YA

Interview with Cherish D. Smith

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Cherish D. Smith is a talented poet and budding historical YA novelist. Her beautiful and diverse characters will have you rooting and blushing for them in equal measures. You can find her on Twitter @icherishwriting.

 

What characters and themes do you like to write about and what inspires them?

I tend to write the quiet characters. I love a quiet character with giant dreams that almost make you go, “This? You want to do what? I mean I guess. If you like it, I love it.” And I am a bit of a romantic, so I love a good “love trumps all.” Is it vain to say that I’m inspired by myself? I have a somewhat quiet personality and ambitious dreams and I am quite easy to make blush. Lol.

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Interview with Joy L. Smith

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JoyInterviewPicJoy L. Smith is an up and coming YA novelist. She writes characters as diverse as they are powerful and inspiring–Joy is one incredible human bean. You can find her on twitter @JoyJoyWrites.

 

What characters and themes do you like to write about and what inspires them?

I think the main thing about the characters I write is that they’re Black girls. They’re city girls like me. They have that one thing that really keeps them going. I love to write about family and friendship and love because it’s important to me that Black girls know that there isn’t one clear story to tell about those three things. It’s all a bit complicated. And I love simple things but also complicated things too. For me I like to give my characters a skill that I was obsessed with as a kid or still wish I had. So you’ll see my characters love their theater references, ballet, acting and BMX biking among other things that make me happy, but inspire them.

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I’ve been published in a YA anthology!

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Published in an anthology! https://sonorahillsauthor.com/Remember that writing prompt I did back in September which I didn’t share because I was considering submitting it to a contest? Well I did, and now it’s been published!

Short stories from 21 talented writers (including me!) make up the final instalment of an exploratory journey of the seven sins: Pride, Sloth, Envy, Gluttony, Wrath, Avarice, and Lust. Meant for a YA audience, Lust has stories involving first love and stolen kisses, but also ones about the lust for power or an addiction.

Here’s the blurb for my lgbtq+ short story:

Fire and Starlight Girl

Sixteen-year-old Cassie has been best friends with Ella forever. On a beach holiday with Ella’s family, the girls plan on exploring, swimming and watching the sunset over the ocean. It’s a perfect summer until Cassie realizes she has feelings for Ella. They’ve always been able to tell each other everything, but is it worth sharing this time if it means she could lose Ella completely?

 

Never pass up the opportunity to enter a contest or submit to a journal/anthology–the editors/judges may really like what you have to say and your writing could find a home!