Black Writers Collective

Our Team

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. Visit her at wordwiserink.com.

Denise Matthews possesses a lifelong passion for writing. Her journalistic and creative work has been featured throughout the U.S. in trade publications, magazines, and newspapers, as well as broadcast, print, and social media-based advertising campaigns. Three months shy of her 49th birthday, Denise walked away from a lucrative career in the corporate world to indulge her literary, musical, and global travel aspirations and hasn’t looked back. She is also a past managing editor of Arizona Black Pages, Nevada Black Pages, and AZJazz magazines. A closet comedian at heart, Denise enjoys entertaining others with the tall tales she now captures on paper. She also writes memoir and personal essays on topics ranging from her family history to racism, sexual harassment, and colorism. Denise holds a B.S. degree in Business Administration from the University of Southern California, and now studies the craft of creative writing. She resides in Mesa, Arizona, and plans to publish several collections of her short stories.

Kimberly Bibbs is an author from Houston, TX, who writes to take people to another world. She knows she was born to write. She has dreamed of becoming an author for as long as she can remember, starting back in elementary school. She published her first book in 2013, Haters and Chasers, a fiction book about women with unconventional business plans. She also writes and edits academic literature. She enjoys collaborating with writers in person or via web meetings. Kimberly is an avid reader and enjoys reading both nonfiction and fiction. Her goal is to help other writers turn their manuscripts into books. Visit her website at kimberlyabibbs.com.

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 Suspect, Sweet 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.

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.

A native of New York City, Darlene is a writer and an elementary school teacher with a B.S. degree in education. While working as a teacher she made a commitment to manage her two loves, teaching and writing.

She is presently writing her first fiction novel. Darlene is also co-authoring a narrative nonfiction. Her collection of writing consists of essays and short stories in the genres of fiction and nonfiction. Many of her nonfiction pieces offer her views on race and issues affecting women. Darlene is a devoted investor in her craft with a tangible vision of publishing and sharing her prose.

Zoe is currently working toward her degree in business administration to major in marketing. Although young, she has huge goals to achieve in her career and is actively working toward them. Writing since elementary school, creativity is not a stranger to her. She often spends her free time writing short stories and poems or designing graphics. And if she’s not actively doing anything creative, she likes to indulge in old Disney films.

Omavi Victorine is an artist who attempts to introduce chaos into an otherwise bland ordered reality. He is a writer, web designer, graphic artist, and all-around computer geek.

Omavi’s work has been featured in multiple anthologies, magazines, and newspapers over the years, as well as on many online literary journals and websites. His work has been published in the anthology “Web of Words” published by ShowEMall!. His poem “Black Beauty” was sampled by the artist Soel in his composition “Black Woman” on the album Momento.

To fill in his spare moments, Omavi designs web pages and does layout and typesetting for books. He is always willing to share his knowledge of web design, book layout, graphic design, and computers with anyone who asks.

An engineer by profession, he is originally from the Commonwealth of Dominica in the West Indies and now resides in Maryland US. When not working, reading or writing, he enjoys spending time out doors, photography and video games.

Kyra Barr Tamira Butler-Likely

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

Founder | Director

Tia Ross is a 25+-year veteran copyeditor who edits for Big 5 publishers, including Amistad/HarperCollins, Adams Media/Simon & Schuster, and Moon Travel and Workman/Hatchette Book Group, as well as independent authors, corporations, and nonprofit organizations. In addition to publishing, she has a technical background in software, telecom, internet development, and digital forensics, and freelances as a technical and UX writer and editor. Tia has been actively supporting and creating resources and opportunities for writers and editors in countless ways since the ’90s.

In addition to founding and serving as director of BWC, Tia is founder of:

WordWiser Ink, a boutique editing firm with a team of elite copyeditors and proofreaders
Black Editors Network, a place for Black editors to fellowship and find leads and resources
Black Editors & Proofreaders Directory, profiling Black freelance editors and coaches of all levels and genres
Writeful Retreats, luxury writers and editors retreats at vacation destinations
Boss Events & Travel, organizes multi-day meetings, symposiums, and travel for groups of 10 and up
Black Writers Reunion & Conference, returning in 2023—the eighth of seven conferences held across the U.S.

Tia is also author of the forthcoming book, So You Want to Be an Editor…But Can You Edit?

Tia enjoys living and working as a digital nomad. When she’s not in the Caribbean, Central America, South Pacific, or South America, she can probably be found in Texas near her two adult sons. She is passionate about fitness and an avid cyclist and yogi. She has an AAS in Computer Information Technology—Software & Database Programming, an AA in General Studies—Professional & Technical Writing, and a BS in Information Science & Technology, plus certificates in project management, digital forensics, content strategy, database programming, and software development.

To learn more about Tia, her editing services, or her other companies, visit www.tiaross.com.

Advisors

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.

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, adapting her novel Tiddas for the stage.

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

Partners

Literary activist, high school English teacher, literary commentator, freelance writer, and founder of #TeenWritersProject and #BrownTeensRead, delmetria millener understands the historical and cultural impact that literacy can have on teens.

Now, as an English teacher, millener also recognizes that teens have become disconnected from the generational pride that writing, reading, social and cultural literacy fostered. Her organizations use using writing opportunities, book clubs and literary-themed social events to reconnect teens to literacy and give them back the responsibility of storytelling that they are obligated to write.

Our Team

Sherian Brown

Denise Matthews

Kimberly Bibbs

Gwyn Jordan

Shaundale Rénā

Darlene Burnett

Zoe Foster

Omavi Victorine

Kyra Barr Tamira Butler-Likely

THIS COULD BE YOU

Founder | Director

Tia Ross

Advisors

Dr. Venise Berry

Dr. Anita Heiss

Partners

delmetria millener