Kia Smith
Kia Smith Known for crafting stories that center healing, self-discovery, and the messiness of becoming, it's no secret that Kia Smith is the author of moody, multifaceted musings about LOVE. Hailing from the great city of Chicago and now based in Los Angeles, Kia brings heart and authenticity to each word she pens, leaving a lasting impression on readers long after they turn the page.
TaJ Shamari
TaJ Shamari was born and raised in Mobile, Alabama. After earning her Master’s in Social Work with a concentration in mental health from Alabama A&M University, she rediscovered her early passion for writing. A lifelong reader inspired by urban fiction and storytellers like Zane and Ashley Antoinette, TaJarha now creates stories rooted in urban life, romance, and fantasy.
DH Renfroe
DH Renfroe is a contemporary romance author who writes unapologetic, heart-dripping stories about Black love, creativity, grief, and deep emotional connection. Her Porter Brothers Series—including Creative Differences, Sky High, and the Christmas novella Masterpiece in Progress—has captivated readers with its mix of heat, humor, and healing. She is also releasing the erotic romance 1:23 AM, bringing an even bolder edge to her catalogue. She’s excited and honored to join this year’s event as a featured author.
Theresa Reese
Theresa Reese is a Bronx native and the author of over 50 urban fiction and romance novels. Her stories blend street grit, deep emotion, and unforgettable love that keeps readers hooked. She writes everything from hood dramas to second chance romances, always delivering raw, real, and passionate storytelling. Now an independent author, she embraces full creative freedom to bring even more drama and twists to her audience. When she’s not writing, she draws inspiration from her Bronx roots, everyday life, and her loyal readers.
T. Ashley
T. Ashley is a Connecticut-based author who writes bold, emotionally layered fiction centering Black women in complex and compelling narratives. Her work blends psychological depth with lyrical storytelling across sapphic romance, contemporary fiction, and psychological thriller. When she isn’t writing, she’s momming and becoming the kind of storyteller she needed growing up.
Dria Andersen
Dria Andersen is a full-time photographer, mother of two, and lifelong storyteller. After the birth of her first child, she made a promise to pursue her dreams boldly-starting with writing the kinds of stories she always wanted to see in the world. That leap of faith became her debut novel, and she's been writing ever since. Dria crafts love stories that center brown girls with heart, strength, and agency. Blending romance with elements of fantasy and wonder, her books invite readers into richly imagined worlds where anything is possible and everyone deserves a happy ending.
Dana Renae
Dana Renae is a romantic at heart, writing stories about love, second chance romances, and spice. Her passion for writing began at the age of seven. With a gift for creating relatable characters, Dana writes romance and suspense novels that celebrate the beauty of black love.
Solar Black
Meet Solar Black — a powerhouse storyteller who blends romance, fantasy, and sci-fi into the addictive world of her Space Orcs series! Her books deliver diverse, dynamic female leads, massive orc warriors, and scorching hot scenes that keep readers wanting more. From high-stakes adventure to heart-gripping love, Solar creates universes full of strength, vulnerability, and survival you can feel on every page.If you love fantasy with heat, sci-fi with emotion, and romance with depth — Solar Black is a MUST-READ.
Nako
Nako is a powerhouse author, writer, and producer hailing from the vibrant city of Atlanta, Georgia. Nako has penned gripping novels that transport readers to richly imagined worlds filled with unforgettable characters and thought-provoking themes. Nako’s creative vision, combined with her entrepreneurial spirit and unwavering commitment to her craft, has solidified her status as a trailblazer in the world of literature and entertainment. As she continues to push boundaries and inspire others with her work, she remains a shining example of talent, determination, and the power of storytelling.
Lala B.
Lala B., a 35-year-old mama of two and a recent country girl transplant. I’ve been writing for pleasure since I was a kid, and in February 2025, I finally published my first book—dream come true! With a background in tech and a wild imagination, I pour my heart into every page. I love thrillers, romantasy, dark romance, urban romance, and sooo much more. If it’s bold, emotional, and a little messy—I’m all in.
Kim K
Kim K is an Atlanta-based author and creative force whose gritty, emotionally charged storytelling has captivated readers across the world. With over a decade of professional writing experience and six years published, she’s built a loyal audience drawn to her raw, character-driven tales of love, power, and redemption. Known for series like Sold My Soul for His Hood Millions and Still Your Favorite Ex, Kim’s work blends urban realism with deep emotion, offering stories that are as passionate as they are unforgettable.
L.B. Gaines
L.B. Gaines is no stranger to the written word. A Creative Writing and English professor, professional grant writer, and lifelong storyteller, L.B. brings a seasoned voice and a vibrant platform to her work. She writes both urban and contemporary romance. Her stories are emotionally honest, character-driven, and rooted in the lived experiences of Black love flawed, passionate, and still worth fighting for. She describes her writing as “romance that hits like ’90s R&B’. They’re emotionally messy love stories where passion meets pain and healing is hard-won. Influenced by Black literature, urban culture, and the enduring power of love, L.B. Gaines writes with one purpose: to remind readers that love, even when scarred, is never beyond saving.
Elle kayson
Elle kayson is an Amazon best-selling author of works of Urban and African American Women's Fiction and Romance. elle was an early and avid reader of romance. She scribbled passionate love scenes in countless notebooks and journals before trying her hand at novel writing. elle's work is deeply influenced by the rich culture of her native Louisiana. The result has been stories that are a little sweet, a little dark, and always engaging.
Kami
Kami is an Ohio native and mother of two. She developed a love for reading at a very young age. She started writing short stories and poetry in middle school as a means of healing. She quickly realized the therapeutic power that words can bring.
She is also an entrepreneur as well as a Book Blogger of @KamisKurrentReads where she uses her platforms to highlight black authors in the industry. She has a passion for not only books but the black authors behind the books.
Her goal is create passionate relatable Black Love stories like the ones that made her fall in love with reading, while continuing to support and uplift the black/urban fiction industry.
Kiriah Kache
Jeremiah 29:11 — "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Kiriah Kachè is an author who writes from the heart; sharing stories that honor Black women, their voices, and the journeys that shape them. She writes for the girls who are chasing their happily ever after!
Taniece
Taniece is a Montgomery, Alabama native, born and raised. A devoted mother of three, she’s driven by a mission to build generational wealth for her children. What began as a love for reading and a way to escape soon transformed into a passion for storytelling—leading her to write her very first novel.
Nek Mills
Nek Mills is a best-selling urban fiction author from Alabama, recognized for her powerful storytelling and deeply authentic voice. She burst onto the literary scene in 2023 with Cuffed By A Certified Maniac, a debut that quickly climbed on the Amazon bestseller charts.
When she’s not writing, Nek enjoys connecting with her readers and staying rooted in the community that fuels her creativity. She continues to build a bold body of work—one gripping novel at a time.
Monica Cox
Monica Cox is an Ohio-based author who writes grown, emotionally rich romance and thoughtful nonfiction. Her stories center brilliant women and complex, swoon-worthy men navigating love, loss, faith, and second chances, blending sensuality with soul. Drawing on over twenty years as a professor and leader, she writes with an honest, intersectional lens that speaks to anyone who has ever felt unseen or silenced, offering narratives rooted in healing and restoration. Born in rural southeast Alabama and raised by educators, Monica infuses every page with her Southern roots, her belief in resilience, and her commitment to imagining new ways of loving and living.
Kenya Jaye
Kenya Jaye is a romance author inspired by music, love stories, and the everyday magic of human connection. Her debut novel, Interlude, explores love after heartbreak through the lens of celebrity, vulnerability, and second chances. A Florida educator by day and storyteller by night, Kenya writes to celebrate joy, softness, and Black women deserving it all.
Zee reneé
Zee reneé,Crafting urban fiction and romance, Zee transforms raw emotions into powerful stories. Her characters are deeply personal, each carrying a piece of her spirit. She is grateful for the opportunity to share her God-given talent and hopes readers will feel the same passion in her words as she does in writing them.
C.M. Barnes
C.M. Barnes is a Black romance writer who writes both contemporary romance and romantic erotica with a voice as bold as it is tender. Hailing from Cleveland, Ohio, she brings both heart and heat to the page through vivid storytelling and emotionally charged narratives. With a background in civil engineering, C.M. crafts her stories with precision, laying the groundwork for characters who reflect the resilience, complexity, and beauty of Black love.
Her writing is inspired by a deep belief that Black women deserve love, happiness, and devotion without having to suffer for it. Her stories celebrate joy, sensuality, and emotional honesty, making space for Black women to be cherished exactly as they are.
Sedona Rose
Sedona Rose is a romance 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’s also known as booktuber KayReads__, where she shares book reviews and author interviews with some of your favorites.
Lady Marie
Lady Marie is a thirty-something, born and raised DC native who took the plunge into writing contemporary romance and erotica in 2022 and hasn’t looked back since. Her not-so-secret obsession with reading led to a passion for creating worlds and telling stories that showcase the beauty surrounding Black Love. With best selling books such as Sinnamon & Golds and Sugar, Sugar, Lady Marie brings you the Black love, spice, and HEAs you deserve.
ML Bash
ML Bash is a 28 year old from southern Louisiana who focuses heavily on exploring all the ways love shows up in different dynamics, both monogamous and poly. She has been writing for nearly a decade and enjoys baking, reading and spending time with her cat when she isn’t chained to her laptop crafting imperfect characters that still find and deserve love.
Leondra LeRae
Leondra LeRae grew up in Providence, RI. She is a mother of two, who also enjoys reading, writing, and traveling in her free time. She published her first novel, a smash hit titled Hood Love at the young age of 19. Since then, she has penned more than twenty-four titles, including two number-one best sellers! Although her releases are not as frequent, she still ensures to pour her all into her work for her readers to enjoy her stories.
C.M. Campbell
C.M. Campbell is a stay-at-home mom, lifelong reader, and storyteller who finally took the leap in 2025. Although she has been writing for years, she only recently gave herself permission to treat it as more than a dream. Stories have always been a place of healing for her, where she finds light in the shadows and softness after survival. She writes to honor Black love, growth, and legacy. Her books are rooted in real emotion, rich intimacy, and the quiet power of choosing yourself.
C. Wilson
C. Wilson was born in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York. Publishing her first book in 2016 she continued to perfect her craft. A Summer in Miami is one of her most talked about books. She allows her readers to escape reality for a brief moment and when they are back they are left with an enjoyable feeling. There are gems in her pages and trust, you will indeed find a "book bae."
Nai
Born and raised in Harlem, NY, Authoress Nai has always been ahead of her time. As she continues to build a name in the Urban Fiction industry as The Hood Love Dealer, Nai’s goal has always been to highlight hood romance in all of its many facets. With her witty sense of humor and her NY swag, she has the ability to bring her characters to life and take her readers on a journey they never forget.
Ieshia P.
I’m Ieshia P. been writing all my life and love to create beautiful stories and worlds to immerse in. I write different genres and don’t like to be boxed in to one genre. Using pieces of real life happenings in my story to give you great books!
Aria Daze
Aria is a die-hard romantic whose life goal is to always be wiping away happy tears from something sickly sweet.She’s been dreaming up stories since she was seven — starting with a Toy Story fanfic — and hasn’t stopped creating magic since!
Now, she pours her heart into writing disability-inclusive and body-positive contemporary romance, because she believes everyone deserves a chance to get lost in love.
T'Lyn
T’Lyn is a Greenville, South Carolina, native, mother of five, and author with an affinity for writing. She fell in love with reading at the age of fourteen, soon discovering that she wanted to share her own creative ideas. With a gifted ability of storytelling, T’Lyn crafts love stories mixed with romance and hood. To date, she has published over thirty novels. T’Lyn has a passion for writing and continues to pen her wild imaginative thoughts, taking readers on a journey with authentic storytelling.
Erica Denise
Proverbs 3: 5-6- “Trust in The Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.” An avid reader with a love of storytelling, Author Erica Denise has turned her childhood dreams into reality–writing stories that reflect her heart, her faith and her journey. Her characters are rooted in real experiences, resonating deeply with readers who seek soul and sincerity. From bedtime reading at age four to holding degrees in Journalism and Integrated Marketing, Erica brings passion, purpose and a prayerful pen to every page. is crafting stories that reflect her heart, her faith and her journey. Her characters are penned with love and rooted in real experiences. She has turned her childhood dreams into reality.
A Birmingham, AL native, Erica can be found reading works by fellow indie authors of other BIPOC authors when she is not writing herself. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, traveling, and binge watching her favorite shows and movies.
K. Scott
Karmen Scott is a writer, wife, and mother of two from Augusta, Georgia. A graduate of Brenau University with a degree in marketing, Karmen discovered her passion for storytelling early in life. She wrote her first novel as a college freshman and is now the published author of five books, completing her debut series. In addition to writing, she is the founder of Child of Purpose, LLC, and shares inspirational content on her blog.
C.Monet
C. Monet, a powerhouse storyteller hailing from the heart of Clarksville, TN. She crafts romance with raw honesty, rich imagination, and an unshakable devotion to one thing: LOVE in all the ways it shows up. Instant. Unconventional. Messy. Transformative. In her world, love never plays by the rules. With nearly 40 novels to her name, C. Monet writes savvy, charismatic women and imperfect, unforgettable men who are all chasing that one elusive treasure. Her journey began as a way to give voice to the truths living within and around her and every story she pens is layered with lived experience, unfiltered emotion, and a refusal to shrink romance into a box. Her books linger. They make you feel. They remind you that love leads, dreams unfold, and some stories stay with you long after the final page.
C.Wilson
Born in the heart of Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, C. Wilson has been giving readers ESCAPE + EMOTION since her first book dropped in 2016. Her fan-favorite A Summer in Miami stays on everybody’s lips — the vibes, the storytelling, the BOOK BAES
C. Wilson writes stories that pull you out of reality and drop you into worlds you’ll never want to leave. When you come back? You’ll still feel it. Trust us… there are GEMS in those pages. And yes—your next book bae is waiting.
Morgan A Evans
Morgan A. Evans is a Georgia-based writer who lives for a touch of drama and the promise of a happy ending. With a profound understanding that love can sometimes bring heartache, she believes that redemption makes the journey that much sweeter.
Lory Wallace
Lory Wallace, a proud Miami native, is an author who knows how to make readers feel every page. She brings contemporary romance and women’s fiction to life with stories that speak to both women and men, blending heart, real emotion, and unforgettable characters.Following her divorce, Lory found a new chapter of her own—one that sparked a love for storytelling and led to the self-publication of her debut novel in 2018. Growing up in the 80s, she devoured books like The Baby-Sitters Club and Sweet Valley High, never realizing then that those childhood favorites were planting the seeds of a future author. Today, Lory channels that early passion into powerful, engaging stories that explore life, love, second chances, and resilience in all its forms.
Tanvier Peart
Tanvier Peart is a future bestselling romance author with a healthy obsession for snacks and happily ever afters. She is a good girl with kinks who spends her days working on public policy in New York and enjoys the wild life of being a wife and PTA mom. By night, she writes and reads romance books with steamy scenes. When she’s not lost in the land of smut, Tanvier enjoys long walks down snack aisles and the chorus of grunts at the gym.
Shanette
Shanette is a New Jersey–based educator and author of His to Crown, known for bringing urban romance and fiction to life with luxury, emotion, and unforgettable women learning to soften, love, and grow.She is also the creator of The After 5 Collection—a series of bite-sized, grown-folk reads designed for readers who want vivid storytelling after a long day. The first bookisode, Snoh in December, sets the tone with friendship, laughs, and a touch of romance.
When she’s not writing, you’ll catch Shanette: Bingeing ‘90s Black sitcoms, Loving sunflowers,Rocking bamboo earrings with vibes.
Tia Love
Tia Love is a romance author crafting unforgettable love stories where Black women lead, shine, and get the love they deserve. Rooted in luxury, joy, and the richness of Black life, her stories spotlight unique characters and fresh, immersive plots. When she’s not writing, Tia is a traveling basketball mom and a dedicated student pursuing multiple writing degrees.
Shameka Erby
Shameka Erby is a Philly born, Baltimore based romance author who writes sweet, sexy stories of Black love. Her books center plus-size and queer characters, blending tenderness, heat, and emotion in every page. She also publishes the newsletter Just A Girl and Her Laptop.
Tessa Stone
Meet Tessa Stone your new favorite creator of obsessive supernatural heroes who will burn the world down for love. Off-page, she’s fueled by iced coffee and The Sims 4, where her imagination unleashes just as wildly as in her books.Possessive supernatural alphas. Endless devotion. Love worth fighting for.
Sunshine
Sunshine is Cali girl at heart but a Texas based author who has been writing since she was a teen, it started out as poetry but she knew she could do more with her writing so she started writing books. Outside of being an author she’s a mom and a anime nerd who loves reading as well.
Yvette Way
Originally from Boston and now rooted in Atlanta, Yvette Way is a storyteller whose passion began in the fourth grade and flourished in high school thanks to a mentor who introduced her to icons like Dr. Maya Angelou.A Curry College graduate with a BA in Communication, Forseriesearly writing journey included journalism and short stories that became the foundation of her novels. In 2006 she self-published her debut, What’s A Sista To DoForseriesublishers pushed back on her inclusion of a bisexual character—but she didn’t let that stop her.
Since then, she has reimagined several titles, including What’s A Sista To Do, Story of Two, and Takedown, and in 2024 released her self-awareness journal, You Are So…. She’s currently working on two YA romance books in her Falling Forseries.
Connie Easton
Connie Easton An East Coast native, she reads just as much as she writes and both fuel her soul. Encouraged by friends and family, she steps boldly into her literary journey, with motherhood adding even deeper purpose to her craft.
Books have been her safe haven since the age of fourteen, offering an escape that kept her grounded and inspired. Introduced to urban fiction early on, she fell in love with the genre and never looked back.When she’s not devouring a new story, you can find her introverted self tucked away at home, penning her next must-read.Get ready her voice is real, raw, and rooted in the world she loves
Kaylyn
Born a Virginia native, Kaylyn’s creativity is proof that there is something special in the water. As a young child, she possessed a vivid imagination and a love of reading. In 2016, she turned her vivid imagination into a career. Drawing inspiration from a region known for talent and creativity, Kaylyn crafts stories that feel layered and relatable. Her characters give a voice to the flawed and overlooked. More than an author, Kaylyn is a storyteller blending emotional awareness, humor, and truth. The hopeless romantic aspires to pour more black love stories into the world because the greatest human act is to inspire.
Jsin Graham
Contemporary adult fiction author Jsin Graham pens stories that are real, Black and
grown—a perfect mix of relatable, unpredictable, and unapologetically sexy.
A proud D.C. area native, Jsin has dropped five projects so far, each one bringing a
different vibe. His most recent release, Salt & Pepper (September 2025), is a mature
romance that digs into what it really means for a couple to love and evolve together.
In his own words: “Black people are not a monolith, and neither is my storytelling.”
Regardless of genre, Jsin writes for two reasons: to tell
an enjoyable story and to make sure you come back
for the next one.
Olive Winter
Olive Winter is a poet at heart, bringing lyrical energy to everything she writes—romance, fantasy, thriller, and horror. She’s not picking a lane; it’s giving multidisciplinary. A Black AuDHD storyteller, Olive creates characters so vivid they feel real, grounded in heart, tension, and a little magic in every chapter. Inspired by the way Solange’s music makes you feel, her stories don’t play it safe. They’re darkly funny, unapologetically heavy, and built to linger. Her mission is simple: making space for Black women to feel deeply seen and deeply loved—on the page and beyond.