Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Raesha but I write under the pen name RAE, I am currently an undergrad student attending the illustrious Clark Atlanta University as a sophomore. To start, my love for reading started when I was in fifth grade. You could never catch me without a book in school. This love for reading soon transitioned into a love for writing when I got introduced to the former website Quizilla. There I would read all types of interesting books ranging from paranormal to romance stories. I found it so refreshing to be able to step into the mind of another and see how they would tell their story which prompted me to want to do one of my own. Although I wasn’t very good I still tried and eventually I headed to Wattpad and published a couple of stories. I didn’t have a set genre I preferred then so I pretty much wrote anything. Now, I have three books published under a small publishing company called Major Key Publishing and looking to publish many more in the future.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest books is called The Gospel of Uriah: Tales of a lost soul. My inspiration for this story drew from being tired of reading the typical “thug” related urban fiction or African American fiction stories on Wattpad. Don’t get me wrong they were all good, but I wanted to be different. I decided to tell a story of a young girl who just trying to find her way in life after all hope for her seemed to be gone. I wanted to focus on real-world problems and have it be as relatable as possible.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I tend to take a long break in between releases in order to recharge myself and get my creative juices to flow.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I read a lot of urban fiction which is where most of my inspiration comes from. There are a few writers on Wattpad who specialize in this area and just to name a couple would be: GoldGotti, SignedJojo_ and Shantii14__
What are you working on now?
I am working on the second installment to The Gospel of Uriah: Tales of a lost soul.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I use Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads to promote my books. I’m also transitioning into using Twitter but I’m still new to it.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
To new authors, I would say just write from your heart. Put out what you want to see not what you think others want to see. I know it’s going to start off tough. You’re going to feel like no one is vibing with your story but don’t let that discourage you. Speak your own truth and eventually, people will notice. Don’t let the ratings or money aspect of it all stop you from doing you because that should never be your primary goal in regards to writing. If it is, you may found that you are disappointed with yourself and your work. That was a lesson I had to learn and am still learning.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I was giving was to write what I want to see and not what others want me to write.
What are you reading now?
I am currently reading (or at least trying to read) Silence by Sparkle Lewis.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Hopefully, I’ll be able to push out three more books in next year or so. But, as I’ve mentioned before I tend to take a long break in between books.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I would choose any three(or four) of the Bluford Series books.
Author Websites and Profiles
Raesha Carlyle Amazon Profile
Raesha Carlyle’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account