When stories chase you, you write them. That’s the literary mantra guiding the bold and deeply intentional work of this multi-faceted author R.L. Byrd whose novels not only explore the tender chaos of love and connection but unapologetically dive into the social currents that shape our realities. From flipping the narrative lens in Looking for Sweet Love and Black Coffee, to peeling back the professional curtain in his upcoming memoir 6%, of his storytelling is never one-note—it’s layered, lived, and laced with purpose. Through the voices of women, men, friends, and lovers, he paints a mosaic of Black experiences that feel personal, universal, and powerfully necessary.
FEMI: Your novels explore love and connection from both the male and female perspectives. What inspired you to switch viewpoints between Looking for Sweet Love and Black Coffee, and how did writing from those different lenses challenge your own understanding of relationships?
R.L. Byrd: Mmm. This question is asked quite often. When asked, I always reference Toni Morrison’s quote (my way of paying homage to a great writer, now ancestor), “If there is a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” And that’s exactly what I did.
At the time I was penning Looking for Sweet Love (a not-your-typical-love-story told from the Black female perspective), there was a void of books discussing relationships from the Black male voice. So, as Morrison put it, I intentionally started a relationship-tell-all with Looking for Sweet Love (LFSL) and followed it up with the boyfriends, lovers, and husbands of the women in LFSL telling their side of the relationship coin in the sequel Black Coffee—and I tell you, each side of the story (or coin) is not the same!
As far as my own understanding of relationships after penning both novels (understand that there are seven female characters in LFSL and nine male characters in Black Coffee), each character signifies how relationships (and people) are complex and no two relationships are the same. Each person brings challenges to the table, baggage (childhood wounds, addictions, psychological issues, societal challenges, family and baby-mama/daddy drama, etc.) to a relationship. You either grow together and unpack the baggage with each other’s love and support, or you learn the lesson(s) you’re supposed to learn for the next relationship.
FEMI: You’ve been intentional about weaving social commentary into your storytelling. How do you strike the balance between telling a compelling story and delivering a meaningful message without sounding preachy?
R.L. Byrd: Funny you should ask that because my mind just flashed to arecently watched Alice Walker interview on YouTube, “Joining the Civil Rights Movement & Writing The Color Purple.”Walker said that she wanted to read (and write) about people that she knew and looked like her, and that her stories “chased” her… wanting to be told. This struck a chord as I realized that most writers share a similar story: We all share that same emotional nagging of the “stories chasing us” experience. That persistent tugging that will never go away. The stories constantly callingus (like our ancestors pushing us) to the pen and paper; pushing us to write the stories we were placed on Earth to tell.
Circling-back-around to the question—I’m going to use Alice Walker as an example if you can’t already tell—The Color Purple was Walker’s tenth book. She says it was inspired by the stories of her grandparents who, at the time, didn’t have a voice. And we as a Black audience were new to these Black voices (and the female struggles and friendships) of this era. And as most writers do, we tell stories that are inspired by our own lives, or by someone we know, as we navigate through the societal ills of a time—art imitating life.
We introduce never-before-heard voices and struggles, and deliver messages, be they subtle or profound, through charactersthat readers can relate to (and resemble us); telling a story through a character’s lens and life’s circumstances.
FEMI: In your upcoming memoir 6%, you’re shifting from fiction to deeply personal reflection. What made now the right time to tell this story, and how has revisiting that professional incident shaped your current outlook?
R.L. Byrd: As I’ve progressed through my professional life in middle and senior management, I’ve seen (and experienced) some harrowing and shameful injustices in the workplace, even the injustices perpetuated by our own people; the most recent, Black leaders overlooking a young Black female’s allegations of sexual harassment and pleas for help in the workplace.
6% is my personal account of how championing a young lady’salleged sexual harassment claim involved a possible coverup by the employer and a retaliation plot against the employee who brought the issue to the organization’s attention.
With today’s rollbacks of employee rights by elected officialswho were elected to represent their constituent’s best interest, I hope 6% (my personal memoir) will be an entertaining and engaging blueprint on how to navigate within the workplace (and judicial system) when confronted with workplace and judicial bias and injustices—it’s a road successfully traveled by few according to statistics, hence the title 6%.
FEMI: Your books speak to the complex dynamics between friends, lovers, and community. How important is friendship—especially same-gender friendships—in shaping how we show up in romantic relationships?
R.L. Byrd: Interesting question. I can’t count how many times I’ve seen or been in situations where Black men (or men of color) participated in (or silently watched) another brother’s downfall—truthfully, I’m not exempt from this as well. My forthcoming book, The Art of Scandal (a novel inspired by true events),makes this a driving force of the book.
And as I’ve said in other interviews, I reference attending the March 2025 BronzeLens’ Sunday Brunch with the Brothers—a forum of black and brown men in the entertainment industry sharing insight on the profession and life in general—when asked this question.
This year’s luncheon included the producer and cast of BET’s The Family Business where the producer and cast shared that the set is a “safe space” for the male actors (a first for most). Not only is it a “safe space,” but an environment in which the male cast support each other’s growth and development. That hit deep! Not only did it hit deep because men of color typically navigate through life within non-safe spaces without support (always having our guard up), but I was happy to hear it because “Black Coffee” has a storyline addressing this same issue. The book revolves around nine men who don’t know each other from a can of beans, but bond and develop friendships which help each other grow and get through life’s obstacles, relationships, and situationships as the main storyline develops.
FEMI: Many authors write to entertain, but your work leans heavily into educating and empowering. What impact do you hope your legacy as a writer will have on future generations of Black storytellers?
R.L. Byrd: Mmm. That’s a good question. I believe all writers write to 1) entertain their audience, and 2) tell a story that they, as writers, have been given by the Universe to tell. Hopefully, some of my work—let’s take 6%, for example—will be used as a guide to navigate through life’s not-so-pleasing journeys. And the rest? Hopefully, the rest will be entertaining and take the reader on afulfilling joy ride for the time they’re reading my work.
Concerning impact and legacy, future authors will have their own unique voices, and their authorship journey will be different. But as with our predecessors, each Black author chips away the barriers on the not-so-friendly business side of the artform which has (and has always had) its challenges, making it a little easier for the next Black author to have a voice.
At its core, his work is more than just words on a page—it’s legacy-building. With every book, he’s pushing cultural conversation forward, creating safe spaces for truth, healing, and unfiltered expression. Whether he’s crafting fictional characters or exposing real-life injustices, his stories carry the weight of generations and the hope of future storytellers. And as readers flip through his pages, one thing becomes clear: he’s not just writing stories—we’re witnessing a movement through the pen.
Photo Credit: Raphael Simien
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