Sierra Lesley Books

The holidays are an interesting time. For some, it can be a joyous time, full of excitement, family reunion, and celebration. For others, it may be filled with sorrow, loneliness, or struggle from many different places. People all over the world celebrate many different traditions during the winter months. It is easy to get enveloped in your tradition. In the States, it is even easier to become inundated with the holiday commercialism and mirth.   A few years ago, I broke my

Wow, it is hard to believe that we are in the holiday season. This is a special season for so many people for so many different reasons. Whether you are Christian or Jewish, Muslim or African American, or even just enjoy celebrating the shopping season, this time of year brings out a mirth and merriment. Yet, often this time of year can bring out sorrow and mournful moments for others. It is both a time for celebration and contemplation. I have said that true romance is not j

I was asked the other day if I had lived a great romance like I write about. The inquisitor went on to ask how I could write about romance when I am single. I had shocking answers to both of these questions. Well, for me, they were shocking.   To answer the first question, I suppose we must ask what it is to live a great romance. Does one need to experience the storybook in their physical life? Do they need to walk the plot in their daily experience? Do they need to face the

Cancer is an issue that impacts people everywhere. An estimated 600,000 people are diagnosed with cancer in the United States every year. Breast cancer, the most common type, accounts for over half of those cases. October has been designated Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In honor of this month of recognition around this devastating issue, I write this blog not as a celebration but as a reminder of how impactful cancer is to so many people. I also write this as a reminder to

I was listening to a podcast this morning. In a portion of it, they spoke about racism and white privilege. Specifically, how white authors, even white authors in minority groups, need to acknowledge their role in systemic racism. They discussed how racism is not a result of class or social status, but rather, it is a lived experience. This left me thinking about my writing and my bias. I have spent the last several years living a unique social experience. I am absolutely a

I have been thinking about love - today - and in general, what it is, how it will survive, and how we can extend it through oppression. I asked myself if it is just a thing that romantics are grasping at or if it is a value that is altruistic. The irony in this mental debate was when I looked up the definition of “romantic”. What I received back from the internet was the following: “of, characterized by, or suggestive of an idealized view of reality.” This did not help build

I had someone explain to me that when they were acting, they were advised to overact so that they could adequately connect their emotions...

Years ago, I had an amputation of my right leg due to a car accident. While working through this trauma, I wrote a book titled "A Leg Up...

Writing from the past and working on renewing past works can help bring new energy to the writing process.

Our nation is a shambles right now. The arts, from late-night talk shows to musicians to writers, are all worried about their futures as...

There are two topics that I have been wanting to write about for a while. I am a Beauty Advisor for Ulta Beauty and have developed a love...

I hung my first PRIDE flag on my wall the other day. I have wanted a flag for years, but for some reason, it was important to me that it...

Happy Mother’s Day to all of you. I have been detached from my writing space for a while. I have still been writing, but the public face...

On occasion, I have offered some guidance and served in a role as a mentor to young and aspiring writers. One of the common questions...

We have reached the final blog post in our series, Writing as a Marginalized Author. There are two key points here of which we must be...

Today my president declared me a non-person. With the single stroke of a pen, he declared that I was not real in the eyes of his...

This week I am going to take a break from our blog series. I felt I needed to make a comment in recognition of the inauguration on the...

As a writer, While I am writing I generally try not to think about who is going to read my work. Many of you may have heard me refer to...

Happy New Year. Last year we saw amazing events that will shape history: the rolling back of Roe v. Wade, the first Black woman to run...

I recently read a series of academic articles that explored writing for marginalized characters. These articles examined the challenges...