You Can Be a Boss and Still Have Love | Cute, Meet, Love with Sedona Rose

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[00:01:18] They're how we process, they're how we heal, how we find ourselves in someone else's story. That's what this show is built on. Hey y'all, I'm Nakara and you're listening to Dot Dot Dot Book Make It Books, a podcast where we're bookishly healing through life, one conversation at a time. Every episode, I'm sitting down with the authors, booksellers, and book lovers who are shaping the literary world. The people behind the pages and the passion that keeps this community alive.

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[00:02:19] Hey everyone and welcome to another episode of Dot Dot Dot But Make It Books, a podcast where we are bookishly healing through life. I'm your host, Nakara Campbell, and I'm so blessed to be in the space with Sedona Rose. How are you? I'm good. Thank you for having me. No, thank you for having the time and thank you for your pen. Of course. So what we like to always ask folks is how are you feeling? I'm good. I'm doing good. It's nice outside today, even though it was freezing this morning, so I'm good.

[00:02:48] Yes, yes. And be careful because it is St. Patrick's weekend and people are out. For sure. People are outside. Doing a lot with the little. So, because I'm from Baltimore, we do a snowball, which is our form of an icebreaker. What is your... My five-star read as of like all time or as of right now? No, like just your last one. Oh, okay. Yeah, five-star. Oh, I was just looking. I just... Oh!

[00:03:17] It's a book called In Her Own League by Liz Tomford. I ate... It was good. It was so good. I ate that up. Oh, my gosh. It was really good. Big Daddy M is everything. I love him. I'm actually on... I'm reading the... Technically, the last book of the entire series now, and that's really good, too. Listen, my TBR is already so long, so... But it ain't no thing. I just added that. It ain't no thing.

[00:03:47] I really ate that book up. I love that. Okay. So, y'all, go ahead and put that down on the TBR. So, today, guys, our guest, as you heard, is Sedona Rose, is a romance author and contemporary author hailing from her home state of South Carolina. Her goal is to celebrate black love and make sure you feel it through every page. She also... She's also known as a booktuber, kreeds underscore, where she shares book reviews, author interviews with some of your favorites.

[00:04:16] When she's not writing, she's cheering on the Carolina Panthers, watching the latest Marvel movie, binging anime, or curled up with a good book. So, welcome officially to the pod. So, today, we're talking about just the cutest little novella. Thank you. So, in your own words, can you tell us everything that we should know? I think the author does it better than I am. Yeah.

[00:04:44] So, cute meet love is a meet cute, of course. A small time story with JC Yon Phoenix, who is a physical therapist and actually from my small town area of Ruby Hills in Cattleya Judge. She's not originally from there. She's from another city named Coconut Bay, but she has roots there because of her grandmother. And she's a big time donut shop owner, and she decided to open another donut shop in that area. Kind of like a full circle moment for her.

[00:05:13] They live across the hall from each other. Granted, they've never met until the start of the book when she asks him for some sugar and Sparked Fly, and it goes from there. Listen, asking for some sugar and then getting sugar in the end. Wow. Wow. Wow. I love it. So, Cattleya is expanding Frosted Feelings, which is her donut shop, which I'm like, dang, I want these donuts too.

[00:05:40] Like, I was low-key kind of like, dang, do I need to go get a donut pan? Because I'll be the girl who'll be like, I see something that I'm like, oh yeah, I want to do it myself. But she's also carrying like a lot as she's doing this. What made you want to anchor a love story within a business journey? So, actually, this is my first ever business journey I'm ever doing. So, that was kind of cool to do, to do the research of trying to figure out exactly, okay,

[00:06:09] how do I incorporate the business with the love story? With Cattleya, like I said before, she's single. Oh, she's missing a four-minute. And if you read in the book, she talks about her last relationship. And it wasn't a bad one. It was just like, you know, mutual agreement. And she just basically, how I want to incorporate it was like, even though she's this boss woman, love is still always there too. And sometimes when you're not looking for it like she wasn't, it kind of pops up.

[00:06:38] So, I think that's why I kind of wanted to anchor both of them, to let her know like, you can still have and still run a business at the same time. Always have a side for love for you. So, you can be a boss, but then you can also be, you know, a little baby girl, you know. You can be both. So, for running a business in a small town, especially one that is like connected to her grandmother,

[00:07:03] because she's dealing with the grief of that, it has a lot of just loaded memory, history. How does Ruby Hill shape who Catelope becomes in the story, from your perspective? My perspective, I think it's a full circle for her. I could say before, because she, like, her and her sister Oasis used to go there all the time during the summer. Yeah. And I think just being around Donut still gives her that sense of, like, joy and happiness she had with her grandmother.

[00:07:32] Because, like, the backstory that I didn't really put in the book, even though Oasis did help out a lot in the kitchen, it was more so just a Catalea and her grandma type of thing. If that makes sense. So, she always, yeah, so she had that special bond with her that made her not only really love her grandmother even more, but also gave her the love to, like, okay, I think this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. So, every time she's making Donuts or being in the area, she always has that sense of her grandmother there.

[00:07:59] Yeah, attributing, like, attributing and leaving part of the legacy. With her, and I really do love that. For the listeners who are also trying to build something, a brand, a business, a dream, while loving people and being loved, what does Catalea's story say to them? There's always balance. I think that's what I realized, too, when I was writing this.

[00:08:24] That is, like, because I do, I write, I have a full-time job, I do YouTube, all that stuff, plus family and friends. So, I think there's always a balance in between everything. And you really can't give your all to one thing and not give your all for something else, if that makes sense. No, it does make sense. So, I think you just have to just basically make sure it's balanced and then go from there.

[00:08:52] Balance is always something that I struggle with as well. And it was nice to see Catalea, like, fulfill her dream. But then also make room for love. And that was nice to see. And before, you know, Catalea's heart was free, but not really. It didn't end bad. Yeah, exactly. But, it's still, like, I don't know which ones are worse.

[00:09:21] The relationships that end bad, but that they end because they kind of have to. I think the ones that kind of have to, because at the same time, you don't want it to end. But then, you know, like, you're over here, I'm over here. Then on top of that, he was going into the military on top of that. So, you don't know if he's getting deployed forever or whatever. So, I think it was just best to break up that way. But still be like, I don't want to say friends, but still be on a cordial tip. So, I think that, to me, I feel like that's always the worst.

[00:09:53] Yeah. Yeah, I think that's what I wanted to also talk about. There's a difference between a relationship ending and knowing in your soul it has ran. Yeah. Ran is coarse. How did you capture that distinction on the page to make sure it wasn't too fake? Like, it was. Yeah. I think for me, I think I kind of put it in with my, like, platonic friendships rather than my relationships, if that makes.

[00:10:20] Because I'm single, have been single for a hot minute. So, I've had plenty of friends where I've been friends with them for years. And then we just kind of know, like, okay, our friendship isn't the same as it used to be. And it's cool. Like, you know, like, it's okay. You're doing your own thing. I'm doing my own thing. Cool. But I'm still going to love you regardless. Just, if you need me, I'm still going to be there.

[00:10:46] And I think ending that friendship, I can say for example, me and one of my closest homeboys, we kind of just, like, went our separate ways. And we recently just talked, like, maybe last week sometime. And we just kind of was talking. It was just like, dang, I miss you. But you've been doing your own thing. I've been doing my own thing. And he was like, I just want to know, like, there's no beef. Like, we didn't end up on that. I was like, I know that. I was like, we're adults. We're grown. Life happens. I was like, I want to be checking on each other. Like, maybe every once in a while.

[00:11:16] I'm cool with that. So, I think me incorporating that, then kind of just adding the love part to it, I think it kind of was easy for me to flow out that way. So, you know, a bag of sugar at midnight, that's the moment. Talk to me how you build chemistry from something that simple and why the best meet-cutes are almost accidental. I love meet-cutes.

[00:11:42] I love a good meet-cute, especially when it comes to a movie or a TV show and a book as well. And like I said, when it came to the sugar, I was just like, she's making donuts at night. Like, what could she possibly need next door? And like every time you ask somebody or you read something or you even watch something that says bag of sugar, you automatically think something's going to pop off.

[00:12:06] So, I was like, let me just add that and go from there. And with JC on, he was smitten from the first time. Sorry. Because he did not want to let that hand go. Like, I had to basically force himself out the hand jade. So, I think when you add something of a meet-cute with that and let it flow organically, I think it can work out really well.

[00:12:36] And like I said, I love meet-cutes. My best friend would tell you I am a meet-cute Instagirl lover, which is very true when it is. So, yeah, I think I just wanted to like just add that. And I always wanted to write that in the story too. So, I was just like, oh, perfect time to do it. So, let's do it. No, it was very, very cute. I was like, not this. I was like, ooh, maybe he's going to open the sugar. Like, she was going to give him the sugar and then he was going to get some sugar. But it was like that. I was like, never mind. Let me stop being who I am.

[00:13:06] So, there's a feeling readers get when two characters are just right together. Like, everything clicks. The story breathes different. How did you manufacture that as a writer and an author but not making it feel like super forced? Because it just flows. Thank you. I think that was just the characters. I think they just felt comfortable with each other.

[00:13:29] There was a little back push on Castileo's side when she was talking to Ember about like, this might be too good to be true. Because like, something isn't right. And I think... Buttermilk ain't clean. Exactly. And I think that also had a little bit of me in it. Because when I think that something like, it's too good to be true, I overthink it. And Castileo is a big time overthinker. And I think that's why Ember was like, girl, just shut up. Let it flow. Go with it and call it a day.

[00:14:00] And with Jaceon being so intentional about wanting to date. And I think Castileo, as time went on, she realized that. I think she kind of was letting her, the guard that she did have over her heart just break down very easily to where it could just flow. So let's talk about that. Because I'm like, Ember is good. Because we all need a friend like that.

[00:14:24] Because I believe we, especially as black women, always think something is too good to be true. And I guess my question is, why do we feel like we always instantly, not all of us, but instantly go into protection versus just letting the chips fall where they may be. For me, because I'm like that, I'm an overthinker. And I'm trying not to be, but it's very hard to do.

[00:14:52] I think that's just like, I don't want to call it survival mode, but it might be. I think black women, some black women are just so used not to having things flow at the same time, if that makes sense as well. Yeah, you know what I'm saying? And just, okay, everything's going good. And then you're just waiting for the next shoe to drop. And then when it does, you won't feel as bad about it because you knew it was coming. But sometimes when it doesn't come, you'll be like.

[00:15:20] So setting ourselves up for instant disappointment versus hoping and wishing for the best. Well, we know our girl won. But that's so interesting. So what do you believe Jaceon reflects back to Catalea and vice versa? I think Jaceon reflects Catalea just being open. Open. Just be open and see what happens.

[00:15:51] And if something bad does happen, we just work it together. And even with him, he has his own physical therapist office. He's been doing that for a while. But he, in the back of his mind, he's been wanting love. He's been waiting for the right person. And I think that reflects it off of actually both of each other is that they could be successful black people. And still make time for family, friends, and love at the same time. Yes, they can.

[00:16:19] So Jaceon is described as patient and charming. But patience and a man can read as passive. How did you write intention into him so readers feel his pursuit without it feeling pushy or performative? That's a good question. That's a good question. Oh, because listen, these men be acting. They a bunch of actors. Now, I'm an actor. So everybody, y'all, I do love romance, but I'm an active man hater. I love my man, but I'm an active man hater. Right? But yes.

[00:16:52] That goes back into his job. I think with being a physical therapist, you really have to be patient with wanting to make sure your client is doing the right skills and motive to get back to where they need to be. As someone who's going through physical therapy right now, I'm like. So you get it. You get it. And then also, patience also and charming. I think charming is just his standpoint. Just him.

[00:17:21] Just who he is. But I think the patient part is definitely, one, his job. Two, he has a little sister. He does. So he gets it. He has to be patient when it comes to that. Because Zaria is, that's my girl. I love her though. I love her too. Because she'd be like, where's my money at? And don't mess up that relationship. Like, pick me up. I'm like, oh, she's such a little sister. So I think that too.

[00:17:47] I think that he just wanted to be very patient with her. Like they both said, they haven't really been dating in a while. So I think he just didn't want to go off too hard. And too aggressive. To where she could pull back. So I think he was just going at her pace. But at the same time, going at his pace as well. So I only want to say slow. Because a lot of people say this book is like a slow burn. To me, I don't think that. Because one, I don't like writing slow burns.

[00:18:17] Two, I don't even like reading slow burns. So for me, it's more of a medium pace. Medium pace. That's what I like to call it. Because that, because like back to that, it was, you made a very deliberate choice. Which is why I think folks think it's a slow burn. Because you made a deliberate choice to write a man who moves with intention in a relationship.

[00:18:41] And in the current cultural conversation about dating, what made that representation feel urgent or necessary to you? Because I want it. Because I want that. Manifestation. Yes. Manifestation for real. Because I want that myself. I'm at the age. I'm 33. I'll be 34 in April. So. Welcome to the club, girl. I'll be 35 at the end of the year. It's great.

[00:19:08] So I think I'm at the age and at the mindset where I just don't want to date just to date. And it's not even about being married right now and having kids or anything, even though my dad would love that. But I think for right now, I think it's just one to be intentional. And a lot of dating things that I have been seeing, men could put on that facade. And then once they get comfortable, another thing shows. And I've been through that modern self.

[00:19:37] And I am not doing that thing no more as I get older. So if you're not intentional about what you want when it comes to me, let it go. So I think, like you said, manifestation is real. And I think with all my characters, actually, in my books, I try to manifest exactly what I want when it comes down to a relationship. Hmm. Hmm. Because with Jace, he really did take his time.

[00:20:05] Even when Keatle was like, listen, we don't got to wait that long. We can get to the getting. He was like, nah, let's chill. Let's chill. And so it's refreshing to see that because it's not often you see that in life but in books. So that was very nice.

[00:20:29] So how do you write a man from the inside, his thoughts, his intentions, his choices, without feeling like it is a fantasy? Or like we're overcompensating on something? For me, I kind of had to set the mood. A nice masculine candle and all that stuff. But also, I think just rereading a lot of Black indie Arthur's work when it comes to men like that. Hmm.

[00:20:56] Who's your favorite go-to to like your indie author go-to? I have so many, but I have so many because they're all amazing. But if I had to go back and think of what I'm talking about in my head, I'll think Asia Monique. Mm-hmm. I'm a diehard fan of the Flower Sisters story, her series. And my favorite book of all of them, and she knows this because I sold her, is Blossom.

[00:21:22] Blossom is my favorite reread if I get slumped or I just want to spark information. And I think the way that Roman was with Blossom, just very patient, kind of just went on her terms. I think that's what I kind of wanted with him, with Jaycee on, but just put my own twist to it. And I think a lot of like, especially contemporary, even urban, or even urban romance, Black indie

[00:21:49] Arthur's, they just like, I'm this rough around the edges person at the same time. When it comes to my woman, I am. I am. Right. I'm riding. I'm riding down. Smoke you and everybody else up in this place. Correct. Exactly. Shout out to Kwameer. That's my boom. Period. Meera Cat. That's my boom. He's a perfect example because he was diehard for Capri. Listen, that man was hiding in the car.

[00:22:18] What are you doing, Meera? He's like, listen, I was just waiting for him to leave. What were y'all over here talking about? Exactly. What was the wrong with you? You know, I do love a man who crashed out over me. Yeah. Exactly. You got to. You got to. You got to. Just a little bit. You got to too much. Just a tad. Just a tad. So if someone is out here, because I think to what you also painted was also like people

[00:22:48] getting their house in order. I guess that's. Yeah, that's that's the word. People getting their house in order in order to receive what they want. So Cat's LA hasn't been in a relationship for quite some time. JTR got set up on some really bad blonde date that like. That was just not. She was looking for a sugar baby. He was like, I. I'm not the dude for you. I'm sorry. Not the dude for you. But there are dudes for you. Yes, but it just ain't me. It's not this one. Exactly.

[00:23:18] Why was it important for you to highlight them both like getting their house in order? Also meeting at church. Yeah. Why was all of those things, those those details important to bring out in the in the text? Um, I think I think it just goes back to how I'm living my life right now. I think that I'm getting my house in order as I speak right now.

[00:23:41] And I just want to make sure that I am good on my end and I don't have to depend. I won't have to depend on somebody else. Especially especially if I'm only dating right now. If I'm only in a relationship. Marriage is a totally different thing. But but if I'm only dating my like if I'm only dating for me right now, I just want to make sure that I'm straight, I'm good, I'm financially stable. Especially if I'm running a business. I want to make sure that's straight before anything.

[00:24:07] Because you have a lot of people, men and women, who do, who do run businesses. But like I was saying before, the balance of that. And they meet somebody and they more of the love. And then the business kind of starts sliding down. So I think for that, I think I just wanted them to be successful. Let them know, like, you know, everybody was like, okay, you have everything you want, but now you're just missing the person. And then with the church, I think the church kind of goes back full circle with Castileia

[00:24:37] for being there when she was younger. And like she said in the first beginning, she's like, your sister's granddaughter, right? She was like, how do you know this? Listen, those people were embarrassed at her. The pastor done called her out. We got a regret. It's a small town. It's a small town. You got to remember that. So everybody basically kind of knows everybody. No, I totally know my family in Texas. Like everybody knows my family. Yeah, I'm the same name. Like we all have similar faces.

[00:25:06] And they're like, I know you. You're one of them campers. I'm like. For me, it's on both sides of the family. My mom and dad's side. And my grandma on my dad's side, she was a big time gospel singer in the area. Yeah. So. What? So everybody knew Virginia Lassen. She was just like, all I got to say is Virginia Lassen. Oh, you sonny, son granddaddy. Who's your daddy? And it goes up there.

[00:25:33] Or in my mom's side, my great grandmother, she was really big as well. And then on top of that, my mom's well known. And me and my mom look exactly alike from what people say. So. Yeah. So I get it. So Ashley, speaking of singing, there was a part in the book where you. I'm confused. Are you? I am not. But. I know what you're talking about. Sedona and the Vase Sisters. Yes.

[00:26:03] They are my fictional R&B group. They legit. The name just came out of nowhere when I was writing my first book. And so they're kind of universal in my story. Okay. Um, they will be making a little appearance. Maybe, hopefully, within this year. Could I am doing, oh, aren't I'm a rapper and a songwriter story soon? Oh, they will make it a little appearance. So yeah. So, um.

[00:26:32] If you want to count singing, I was in chorus through my middle school year. You want to count that? Are you a singer? I was literally searching. Okay. Really searching. I am not. Like she's secretly underneath, like her and her family. They just got like a band like the Jacksons. I was like, what is going on? So yes, I had to ask. Cause I was like. Appreciate that. No.

[00:26:59] No, like I said, I just wanted a group that was like kind of like within the universe. And I was just like, why not just put my name in it? Why not? So I was like, so don't know. Why not? Why not? Just go with it. And it's been going. So there are basically, I think in every book except maybe like two, two or three. Okay. I love it. Cause I was like, okay, let me find out.

[00:27:22] So you, we were talking about Katzelea building something and it is loosely off of you. Cause you are also building, you are building something to a body of work, a voice, a readership. As a woman author in romance space, what has that journey felt like for you so far? Especially being an indie romance writer. Ups and downs, ebbing flows. I've been doing this for five years. I just turned five back in February. Congratulations. So it's, it's been a journey.

[00:27:53] There's been some days where I'm like, I think I'm on top of the world and I can do this. And there's some days I was like, forget this. I want to quit. But through it all, I think I'm still finding my, I'm still finding my ebb of it all. I'm still trying to just figure out exactly my audience, exactly my core audience for one. And figuring out exactly what I want to write, if that makes sense.

[00:28:19] Even though I am known for my contemporary romance, I kind of, and my little bit of my erotica, I kind of want to step out of that genre and like expand. Um, definitely I'm in the process of getting my paranormal together. So, yeah. Now you know. Okay. So, I'm excited for that. I'm excited for that. And just through it all, I just kind of figuring out what works, what doesn't.

[00:28:49] Sticking on the wall, see what flows. Um, book events so far. I've done one, which was last year. I did, um, Alexandria's house party last year. Nice. The best time of my life. I've heard everybody was telling me how much fun they were having. And I said, well, you know, I had to work, so I couldn't go. I had a work trip. I was. Oh, no. Yeah. I know. I'm alive. And that was even on a whim.

[00:29:17] I interviewed her for my YouTube channel and she was talking about it. And at the end, I was like, so, um, can I be on the roster? Like, God is like. Like, could I? And she was like, yeah, girl, come on. She was like, do you want to be a consecrator or do you want to be a writer? Like, you want to come as a writer? And I was like, I would love to come as a writer, but if a consecrator is what I got on the next docket, I'll take it. And she said, okay. And then the next thing I know, a couple of months later, I got the, got the email saying that I got invited.

[00:29:45] So that was a blessing to describe right there. That was God for real. Cause being around in that area with all those amazing people. And that was a full circle moment for me because some of the people that were there, I've interviewed on my channel. So getting to see them in person was a huge circle. That is crazy. That was a huge circle. I love that though. I really do. That's amazing. Some people knew who I was and people didn't.

[00:30:11] So I think me going there as like a newbie and getting to know those readers who didn't know who I was, that was also a new door for me. So I think right now for me, I'm being more intentional when it comes to writing exactly what I want to write. I'm still getting on the, on the marketing part. Cause that's one part I cannot. Oh Lord. I released a book and call it a day, you know, and I got to keep marketing it.

[00:30:39] So yeah, but overall I'm having fun. I'm having fun. I'm learning as I go and continuing to do so until I decide to leave. But I don't think I'm gonna leave no time soon. Listen, you better not, you better enjoy this ride. And if the girls want to help with the marketing, are the DMs open? They are. Okay. Well, girls, girls got to hate them. If you are a marketing guru, go ahead and hit up the DMs. Okay.

[00:31:06] It goes, cause it does go down in the DMs with respect. What, what do you want a reader to feel the moment they finish the last page of Cute Me Love? That loves exist. You can have love while you're doing multiple other things. Love is not forced. Ooh. Cause you cannot force love. It's not forced. And that you got a good laugh out of it. You got a good laugh of it.

[00:31:34] You feel all sweet and heavy and nice inside. One of my readers said that my book felt like a 90s rom-com to them. And that was, that was, that was the hit. Cause I love me some 90s rom-com. So. Me too. I love them. Best time period. That in early 2000s? Late 90s. Yes. The Golden Age of Black Cinema. Like Brown Sugar still is like my favorite movie. That?

[00:32:03] Cause when did you first fall in love with hip hop? That is my movie. Listen. We're cheers into what? My divorce. Richard Larson. See, I can call the, oh, I can do. That one in, um, The Wood. The Wood is my top, top. Oh, I do like The Wood. Cause why were they acting like that? Kids. Cause why were they acting? No, forget him. He left me. He did leave you, girl. He did. And he had thrown up all over himself. That was disgusting.

[00:32:33] But yeah, I think that is the main thing. Just like love. Like you can't rush love. Love. It comes when it's supposed to come. And you could be a boss and still look for love and still have it at the same time. Ooh. You could be a boss and still look for love at the same time. So, if Catalea could give one piece of advice to a woman sitting on the edge of something. A new city, a new business, a new love. What would it be?

[00:33:00] She would tell them to go for it. Keep pushing. No matter how many nodes you get. If it's meant for you, it will be for you. Yes. I love that. We can't force a, what's it? What did they say? A square, square peg into a realm. Can't do it. Can't do it. So, for the listeners who are new to your journey, where can they find you? Follow your journey.

[00:33:29] Get their hands on Cute Meat Love. Tell us the things. Okay. So, follow me on TikTok at Arthur Sedona Rose. All that is one word. I'm on Instagram, which is Sedona Rose Writes. I'm on Threads, which is the same as my Instagram, Sedona Rose Writes. My website is thesedonarose.com. I actually do have books on sale. Period. And they nice. Yeah. So, if you want to order, just go to that website, thesedonarose.com and order.

[00:33:58] And I definitely will sign them. I'm on YouTube, which is kreeds underscore underscore. I am going to be talking a little bit more about my writing process, as well as I've been interviewing a lot of indie black artists as well. And that's really kind of where I am. Are you going to be at any events this year? I am not, unfortunately. I was supposed to do Loving the Carolinas back in January. My card broke down.

[00:34:29] 45 minutes away from the event. It broke down. So, get it done. Is she good? She's fine now. She's fine. Thank y'all for the warranty. Shout out to that. Listen. Yeah. And I was supposed to do the book event. Yeah. And I was supposed to do the book event in November, but something came up, so I couldn't do that either. So, I'm not at any events this season, unfortunately. But hopefully next year, I'll be at a good day. Next year, you will be. Next year, you will be.

[00:34:55] So, I know you said you're working on the paranormal and exploring anything else. Is there anything coming out relatively soon? I'm hoping. I'm pushing for end of April, early May release. It will be. I finally got the characters together yesterday at work, so I'm happy about that. It is Orion's, Jason's cousin. I'm going to do a book on him. Awesome.

[00:35:26] I'm there for it. This is my first single dad trope I'm doing. So, I'm excited. I'm excited. Because he asked everybody to be his girlfriend. Not on him. He's on the house. So cute. You already got her, so I got to ask her. Don't hate. That was such a little boy thing to do. You know how many times? I had this one little boy. He was like seven, eight. He's like, can I have your Instagram? An Instagram? I said, sir. What Instagram is? Sir.

[00:35:55] I was like, okay. I said, now this man got the gate. He said, you're so pretty. I said, oh, thank you, sweetie. He said, yeah, can I have your Instagram? I said, and they just took me back to that place. I said, oh my God. So, I'm doing one on him. I am outlining Dominic's book as well. Okay. I need to hear that one. Because that man is, they said that man is dramatic. Okay. Dominic is a character. But yes, I'm doing him as well.

[00:36:24] And I am doing another one in Ruby Hills 2 that is new characters, but they're in the same universe. Oh, and I also, speaking of which, I just have a Patreon. Yes. Oh my God. Yes. I have a Patreon. It is Arthur Sedona Rose. I say no lie. Sedona Rose is $5 a month. I am basically just putting, you know, books as I write on there.

[00:36:52] Crested Renewal, that is actually the book that is the new characters, but they're in the same universe. The first four chapters is up right now, if you want to read first. And for every book release, the Patreon members will get an e-book. Like, I'll send the e-book. As soon as it's released, the e-book goes straight to you. So, for free. So, you won't have to pay for it. So, it goes from there. So, yeah. So. $5 a month, you get a book, y'all. That's it. So, come on. $5 a month. Come on down.

[00:37:22] Skip it. That's it. So, definitely doing that. And I am also thinking about doing an exclusive paperback for Patreon as well. Nothing in the, nothing there is in my head at it right now. I got to figure out exactly how I want to do it. But yeah. So, that's the one. Let me find out you cooking with some, you cooking with some fish grease. I hear you, girl. I'm trying to get out there. I'm trying to, I'm trying. So, you're doing the thing. Thank you. Is there something that you wish an interviewer were to ask you that they don't typically?

[00:37:52] Ooh, that's a good question. And then I'll get you out of here. Damn, that is a good question. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Cool. I'll do the question that I do. So, every time I end my stuff, I always ask my interviewee what black romance means to them. So, what does black romance mean to you?

[00:38:21] Patience. Loyalty. Knowing that I, like the person's always going to be there no matter what. And no matter how hard it gets. And just, it's just a soft life, honestly. Yeah. That's real. Yeah. Oh, I do love that. And I do love some black romance. Got to.

[00:38:49] With my, with my, with my chocolate drop here at home. All right. Well, with that, y'all, that is another episode of Dot Dot Dot Butt Making Books. I want to thank you so much, Sedona, for sharing the space with me. I appreciate it. I'm so blessed that I get to do this. And I get to talk to dope authors like yourself. As you guys heard, make sure you get, sign up for the Patreon. Because number one, $5. That's it. Listen. All on that.

[00:39:18] We spent money on Chipotle. And coffee, honestly. So, $5. You get a book and some chapters before they come out. So, make sure you follow my girl. All things that she has listed before. And with that, y'all, that's another episode. So, keep healing, but make it books. Peace, y'all.

[00:39:45] Your ancestor story is proof that strength and dignity endure even when everything else is taken away. When it comes to honoring that legacy, your privacy should never be in question. At AfricanAncestry.com, your story and your information belong to you. We destroy every DNA sample and never sell or share your data with anyone.

[00:40:09] Discover where in Africa your story began accurately and safely with AfricanAncestry.com. What's going on, family? This is Derek Young. And Ramunda Young. Owners of both Mahogany Books and the Mahogany Books Podcast Network. We really want to thank each and every one of you for listening to this episode. And if you enjoyed what you just heard, drop us a review and rate us on whatever platform you download podcasts on.

[00:40:36] We truly appreciate each and every one of you for supporting us and making us your go-to for Black books. And we look forward to connecting with you all sometime in the future. Thank you again, fam. And always remember, Black Books Matter.