Beta Reads: District Between Us
I love when y'all send in your manuscript excerpts for me to post so our paid subscribers get to be your beta readers for your book! The good life!
If you haven’t subscribed to
yet, this is your opportunity! I’ve been a fan of Tay since I was hustling my book, Untrap the Hood, last year. Tay bought my book and shared my first review on Instagram, not just on Substack, so it was only right for me to show up for him as he’s preparing to publish his second romance novel.With 96 current paid subscribers, we have the power to make this beta reader opportunity something unique and special for Black authors. Blackstack is a nonprofit publishing house, and next year we have up to 12 new releases scheduled, so the infrastructure has been built to last. This “Beta Reads” newsletter series is an opportunity for Black authors in our community, regardless of whether you publish with Blackstack or not. So I ask all paid subscribers to provide feedback in the comments so we are showing up to support. This is the part that costs us nothing, but gives an author everything!
Enjoy this “Beta Read” install!
Q: Take us through your process of creating the characters Suni and Damien. What inspired their personalities?
A: Creating Suni and Damien was almost second nature to me, because in many ways, they’re a reflection of the worlds I’ve lived in. Being from Maryland and then experiencing life in Atlanta after college, I had two distinct lenses to pull from—each rich with culture, rhythm, and personality.
With Suni, I leaned into that Atlanta edge, sharp, ambitious, rooted in pride for where she comes from. She carries the rhythm of the city in her voice, the kind of woman who knows what she wants but still wrestles with vulnerability when it comes to letting someone in.
Damien, on the other hand, embodies the DC/Maryland vibe—ambitious yet laid-back, confident but with a quiet depth you don’t always see right away. I wanted him to carry that up north charm, but with enough complexity that readers could peel back his layers and discover more than what meets the eye.
Bringing them together was about balance, melding two different worlds into one connection, giving readers the best of both cultures while letting their personalities clash, spark, and ultimately harmonize.
Q: Bring the reader into this scene, either share a summary leading up to this part, or your creative process for creating this scene.
A: When I wrote this scene, I wanted the reader to pause with Suni and really feel the weight of her doubt. Up until now, her and Damien’s connection has felt magnetic, fast, almost too perfect. But what happens when the rush slows down and the questions creep in? That’s the space I leaned into here.
I wanted this scene to feel like the heartbeat before the drop. The air is heavy, her mind is racing, and the intimacy between them suddenly feels fragile, like one wrong move could shatter everything. For readers, it’s a chance to step inside her vulnerability and ask themselves the same question: Was this love or just a facade?
Q: Who is this book for? Describe your target reader.
A: This book is for the dream-chaser, the person who believes love is messy, complicated, breathtaking, and worth the risk.
If you’ve ever replayed a moment in your head, wondering if it was love or illusion, if you’ve ever let yourself fall even when fear whispered not to, this book is for you. It’s for readers unafraid to dive into the conversations we rarely say out loud, the taboos, the what-ifs, the “too real” moments that make us question everything.
Q: Share a little bit about yourself, who you are as an author.
A: I’m Servontay Moore (Tay), a Hampton University graduate, TBI survivor, and the author of five books. Writing has always been my way of turning life’s challenges into something meaningful, and now I’m stepping boldly into my fiction era.
The District Between Us is my second romance in the Suni Series, and it’s where I’m pouring everything I know about love, resilience, and chasing dreams into the pages. For me, storytelling isn’t just about creating characters—it’s about creating mirrors. I want readers to see themselves in Suni’s doubts, Damien’s flaws. My dream has always been to write a book powerful enough to land in Oprah’s Book Club, a story that sparks conversations we don’t often say out loud, but we all feel.
District Between Us
By
The city never slept—at least not for Suni.
Washington, D.C. pulsed outside her window, headlights streaking across Minesota Avenue, horns blaring, late-night laughter spilling from the carry-out down the block. But none of that noise drowned out the sound of her own heartbeat.
She thought back to the night it all shifted. The night Damien leaned close, his voice smooth enough to slip past every wall she swore she built. The night she let herself believe him.
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