Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Zariah L. Banks. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Zariah thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?

I’ve wanted to be a novelist since I was nine years old. I still have the notebooks filled with short stories tucked away in my basement. Every free moment since then was spent writing fiction. I would experiment with different themes, character quirks, and plot lines to see what stuck. All the while, something was holding me back from taking the leap of faith and putting myself out there as a novelist. It wasn’t until I had a disturbing dream that my husband was cheating on me that I got the idea for my novel Beauty Betrayed (set to release in 2024). The more time I’ve spent writing stories about complicated love as a contemporary romance novelist, the more I’ve realized that my path of failed relationships, mishaps, and finding my forever love have led me right where I am today. If it weren’t for the lessons, the struggle would have never shaped my story. Now that I can write from the gritty side of love, I can allow my characters to fully embrace the pretty side of love. So, in a sense, my career started as that little girl who wrote stories of her own because, on her trips to the bookstore, she never saw Black girls or women on the covers.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am writer who focuses on telling stories that prove everyone can experience true, healthy, and fulfilling love. My focus is on creating stories that inspire others to never stop looking for their person. My debut novel, Beauty Beheld, was released in March of 2023. Before that I was an emotional intimacy blogger, sharing innovative tips on self-care, modern dating, communication, and empathy on my website, www.zariahlbanks.com. My contemporary romance novels are designed to make you laugh, swoon, and learn a thing or two about yourself from my messy characters. My blogs will make you rethink how you treat yourself and others while throwing in a good boundary or two.

My biggest accomplishments so far have been a Publisher Weekly feature during my novel’s debut week, my novel being a selected feature on Goodreads and Indieshop’s Mother’s Day gift list, and my novel being a trending book title on IngramSpark – all since March of this year.

Following me on Instagram, subscribing to my blog, and reading my novels means investing in your happiness, self-fulfillment, and continued emotional growth. Be prepared for laughs as well – I never take myself too seriously!

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I would like to normalize healthy communication in relationships. You know, where you hear something, you feel something, and you say something about it if it bothers you. I know we’re all different and have various levels of comfort with expressing ourselves and I appreciate that. But eventually, everything is better when you speak up for yourself. If there’s a resolution, that’s fantastic. If there’s resistance, that’s normal. If there’s conflict, that’s an opportunity to explore it further.

What matters most is being seen, heard, and understood. As well as seeking the same outcomes when communicating with others. Holding things in isn’t healthy for you and it doesn’t help you fully process your thoughts and emotions on topics that matter to you.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding part for me so far is attending live book club meetings as they discuss my book. Talk about an eye-opening experience! People do not hold back, whether you’re in attendance or not, lol I really appreciate the honesty and it gives me the opportunity to hear feedback from avid readers in my genre. Feedback is like gold. There’s no replicating that value.

I also love fan mail. I get it almost daily and man, do I love it! I responded to one email so quickly, the woman was shocked. She thought I was spam or something. We ended up having a great conversation regarding communication issues in her relationship and how the main character in my novel, Beauty Beheld, Patience, demonstrated some of the same issues she had.

Knowing that your work can impact someone enough for them to reach out to you is far beyond what I ever could have expected.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://zariahlbanks.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/authorzariahlbanks
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorZariahLBanks