top of page
Search

Sitting Down With Niccoyan Zheng

Exploring her upcoming book, personal authenticity, and meaningful representation within the publishing industry.


How would you describe yourself to readers discovering you for the first time?

I’m Niccoyan Zheng, an independent Canadian romance author who writes bold, emotionally rich, and spicy love stories centered on Black women who are always worthy of love.

My stories range in pacing—some simmer, some ignite quickly—but they all bring heat, heart, and depth. I write complex heroines, protective yet evolving heroes, and relationships that feel real, layered, and earned.

You’ll find plus-sized female leads, women over 30, diverse cultural settings—from Canada to the Caribbean—and love stories that celebrate confidence, vulnerability, and desire without apology.

At the center of everything I write is this belief: Black women are always worthy of grand, consuming, respectful love.


What first inspired you to start writing, and what keeps you coming back to the page?

My dad inspired me to start writing.

He always told me I was a natural storyteller. He believed in my voice before I fully believed in it myself. That kind of encouragement stays with you.

What keeps me coming back is my desire to tell the stories of the diverse people I see around me—especially their love stories. I see beauty in everyday relationships. I see strength in couples who choose each other again and again. I see cultural richness in community, in food, in laughter, in resilience.

I want to capture that. I want to honour that.

And on a personal level, I write because I’m building something—for myself and for my son. A legacy of creativity. Of courage. Of ownership.


What sparked the idea for this book?

The characters introduce themselves to me.

They show up, fully formed in spirit, and start talking. They tell me who they are, who they love, and what stands in the way of them building something real.

Usually, they’re navigating trust. Or fear. Or pride. Or past hurt.

But at the core, every story I write explores two people trying to build a foundation of love and trust—despite the obstacles in front of them and the walls within them. 

I don’t force plot on my characters. I listen to them. Then I guide them toward healing.


Who are the main characters, and what do you love most about them?

Across my books, my female main characters are strong, layered, and often flawed. They are ambitious, guarded, passionate, soft in private, and bold in public. Many of them are plus-sized. Many are over 30. All of them are complex.

My male main characters are not perfect saviours. They are evolving men—learning, unlearning, growing. They are attracted not just to beauty, but to strength, intelligence, and presence.

What I love most about writing them is this: I get to show that everyone is deserving of love.

Not just the polished. Not just the healed. Not just the conventionally packaged.

Everyone.

And that should be reflected in romance novels.


Was there a particular scene or moment in the book that was especially meaningful or difficult to write?

The scenes that move me the most are when the characters realize they have found their person.

When the banter quiets. When the walls lower. When pride steps aside.

Those moments where they open their hearts and minds and lay it all on the line—that vulnerability is powerful. It’s intimate. It’s brave.

Those are the scenes I love writing the most. They feel sacred.


As a BIPOC author, why is representation in literature important to you?

Representation is deeply personal to me.

As a Black, Canadian woman of Afro-Caribbean descent, I want to share with the world how I see it. Canada is a mosaic. The Caribbean is a mosaic. Our communities are layered, vibrant, and beautifully complex.

Love and strength can hold us together—not by pretending we don’t see colour, but by seeing it, recognizing it, and honouring the differences that shape us.

I want readers to experience Black women loving boldly. I want Canada reflected as it truly is—diverse, textured, alive.

When readers see themselves on the page, something shifts. It affirms that their lives and their love stories matter.


What does authenticity in storytelling mean to you?

Authenticity in storytelling means writing from a place of truth and emotional honesty. It means allowing my characters to speak in voices that feel real and rooted in their experiences. It means honoring cultural nuance without over-explaining it or watering it down.

Authenticity also means not shrinking my characters to make them more comfortable for others. It means embracing their flaws, their desires, their contradictions, and their growth.

Most importantly, authenticity means writing stories that reflect the world as I see it—with depth, heat, humour, culture, vulnerability, and love at the center.


What do you hope readers—especially those from underrepresented communities—see or feel in your work?

I hope they feel seen.

I hope they see women who look like them being adored. I hope they see bodies like theirs being desired without hesitation. I hope they see cultures like theirs treated with respect and warmth.

I hope they close my books feeling empowered, soft, hopeful, and reminded that they are worthy of love—big, passionate, steady love.


Have you encountered moments where representation (or the lack of it) influenced your writing journey?

Yes.

There have been moments where I noticed whose stories were pushed harder, whose covers were considered “marketable,” whose narratives were treated as universal versus niche.

But instead of discouraging me, it sharpened my focus. It reminded me why I started. It reminded me that building my own platform as an independent author gives me freedom.

And freedom allows me to tell the stories exactly as they need to be told.


What changes would you like to see in the publishing industry regarding diversity and inclusion?

I would like to see diversity embedded into the foundation of publishing—not treated as a trend or seasonal spotlight.

I want to see more decision-makers from diverse backgrounds. I want to see marketing support match the public conversations about inclusion. I want covers, distribution, and visibility to reflect the true breadth of readers and writers in the romance community.

Our stories are not niche. They are part of the human experience.


How do you balance staying true to your voice while writing for a broad audience?

I balance it by grounding my stories in truth.

I do deep research into cultures, customs, traditions, and especially food, because those details matter. Culture is not background decoration in my books—it’s lived experience. Whether I’m writing about a Canadian small town, an Afro-Caribbean household, or a specific cultural practice, I take the time to understand it properly, so it’s represented with care and accuracy.

At the same time, I stay rooted in my voice—my rhythm, my humour, my emotional intensity, my spice. I don’t dilute those things to make the story more “universal.” Instead, I trust that authenticity is what makes a story travel.

When readers from different backgrounds pick up my books, they may not share the exact cultural experiences of my characters—but they understand love, vulnerability, pride, longing, and desire. The emotional core is universal. The cultural details make it rich.

So, for me, balance comes from this:

Do the research. Honour the specifics. Tell the truth. And trust that authentic stories connect across audiences.


What has been the most rewarding part of your writing or publishing journey so far?

The community.

The messages from readers who say they saw themselves in my characters. The women who tell me they felt beautiful reading my stories. The readers who support my releases, my Patreon, my growth.

And knowing my son sees me building something from scratch—with passion, persistence, and courage.

That is deeply rewarding.


What piece of advice would you give to an inspiring author? 

Trust your voice.

Write the story that feels true to you, even if it doesn’t fit a neat marketing box. Protect your creativity. Build community. Stay consistent.

And most importantly—do not shrink your characters or yourself to fit someone else’s expectations.

There is space for your story.

And someone out there is waiting to see themselves in it.


Find Niccoyan Zheng everywhere




 
 
 

Comments

bottom of page