Marcia Williams Cromer

Marcia Williams Cromer is a native of Huntsville, TX, and began writing early in life. "Everyone has a story to tell," Marcia says. "They only need to be asked. Even the shyest person will open up." People are a constant fascination for her… their successes, trials, joys and sorrows have always fascinated this self-confessed "addicted people watcher."

A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Arts in English, her professional career includes corporate marketing, communications and project management for employers including NYNEX Mobile Communications, Verizon Wireless, Citigroup as well as Blue Cross and Blue Shield. Marcia is an expert in visual communication and rhetoric, design of print and online documents, and cultural implications in technical and business writing. She has published corporate communications for wireless telecom, financial and health care industries. In 2007, Marcia took her corporate skills and launched her own marketing firm, Virgo Events & Productions.

Her latest book, The Rancher in Stilettos, is a romantic novel based on a group of six black women whose relationship spans their entire lives. They met as children in the small Texas town where they grew up and forged a bond that would last a lifetime. Though not biological, "The Dreamers" are sisters in every sense of the word, and when life struggles present themselves, the women form their "Dreamers Circle" of protection against outside forces. You can't stereotype Zaide Grace and her friends. Try to put "The Dreamers" in a box and they will decorate it with every color and invite the world in for a tour.
When she has time outside of her work commitments, she loves to travel the world, meeting new people and hearing about their experiences. An important aspect of her life is family and friends. Marcia refers to herself as the "crazy glue that holds us all together." Her first book of poetry, "Go… And Find Yourself Some Happiness," is a tribute to her late paternal grandmother, Maggie Williams, a role model from whom Marcia continues to draw strength. Marcia also serves as president of The Cecil and Bernice Williams Scholarship Fund which offers annual support to deserving students in honor of her parents who were life-long educators.


What inspired you to write this series?  
The Rancher in Stilettos was born from my love of bold women, untold stories, and the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood. I wanted to create a world where women—especially Black women—could see themselves as complex, confident, and unapologetically powerful, whether they were running businesses, healing old wounds, or finding love on their own terms.
The characters were inspired by the women in my life—my friends, my family, and even parts of myself. Their loyalty, grit, and grace deserved a spotlight. I also wanted to explore what it means to start over and reinvent yourself, and to do so with flair—yes, even in stilettos on a ranch!
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What is the main theme that runs through all your books? 
At the heart of The Rancher in Stilettos series is the theme of reinvention through resilience. Every book explores how women navigate life’s turning points—whether it’s heartbreak, career changes, loss, or unexpected love—and come out stronger, wiser, and more self-assured.

Another key thread is sisterhood and chosen family, as depicted in The Dreamers friend circle. These women lean on each other in the deepest ways, reminding us that healing doesn’t happen in isolation—it happens in community. And of course, I always layer in a celebration of bold Black womanhood, legacy, and the beauty of living life on your own terms.

As a fairly new romance writer, how has the community embraced your series?
The romance community has welcomed The Rancher in Stilettos with warmth, encouragement, and open arms. I’ve been especially moved by how readers connect with the characters—not just the love stories, but the friendships, the personal growth, and the fierce independence that drives so many of the women in the series.
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It’s been incredibly affirming to hear from readers who see themselves in these pages—who feel seen, inspired, and entertained. Book clubs, podcasts, and even fellow authors have reached out to say, “We needed this kind of story.” That kind of support reminds me that it’s never too late to share your voice, and that there’s always room in the genre for fresh stories with soul.

Zaide faces a powerful reckoning in this final book, personally and professionally. What inspired you to put her through such a transformational crossroads at the series’ close? 
From the very beginning, Zaide Grace was the heartbeat of this series—ambitious, loyal, and driven, but also carrying unspoken burdens. I knew her story had to end with a reckoning because real transformation doesn’t happen in comfort zones—it happens when everything you’ve built gets tested.

I wanted readers to see a woman who seemingly had it all confront the cost of her choices: the love she postponed, the pain she buried, and the dreams she reshaped to fit into other people’s expectations. By putting Zaide at this crossroads, I was honoring every woman who’s ever had to pause and ask, “Is this really the life I want—or the life I settled for?”
Her journey is raw, but it's also liberating. It was important for me to show that reinvention isn’t just for the beginning of a story—it can be the most powerful part of the ending.

The theme of love versus attachment is compelling and nuanced. How did you approach writing Zaide’s emotional journey to understand the difference between the two? 
For Zaide, love was always tied to loyalty, duty, and showing up for others—even when it meant abandoning parts of herself. But as her story unfolded, I wanted to challenge that: Was she truly in love, or was she attached to the idea of who she should be with and what her life should look like?

I approached her emotional journey with a lot of care. It meant peeling back layers—old wounds, unspoken fears, and those quiet compromises women often make without realizing it. I wanted her to discover that love liberates, while attachment often clings to fear and familiarity.

Writing her journey meant allowing Zaide to sit in discomfort, to question her past choices, and ultimately to choose herself—not out of selfishness, but out of clarity. That moment when she finally sees the difference between being needed and being truly loved? That’s the breakthrough I wanted readers to feel in their own hearts.

“Big Dream Threads” has always been more than a boutique—it represents dreams, friendship, and female resilience. What does the business symbolize in this final chapter, and how does it reflect the state of Zaide’s inner world? 
In The Rancher Before Stilettos, Big Dream Threads is just a quiet idea—a flicker of possibility living in the back of Zaide’s mind. It hasn’t taken shape yet, but it represents something deeply personal: the desire to create something of her own, beyond the expectations placed on her.

At this early stage, the boutique symbolizes hope and unspoken ambition. It’s a seed planted in the middle of her professional success and personal uncertainty. Even though it won’t come to life until the first book in the main series, the thought of Big Dream Threads reveals Zaide’s growing awareness that she wants more—a life of passion, purpose, and creative freedom.

In many ways, her business-to-be reflects her inner world: full of ideas, quietly brewing, waiting for the courage and clarity to make them real. That spark—of dreaming beyond what’s practical—is the beginning of her transformation.

The French Riviera setting feels both glamorous and like a mirror to Zaide’s internal unrest. Why did you choose this location, and how did it help shape the mood of the story? 
The French Riviera was the perfect backdrop for Zaide’s emotional reckoning—beautiful, indulgent, and full of contrast. On the surface, it’s all sun-soaked luxury and effortless charm, but beneath that glitter is a haunting quiet—the kind that makes you face yourself. And that’s exactly where Zaide is in her journey.

Zaide has been a Francophile since childhood, drawn to the stories of Black artists, writers, and dreamers who found freedom in France—creative, personal, and racial. For her, the Riviera isn’t just a vacation spot; it’s a symbol of possibility. But in this story, it also becomes a place of reckoning. The dazzling landscape forces her to slow down, to look inward, and to question whether she’s truly free—or just performing the life she thought she was supposed to want.

The contrast between external beauty and internal unrest creates a tension that runs through the entire story. In many ways, the Riviera reflects Zaide herself—elegant, composed, admired… and finally, ready to break open.

Looking back on the entire Rancher in Stilettos series, what do you hope readers walk away with after this final chapter—about love, friendship, reinvention, or simply being true to oneself? 
More than anything, I hope readers walk away knowing that it’s never too late to rewrite your story. Whether it's love, friendship, purpose, or identity—reinvention is always within reach, no matter your age or stage in life.
Through Zaide and the women around her, I wanted to show that real strength comes from vulnerability, from asking hard questions, and from having the courage to let go of what no longer serves you. Love is beautiful, but it’s not enough if it costs you your voice. Friendship is sacred, especially when it holds space for your evolution. And being true to yourself? That’s the bravest thing any woman can do.

If readers close the book feeling seen, empowered, and reminded of their own dreams—big or quietly tucked away—then I’ve done what I set out to do. This series was always about bold women living boldly. I hope that energy stays with readers long after the final page.

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Website: https://www.marciawilliamscromer.com/
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Purchase the book here: https://amzn.to/3Guv4WP