Author Spotlight - Frederick Smith

FREDERICK'S FAVORITES THINGS

· Favorite Food: Sushi (could eat it every day).

· Favorite Movie: The Color Purple; Origin is a close 2nd.

· Favorite TV Show: Scandal (I don’t watch a lot of tv); Beyond The Gates is my favorite current tv show.

· Favorite Author: E. Lynn Harris.

· Favorite Song: Anything by Beyonce or Whitney Houston.

· Favorite Book: (Too many to name just one):-)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

· Describe a typical day for Frederick. I’m up at 4:30 or 5 am either to write or go to gym. I try to get some book work in before my day job at San Francisco State University. I work long days at SFSU. After work, I do more writing or book work. I also like meeting up with friends for happy hour or dinner in San Francisco’s Castro District.

· What do you enjoy most about being a writer? I love that something I work on in the privacy of my home or office can end up in the hands of someone anywhere in the world. I love that writing can make people feel seen and make meaning of their own life through a book.

· What, to you, is the most difficult part of the writing process? Writer life and author life are two separate things. Author life – events, book signings, social media, etc… -- are fun and can take up time that can be helpful for writer life – sitting down, researching, creating, and writing. Author life is fun. Writer life is hard work devoted to craft.

· On your website, you use the following words to describe yourself: ‘Conscious. Black. LGBTQ. Human’. How do these words define the man and writer you are? I see my novels reflecting the everyday lives of Black and Queer people. I see my novels as universal and part of a human experience.

· What do you enjoy doing when you are not writing? I love reading romance novels and listening to podcasts. I get most of my entertainment from books and podcasts. I also like connecting with friends when we’re not working.

· What is the best book you have read so far in 2026? KIN by Tayari Jones and STRUCK SPEECHLESS by Tati Richardson.

ALL ABOUT THE BOOKS

· Tell us a bit about LOVE IS A CONTACT SPORT. LOVE IS A CONTACT SPORT is a Black, Queer, Second Chance, College Reunion, MM Romance novel. The central couple, Larenz “Renny” Ross and Brent (B.D.) King, met twenty years earlier during college summer orientation. At some point in their college years, they develop a secret romance – secret because B.D. is on the campus basketball team and Renny understands what’s at stake for B.D. as a closeted college athlete. Years later, Renny and Brent encounter each other at a college reunion event and realize that old feelings don’t go away. Their love doesn’t have to be secret anymore, but can they get it right this time around?

· If you had to recommend a book that best embodies you as the author, which of your books would it be? ONE AND DONE because it’s set in the behind-the-scenes world of higher education and academia. That’s my professional life. ONE AND DONE because it’s a romance set in San Francisco and Oakland, both of which are beautiful and special cities to me.

· What qualities or characteristics do you believe make your special? I’d like to think that writing contemporary romance centering Black and Queer characters makes my work special. I’m so grateful for the path that E. Lynn Harris paved for many of us writing MM romance today. I hope that my novels reflect the love and appreciation I have for what E. Lynn Harris contributed to the world by writing about Black and Queer characters.

· What is next for Frederick? Any interesting projects? I’m currently working on another contemporary romance novel featuring Black characters. It’s an age gap, opposites attract, kind of novel. It’s an adult, grown folks age gap – one is upper 40s; one is upper 30s. I have a tentative title – still waiting on approval from publisher – and hope to have it finished by October 2026 so that it’s ready for a Summer 2027 release. One day, I hope to write a Black and Queer historical romance novel – I’ve been on a few podcasts where I’ve discussed how other writers are encouraging me to write a Black and Queer historical romance, much in the style of the Black historical romance novels written by romance legend Beverly Jenkins.

ABOUT THE READERS

· If there was one thing you could tell your readers about Frederick, what would it be? I love and appreciate every reader who has read, bought, borrowed, or shared one of my novels. Without your love and support, I (and other authors) wouldn’t be able to continue our storytelling. I may not remember every name when I’m at an event or out and about, but I do remember faces – just remind me your name and what event we met at 12

· What advice would you give to an aspiring author? Focus and work on completing the story first. Focus on writer life first by completing your project. It takes baby steps every day to finish a project, but do not get discouraged by the baby steps. Then, once done, you can begin the quest for author life. They’re two different things. Writer life is the hard work, the solo work, the solitary work. Author life is the hard, yet fun, public facing work. I’d also say go to author events – online or at local bookstores or libraries – where you can connect with other readers and learn from authors. Finally, I’d offer that aspiring authors should always focus on craft – learning and improving their writing. Reading helps with craft. So does listening to authors who came before us.

ABOUT THE READERS

· How can readers reach you?

o Email: authorfredericksmith@gmail.com

o Website: www.fredericklsmith.com/

o Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063548470054

o Instagram: www.instagram.com/fsmith827/

o TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@fredericksmith827