Black Writers Collective

Our Team

J.C. Moore
JC Moore
Community Leader
Author and literary activist, host of Let's Write Something Sundays and Writers Support Group
Sophia Feleke
Sophia Feleke
Director of Communications & Marketing
COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING STRATEGIST, WRITER, AND POET BASED IN DALLAS, TX​
Tia Ross
Technical & Content Director | Community Manager
Retreat curator and writing/editor coach
Joanna Crews
Community Leader
Host of The Dash weekly writing sprints
Gwyn Jordan
Gwyn Jordan
Community Leader
LITERARY AGENT, DEVELOPMENTAL AND LINE EDITOR, writing coach, AND BOOK REVIEWER
Sherian Brown
Sherian Brown
Community Leader
Freelance Editor
Shaundale Rénā
Shaundale Rénā​
Community Leader
Freelance Developmental Editor
Kyra Barr
Community Leader
POET AND AUTHOR BASED IN ATLANTA, GA
Nadine Nana
Community Leader
moderator of the novelist spot writers critique group

Team Bios

J.C. Moore

J.C. Moore is a celebrated author and literary activist who writes about environmental, racial and other issues. After completing Don’t Fall Asleep, her first novel, J.C. began writing continuing education coursework for professionals and short articles for a small newspaper. Today, J.C. focuses on ethnic fiction, children’s books, screenplays and nonfiction literary works. Titles include award winning I am Crocodile; Oh! Could You Imagine; Don’t Fall Asleep; Time to G.I.T. Quick Public Speaking Guide; and the Light-Bearer & the Darkness series of short stories. She enjoys studying history, religion, health and economics. Her website is jcmoore.net.

Sophia Feleke

Sophia Feleke is a communications and marketing strategist with experience working with consumer tech, lifestyle, and B2B companies. She has led a number of teams across consumer technology, driving the media relations, strategy, messaging development, and crafting of creative storylines. Sophia is driven by finding unique and creative ways to bring a brand’s story to life whether through campaigns, activations, partnerships, and more. Sophia’s passion for writing, storytelling, creativity, and connecting with people inspired her to earn a B.S. in Rhetoric & Writing and a minor in Business Administration from The University of Texas at Austin. Sophia is also a writer and poet and her work has been published in Blavity and Find Peace Keep Peace: The Sophomore Issue (Issue 2). She has also had the honor of being accepted into Cave Canem’s poetry workshop. She currently lives in Dallas, Texas. You can read more about her work and background on her website www.sophiafeleke.com.

Tia Ross

Tia Ross has designed, developed, and edited content for Black Writers’ websites since the late ’90s. Tia is a 30+-year veteran copyeditor and techie with expertise in analytics, SEO, content management, Salesforce, and software and web applications development. Tia has worked with “Big 5” publishers, including Amistad/HarperCollins, Adams Media/Simon & Schuster, and Moon Travel and Workman/Hachette Book Group as well as independent authors as a nonfiction and fiction editor. She is the founder of WordWiser Ink Copyediting Lab, a boutique editing firm with a team of elite copyeditors and proofreaders, and Black Editors & Proofreaders Directory, which profiles Black freelance editors and coaches of all levels and genres. A certified yoga instructor and writing/editor coach, Tia hosts luxury writers and editors retreats worldwide. Her favorite pastime involves journeying throughout the Caribbean, Central America, South Pacific, South Asia, and South America, but she considers Texas home. Learn more about Tia at www.tiarosseditor.com.

Gwyn Jordan

Gwyn Jordan is a developmental and line editor who specializes in romance, women’s fiction, mystery, thriller, and suspense. She’s also a literary agent and book reviewer for Publishers Weekly. Gwyn specializes in plot and character development, relationship development, consistency, flow, pace, showing vs. telling, head hopping, improving dialogue, developing conflict, and tightening sentences. In addition to individual clients, Gwyn also edits for Hallmark Publishing and HarperCollins. Her portfolio including titles such as The SuspectSweet Tea, and South Beach Love (which has been adapted into a Hallmark movie). Visit her website at golddustediting.com or email her at gwyn@golddustediting.com.

Sherian Brown

Sherian Brown has written two novels and has edited several types of fiction, nonfiction, and other creative writing projects for nearly 20 years. When she’s not engrossed in editing her latest project, she enjoys reading, yoga, and traveling. She has a Master of Science in Cardiopulmonary Science and a Bachelor of Science in Biology. A freelance copyeditor with WordWiser Ink, Sherian edits medical, nonfiction, and fiction projects. Learn more at wordwiserink.com.

Shaundale Rénā

Shaundale Rénā is an American author and entrepreneur who holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems from Grambling State University and a certification in technical writing from the University of Texas at Arlington. She is the author of one published book entitled Once Broken, Now Blessed (2009), as well as a contributing author for two additional publications that include If Only I Knew Then What I Know Now (2017), which debuted at #16 on Amazon Self-Help/Self-Esteem, and My Story, My Journey: Collateral Beauty (2019). She enjoys reading, writing, and traveling. Visit her website at shaundalerena.com.

THIS COULD BE YOU

COMMUNITY LEADER

BWC has opportunities available. For more details, see Get Involved.

Advisors

Dr. Venise Berry

Dr. Venise Berry

Advisor

Venise Berry is an associate professor of journalism and African American studies at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. Berry is published widely in academic and creative circles with books, short stories, journal articles and book chapters. Her academic research focuses on media, African Americans and popular culture. She is the author of three national bestselling novels, with a fourth to be published in 2022, and recipient of an Iowa History Makers Award from the African American Museum in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. In 2003, she received the “Creative Contribution to Literature” award for Colored Sugar Water from the Zora Neale Hurston Society. All of Me received a 2001 Honor Book Award from the Black Caucus of the American Library Association.

Dr. Anita Heiss

Dr. Anita Heiss

Advisor

Professor Anita Heiss is the award-winning author of non-fiction, historical fiction, commercial women’s fiction, children’s novels and travel articles. She is a proud member of the Wiradjuri Nation of central New South Wales, an Ambassador for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, the GO Foundation and Worawa Aboriginal College. Her adult fiction includes Not Meeting Mr Right, Avoiding Mr Right, Manhattan Dreaming, Paris Dreaming and Tiddas. Her most recent books include Barbed Wire and Cherry Blossoms which was longlisted for the Dublin International Literary Prize and was named the University of Canberra’s 2020 Book of the Year.

As an advocate for Indigenous literacy, Anita has worked in remote communities as a role model and encouraging young Indigenous Australians to write their own stories. Anita is a board member of the State Library of Queensland, the University of Queensland Press and Circa. Anita is a Professor of Communications at the University of QLD and artist in residence at La Boite Theatre, and has adapted her novel Tiddas for the stage.

Anita enjoys eating chocolate, running half-marathons and being a ‘creative disruptor’.

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