1--What is the title of your latest release?
A WEDDING IN THE LOWCOUNTRY
2--What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
A WEDDING IN THE LOWCOUNTRY is a friends-to-lovers romance between high school friends who went their separate ways after graduation. They reunite years later and discover that their long-lost friendship is blossoming into love.”
3--How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
That is an interesting question! I lived in Charleston, South Carolina for many years because my husband was stationed there for the military. While living there, I fell in love with the charm of the southern city. I made many friendships in Charleston, and these friendships last even today. When I decided to become a romance writer many years later, Charleston was the first place that came to mind. It is the perfect setting for creating fictional worlds that are full of hope and love.
4--Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life?
I would definitely hang out with Avila, my protagonist, in real life! We are similar in many ways. Avila is very talented and smart, but she second guesses herself and her abilities. I would encourage her and remind her that she definitely has what it takes to achieve her dreams.
5--What are three words that describe your protagonist?
Hard-working. Persistent. Resilient.
6--What’s something you learned while writing this book?
I learned that I love writing! Writing is my outlet and my creative outlet to dream and to think. I’m an introvert, and so I love solitude. Writing gives me that solitude and headspace that I crave.
7--Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
If I had all the time in the world, I would edit as I draft. However, given that my time is limited, I draft all the way through, and then I go back to edit. I like to edit in layers. I start with the big picture items (storyline, characterization), and then I edit the finer points (line editing, grammar, etc.) with subsequent edit passes.
8--What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
My favorite foodie indulgence is warmed chocolate chip cookies.
9--Describe your writing space/office!
My go-to writing space is a comfy rocking chair in my bedroom. I like to sit there with my laptop and/or a notebook, and write away. I usually have a mug of tea or coffee nearby too. Also, if I ever need to take a nap, I can either kick up the footrest and nod off, or go straight to my bed!
10--Who is an author you admire?
I admire Brenda Jackson, a romance author. She is incredibly prolific, and she is also down-to-earth. When I was a pre-published author, I met her at a Romance Writers of America conference. By the time that we met, I had been trying to get published for close to a decade. I shared my writing journey with her, and she listened. Afterwards, she gave me her business card and told me to contact if I ever needed anything with regards to publishing. Her generous gesture meant so much to me, and I will never forget it.
11--Is there a book that changed your life?
One book that changed my life was KINDRED by Octavia Butler. It is a time travel story about a Black woman who goes back in time to the antebellum South to save an ancestor, so that she can eventually live in the 20th century. The caveat is that the ancestor is a young white boy who is heir to a plantation that enslaves Black people. This book is heart-wrenching, and it gutted me. Octavia Butler provided a unique insight into life in the antebellum South from the perspective of an enslaved person, and she also added the unique time travel aspect which made for an immersive reading experience. I highly recommend it.
12--Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published)/Or, for indie authors, when you decided to self-publish.
I will never forget the day that I got “the call.” It was early in 2020, and I was visiting my mother. I checked my email one morning, and I saw an email from my now editor. As soon as I saw her name in my inbox, my heart skipped, but I didn’t want to get my hopes up. I opened the email, and she wrote that she wanted to talk to me about my manuscript submission. I assumed that she wanted to discuss potential edits for a revision and resubmission, and so we set up a time to talk. When we spoke on the phone, she had said that she loved the book, and that she wanted to offer a book contract. I was thrilled! I will never forget that moment. It was one of the highlights of my life.
13--What’s your favorite genre to read?
I love to read contemporary romance! My favorite tropes to read are also my favorite tropes to write - reunion romance and friends-to-lovers romances. I also love to read grumpy versus sunshine, but I haven’t written one of those yet!
14--What’s your favorite movie?
I have two favorite movies: “The Joy Luck Club” and “You’ve Got Mail.” I love “The Joy Luck Club” because the relationships between the mothers and the daughters in the video reminded me of the relationship that I have with my mother. I love “You’ve Got Mail” because it’s a classic romance with a happy ending!
15--What is your favorite season?
My favorite season is spring. I love the period of time when we move from cold, winter days and into warmer, sunny weather. Also, spring is the season of new beginnings!
16--How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
I am lowkey when it comes to my birthday. I prefer to watch a movie, have dinner at a Thai restaurant, and then celebrate at home with cake, ice cream, and my family.
17--What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
If you’re into learning foreign languages (like Spanish!), then I highly recommend listening to the Spanish Language Coach podcast. They offer three levels of listening: fBeginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. I love this podcast!
I also like listening to the Full Focus podcast. It’s a podcast (in English) for people who are nerds about planning and organization.
18--What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
I love Thai food and Indian food!
19--What do you do when you have free time?
I usually nap, read, or journal. I love to journal in various ways. Some days, I’ll write on a legal pad. Other days, I’ll write in a fancy journal. On other days, I’ll journal online at the 750 Words website.
20--What can readers expect from you next?
I am working on a bakery shop romance novel, but this is not your regular bakery…there’s a twist which I’ll keep secret for now!
Preslaysa Williams, author of the “emotionally stirring debut” A Lowcountry Bride (Oprah Daily), returns to the Lowcountry with a heartwarming friends to lovers story about the courage to fall in love again.
Avila Rogers’ mother kicked her out of the house as a teenager when a one night stand left her pregnant. So when her mother passes away and Avila must return to Myrtle Beach to get her mother’s house ready to put on the market, her feelings are complicated, to say the least.
Things get even more complicated when she runs into her childhood friend, Trevor, who is now a professor at the nearby HBCU. Years ago when Trevor left Myrtle Beach to attend Hampton University, Avila felt abandoned, but it’s clear that their connection hasn’t faded… and may even be something more than the friendship they once shared.
As Trevor supports Avila in the wake of her mother’s passing, they have to deal with the feelings that they have for one another. Avila is wary of trusting others—she’s used to taking care of herself and her daughter, but could Trevor hold the key to opening her heart?
Romance Contemporary [Avon, On Sale: February 18, 2025, Paperback / e-Book , ISBN: 9780063237186 / eISBN: 9780063237063]
Preslaysa Williams is an award-winning author who writes contemporary romance and women’s fiction with an Afro-Filipina twist. Proud of her heritage, she loves sharing her culture with her readers. She has a MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University and an undergraduate degree from Columbia University.
Preslaysa is also a professional actress, a planner nerd, an avid bookworm, and a homeschool mom who wears mismatched socks.
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