Authors Suzette D. Harrison and Suzette Riddick are giving readers double the fun with their latest releases. It’s a collaboration that’s been a long time in the making. I recently spoke with them about their Generations series.
Tell me about your latest book.
Forever Beautiful (Suzette D. Harrison) and Wandering Beauty (Suzette Riddick) are the first two installments of our Generations series. Forever Beautiful follows the life of Floretta Coleman, a young woman whose world is tossed into chaos when her mother unexpectedly dies. As the oldest of three children, she must decide whether to follow her own dreams or fulfill family obligations. There are twists, turns, family secrets, and deceptions that enabled the survival of not just a family, but an entire community. Wandering Beauty features Jillian Hart, Floretta’s descendant, and a married mother who has put her desires on the backburner for the sake of her family for far too long. With her marriage in shambles, Jillian makes a decision to travel down south to the small town named for her family in order to re-center herself. Her journey isn’t merely about re-centering, but reinventing her life and embracing her legacy.
Why did you decide to write it?
From Suzette Riddick (S.R.): Suzette D. Harrison aka Twin and I talked about doing a collaborative project together for years. I believe, and I’m certain Twin will agree, we wanted to work together because of our mutual respect for each other as creatives. We didn’t know what the project would look like. It was just this abstract thing that we toyed with until one day we got serious and started making concrete plans. That is how the Generations series was born.
What is Generations and how does it differ from other series?
Our Generations series differs from others in that it showcases two separate genres: historical and contemporary fiction. There will be 10 novellas released in five sets of two books each. Each set features two novellas—one African-American historical fiction (Suzette D. Harrison) plus one contemporary women’s fiction (Suzette Riddick). Every novella is a stand-alone book that can be read independently, but the most rewarding experience happens when a set is read together. (After all this is a “twin” thing). The historical and contemporary heroines from each set are beautifully interconnected, as are all 10 of our heroines hailing from our small, all-Black town of Colemanville. Generations creates a unique, immersive reading experience that connects the past to the present.
What do you want readers to learn from the story?
We want readers to take a trip to Colemanville, our fictitious all-Black town and the home of Generations, and lose themselves there. Colemanville is an idyllic place where readers will discover bold heroines with strengths and frailties, challenges, triumphs, fears, hopes and dreams. We want readers to be immersed in the gentle simplicity of our small southern town and this celebration of the power, strength, and sisterhood of Black women.
When did you fall in love with the written word?
S.R.: This question made me smile, bringing back tender childhood memories. In elementary school, once a week our class went to the school library to pick out books. I would take out three to four books (that’s when the [to-be-read] pile started) and read them after I finished my homework and on the weekends. Since childhood I’ve loved reading.
If you could pick another profession, what would it be and why?
S.H.: I’d be a professional baker. I inherited my love of baking from my grandmother. She was a phenomenal scratch baker who didn’t measure ingredients or use recipes. I wish I’d spent more time in the kitchen learning from her, but for me, baking is one way to continue her legacy.
What’s the best part of being an author?
S.R.: Telling stories from my perspective as a Black woman. I love being able to create imperfect characters that are relatable to readers.
What’s the worst part of being an author?
S.H.: Writing is an isolated art. As writers, we typically write alone. And indie authors often experience even more “aloneness” in that they write without being connected to a traditional publisher and wear all the hats and make all the decisions. That can feel as if one is walking on a solitary journey absent of others.
What books have you read lately and loved?
S.R.: Curiosity and Caution by Christina C. Jones. These books remind me of LA Banks’ Vampire Huntress series. Clarity, the third book in the series is next on the list to read.
What’s next for you?
S.H.: I’m currently working on book three of the Generations series as well as a dual timeline (historical and contemporary) novel for my publisher.
Do you have anything you would like to add?
S.R.: Yes! Thanks for asking. Suzette D. and I hope that after reading Forever Beautiful and Wandering Beauty that readers will come away with an appreciation and reverence for their ancestors and the sacrifices they made for future generations. And that they will take time to reflect on their lives to see how their destiny is intertwined with that of a family member from the past.
Use the Black Fiction Addiction affiliate link to purchase your copy of Forever Beautiful by Suzette D. Harrison and Wandering Beauty by Suzette Riddick.
To learn more about authors Suzette D. Harrison and Suzette Riddick, visit their websites or connect with them on social media.
Suzette D. Harrison
Website: www.sdhbooks.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sdhbooks
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suzettedharrison/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/SDHBooks/_saved/
Suzette Riddick
Website: www.suzetteriddick.com
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/authorsuzetteriddick/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suzette_riddick/