Meet Ronald L. Smith

author of Gloom Town and The Owls Have Come To Take Us Away

Do you speak any other languages besides English?

I can speak Elvish.

What was your favorite book as a kid?

The Lord of the Rings...duh.

Who is your favorite fictional character?

Lyra Belacqua from the His Dark Materials trilogy.

Have you had any jobs besides writer?

I once packed peppers in a green pepper factory. Say that fast. 

What is Gloom Town about?

Gloom Town, a Junior Library Guild Selection, features Rory and Izzy, two kids who live in the town of Gloom where the sun never shines. But there’s a reason for that. When Rory takes a job at the mysterious Foxglove Manor, things get really creepy. Rory soon finds out that his new boss isn’t just strange, he’s not even human. And he has some dastardly plans for the town of Gloom.

About Ronald

Ronald L. Smith is the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Award–winning author of Hoodoo, The Mesmerist, The Owls Have Come to Take Us Away, and Black Panther: The Young Prince. He lives in Baltimore, Maryland. Visit him online at strangeblackflowers.com, on Twitter @ronsmithbooks, or on Instagram @ronsmithwriter.