Meet Ro Smith | Author

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ro Smith and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ro, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Being a lesbian woman of color, it has always been imperative to be seen within the pages of books. Reading stories that I could resonate with was something I craved. I remember being a teen, going to bookstores and searching through countless books, hoping to find one that stood out. It never happened. Today, there are more black lesbian authors out there creating beautiful stories, but still, the pool is scarce. I aspire to join them and grow that number by writing stories that break heteronormative roles and debunk stigmas around sex and alternative lifestyles. My latest book, A Taste For Three, does just that. It touches on polyamory and gives a realistic representation of the beauties and challenges of three women in love. Along with representation, this story also touches on the effects of mental health, toxic Christianity, and healthy conflict resolution. I aspire to write stories that people of all orientations can read and enjoy, but most importantly, I aspire to write stories people will remember. That’s my dream.

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
Reading and writing have always been my outlet. It took me until the age of 33 to finally self-publish my first book, Little Book Of Quickies: Unfulfilled Desires. 2020 was a very difficult time for me after my grandmother passed away, and writing was my way of escaping reality. After self-publishing my first book, I was hit with tons of love from readers worldwide. I had a goal to sell 100 copies, and exceeding that number was an amazing feeling. However, because my Little Book Of Quickies series spoke on sex and intimacy between women, I was met with a lot of pushback from podcasts, journalist, and other book reviewers due to the negative stigma society have placed on openly and comfortably speaking on sex and intimacy between two women. As a self-published author, it can be quite challenging getting your name and brand out there to the masses, but even more so when you’re black and lesbian. I learned that for every rejection I receive from podcasts, journalists, and book reviewers, 10 ladies are reaching out to me stating how my books have opened their minds and how they are in love with my writing. Emails and comments like these are some of the many reasons I keep writing. As they say, I’m needed for the culture, haha.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Houston is a huge city with something to do for everyone. Lets see I’d take my best friend to Hermann Park and tour the grounds while I pretend to know all the historical facts. Houston IS art, so we’d have a fun day visiting quirky places such as the Art Car Museum, the Beer Can House, The Orange Show, and Smither Park. You can’t visit Houston without seeing the many murals and graffiti walls we have around the city. I’d end the itinerary with a beautiful view of Houston’s skyline on the Sabine Bridge.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
To the women who encouraged me to publish my writing, the strangers who opened my books and read them, to the editors-in-chief who interviewed me and shared my name and writings on their platforms, I thank you! Your constant love and support gave me the extra push I needed to self-publish four books when at times, I wanted to stop at just one. You will forever be appreciated.

Website: https://iamrosmith.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamrosmith_/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorRoSmith