What better way to kick off wedding season than an interview with author Preslaysa Williams who is discussing her latest release, A Lowcountry Bride.
Tell me about your latest book.
A Lowcountry Bride is a heartwarming romance about a Manhattan-based, Afro-Filipina wedding gown designer who learns to trust in herself and her ability to love again when she returns home to Charleston, South Carolina, and finds herself helping a widowed single father keep his struggling bridal shop afloat.
A Lowcountry Bride is a closed door love story that deals with themes of grief, identity, faith, and love. The romance also features second chances of all kinds.
What inspired you to write it?
I lived in the Charleston, South Carolina area for a few years. My spouse was stationed there, and I earned my MPA at the College of Charleston. During those years in Charleston, I came into my own. I learned a lot about myself and underwent a lot of personal growth. Also, I attended an African Methodist Episcopal Church when I lived there. My husband is A.M.E., and I fell in love with the congregation and the community.
I noticed that there many published romance novels and women’s fiction that is set in the Lowcountry do not have Black and Brown main characters. This was peculiar to me because about 30 percent of the community in Charleston is African-American. In addition, Charleston has a rich and riddled history with regards to people of African descent.
I wanted to write about them. I wanted to center their stories and their history while giving them a happily ever after.
When did you fall in love with the written word?
I fell in love with the written word when I was a child. Reading was my escape into other worlds where I could imagine and dream. It gave me comfort and joy.
I didn’t become a novelist until much later in life, when I had my first child. Writing was an escape from the daily grind of being a mother to a newborn. My fiction writing skill wasn’t good at first, but I kept at it until I improved.
What’s the best part of being an author?
The best part of being an author is getting those God-winks. For me, God-winks are serendipitous occurrences that confirm I’m on the right track with a story that I’m writing. The other best part of being an author is holding my book in my hands.
What’s the hardest part of being an author?
The hardest part of being an author is when there are dry periods, and the words don’t seem to be flowing. I try my best to write through those periods in the hopes of striking gold in the future.
What books have you read lately and loved?
I recently read an amazing romance by Elle Wright entitled The Way You Love Me. It’s a friends-to-lovers romance between an actress and her talent agent. The behind-the-scenes drama of the entertainment world is delicious, as well as the growing romance between the hero and heroine.
What book(s) are you most excited to read next?
I’m most excited to read Piper Huguley’s Sweet Tea and Vanessa Riley’s Island Queen. Both books release in July 2021.
Who would you cast in a movie to play your main characters?
I would cast Amerie to play my heroine Maya. She is Black and Korean. (Maya is Black and Filipino). Amerie has a stylish vibe that pairs well with Maya’s fashion sense.
I would cast Boris Kodjoe to play my hero, Derek. Boris is classically handsome, and he has a wonderful smile.
What’s next for you?
I am drafting a contemporary romance with two people who have very interesting occupations! The story is also set in the Lowcountry, and it captures the zeitgeist of our times. That’s all I’ll say about it for now…
Do you have anything you would like to add?
I’m so glad that you interviewed me, Chandra. Thank you so much!
Use the Black Fiction Addiction affiliate link to purchase your copy of A Lowcountry Bride.
About Preslaysa Williams
Preslaysa Williams is an award-winning author who writes heartwarming romance and women’s fiction with an Afro-Filipina twist. Proud of her heritage, she loves sharing her culture with her readers. A graduate of Columbia University, Preslaysa is a professional actress, a planner nerd, an avid bookworm, and a homeschool mom who wears mismatched socks.
Visit her online at https://www.preslaysa.com where you can sign up for her newsletter. You can also follow her meanderings on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/preslaysa