not and have a TON to do and not a lot of time to do it in.)

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AllBrevityWit (@AllBrevityWit) 
FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/angelajsuper/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angelajsuper/ 
(@angelajsuper)

A Lowcountry Bride releases in LESS THAN 24 HOURS!

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One day until A Lowcountry Bride releases

🎉 ONE MORE DAY until A Lowcountry Bride releases into the world.
It is not: “One day…someday…A Lowcountry Bride 👰🏾 will release into the world.”
It is: “In less than 24 hours, A Lowcountry Bride 👰🏾 will be released into the world.” 📚
The urgency and the excitement of the second statement reverberates inside of me. I’m no longer hoping and wishing and praying. I’m simply counting down the hours… ⏰
….until those hours become minutes, ⏰
….and those minutes become seconds. ⏰
I’m like a kid on Christmas 🎄 Eve, basically! 👧🏾
It’s a ticketed event and all attendees will receive a signed copy of A Lowcountry Bride 👰🏾 (that can also be personalized). Click here to register, and I’ll see you tomorrow!