When you become an author by the age of 22, take your second book release and create a play based on that book, release one more non-fiction book and then follow up with releasing your first two books for a fictional series all before you're 30 what do you do?! You put on a pageant!
In April of 2018 Sheridan Davis quit her job because she wanted to take her efforts for her passions from part time status and fully focus them on everything she had going on from preaching and writing books to publishing/editing books for her publishing company, Chocolate Chip & Company, and even orchestrating her upcoming pageant for teens, the Miss Pretty Period Pageant.
After releasing her third book titled “I’m Nobody’s Ruth,” Sheridan was having a conversation with a friend and discussed how she did the work and focused on herself, she had “THE LIST,” but where was her future husband. “People keep bringing up this magical man, that I don’t even know, up to me in services...prophecies. Okay? When is he coming then?” Sheridan decided since she wasn’t aware if she had met this man God has for her to marry then she would write her own version of her perfect love story.
Most authors don’t attempt to write fiction and non-fiction but Sheridan Davis isn’t most authors. When asked how she feels about going from non-fiction writing to fictional writing and within that switch having the first two books to her series, "Church Girls," release within less than a year from each other Sheridan said, “I don’t want to sound like I am tooting my own horn, but I am proud of myself. I never thought that I would write a series. I feel honored that everyone’s response has been so overwhelmingly positive. People are falling in love with these characters. That makes me feel good.”
I have a confession everyone. Peoples is me, I am peoples...SERIOUSLY! If you have not read the first two books of this series, READ THEM!!!! The first book to the "Church Girls" series was released in fall of 2018 and the second book was released in the spring of 2019. So you can imagine the demand of the readers who want to read book three as soon as possible. If you don’t believe me, just go over to her social media and you will see the comments from people asking when it’s coming out. Well, wonder no more, for those of you who are already familiar with this series. Per Sheridan herself, book three is in the works and fans can look for it to be released in the beginning of 2020.
Since I could not pull any juicy details for the upcoming release of book three from Sheridan I went with asking her a question about the first two novels from her series. The question was which characters were her favorite characters from the first two books. Sheridan mentioned that in book one Shyanne is her favorite character. This is because the character’s story is loosely based on Sheridan’s life for the majority of the book. However, in book two there is a tie between Pastor Cole and Rashaun. I can’t really explain why those are her favorite characters just in case some of you have not read the book. So...read the book and then you will be able to know why those are her favorites. I’m serious...READ THE BOOKS!
Sheridan does have a good reason for the delay in the release of book three for the "Church Girls" series. She’s been orchestrating the very first pageant for ladies of dark-skin complexion in recorded history. Sheridan wrote about her own experiences as a dark complected female in her book, "Pretty for A Dark-Skin Girl." As I mentioned earlier, she even did a play and fashion show with the same theme. Her latest accomplishment has been putting together this pageant that she plans to have annually for teen girls ages 12 to 18 of dark-skin complexion. This year the pageant will be taking place on September 7th in Chicago, IL and it is a sold out event!
The Miss Pretty Period Pageant is birthed from Sheridan’s story of colorism in her book titled “Pretty for A Dark-Skin Girl.” Sheridan experienced comments about her beauty with mention of her shade of skin as part of the compliment. She has made a point to let girls and women of dark complexion know they aren’t pretty for a dark-skinned person, they are pretty period. She didn’t know that sharing through her book would have the reception that it did, but from the book to a stage play, then on to a fashion show and now moving to a pageant...she’s inspiring a particular audience.
“One of the young ladies wrote me and said ‘I always wear dark clothes because I don’t feel like I look right in brighter colors. It’s not because I choose to wear dark clothes.’” Sheridan went on to explain that this young lady wants to be in the pageant because she wants to be able to choose to wear bright colors without thinking about what people may say about her. After going through submissions like this there were eight beautiful dark complected girls selected for the pageant. Sheridan mentioned that she makes sure to let the young ladies know that “They are not competing for beauty, but for prizes. I tell them they are all beautiful.” The pageant will be a cocoon of love for the participants. The judges on the panel are beautiful dark complected women themselves. The judges are Jamilia Bolden who is a model, turned educator, Camesha Holmes who is a boutique owner, Miranda Chinell who is a motivational speaker and author, Keisha Ervin who is a national best selling author of urban fiction and Melissa Fredericks, also known as MrsKevOnStage, who is an author, podcast host and motivational speaker. If you missed out on purchasing tickets for the 2019 event you can follow Sheridan on social media to see the results for the upcoming event and watch for information for the 2020 pageant.
So how does a young woman manage to get so much done in the same 24 hours that everyone else has access to? Sheridan mentioned, “People ask how I do it, but it’s innately in me and I don’t feel like I'm doing a lot. It feels like breathing. I’m doing what I was called to do.” Sheridan advised, “Just do what you are called to do. Even if you have to work a job while you do something you love. Don’t work a job and forget your dream.”
What’s next for this young entrepreneur other than releasing book three of her fiction series, "Church Girls"? “I don’t have a plan. For me, God has my plan and he orders my steps.”