Today we’d like to introduce you to Zariah L. Banks.
Hi Zariah L., thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started off as a book coach and editor. Even though I’d been writing since I was 9 years old, I still hadn’t taken the leap to publish my first novel. Finally, after having a dream that my husband was cheating on me, I got the idea for my upcoming novel, Beauty Betrayed. My main character, Patience Hampton, was behaving so badly, I had to add two books to the series to get my readers to love her before they read it. That’s how I ended up publishing my debut contemporary fiction novel, Beauty Beheld. It won 4 book awards and was on the NASDAQ billboard in Times Square in 2024.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The writing journey has been smooth. I can write 12-15 pages in a single sitting. It’s the marketing that’s a bit tricky. I know my books are good, but finding my readers can be challenging in a saturated market. I love doing in=person events, and I always do well, but there’s only one me. But once they find me, they’re locked in. I enjoy getting all of the emails and DMs from my small but mighty Beauties. I love that they always respond to my newsletters. They’re the best!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a contemporary romance author who writes bold love stories with heart, heat, and healing. My books center women who work in male-dominated industries and are often so busy surviving, leading, or proving themselves that they struggle to see their own worth. The men who pursue them aren’t trying to fix or save them. They see their value clearly and consistently, even when the women can’t yet see it for themselves. I love a happily ever after, but my stories don’t always end with a grand romantic proposal. Sometimes the win is choosing each other for today, committing to growth, and moving into the next phase of a relationship with intention and mutual fulfillment.
I specialize in emotional intimacy. That means my characters are grounded in the fundamentals of what I call forever love: vulnerability, trust, open communication, and mutual respect. We don’t always start there, but the goal is to reach that place where two people grow toward each other in hard moments instead of pulling away. The romance is layered with real conversations, emotional risk, and the kind of connection that lasts beyond the final page.
What I’m most proud of is being featured as an author at Barnes & Noble, earning awards for my first two full-length titles, and seeing my book displayed in Times Square. What sets me apart from other romance authors is that I don’t write to tropes. I find them too restrictive creatively. Instead, I focus on emotional beats and authentic character journeys. The tropes usually reveal themselves later during marketing, but the story always comes first.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
I’m a huge risk taker and I’m also a scaredy cat who’s afraid of rejection. So make that make sense! Nothing beats the payoff of a risk well taken. As a result, I’ve taken some creative liberties with my Beauty is Her Name series that will likely get me called out by “traditional romance” readers. But that series has a “Happy For Now” theme that reflects real life. My readers may not be ready for what’s coming in Beauty Betrayed, but they’d better get ready!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ZariahLBanks.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/authorzariahlbanks
- Facebook: https://Facebook.com/authorzariahlbanks
- Twitter: https://x.com/zariahlbanks_
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authorzariahlbanks
Image Credits
Headshot: Judah Early
