African American Romance

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Kitty27

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Anyone writing it?

If so,what era and such?

I ask because I'm working on a trilogy right now and would love to talk about the paucity of erotic romance in the AA area.

I don't mean the urban fiction novels or Zane type stuff.

I mean REAL epic love stories with angst,drama,passion and obsession! We so rarely see that with AA romance.

Romeo&Juliet,Wuthering Heights,and all the epic stuff of classic literature is what I'm trying to write.

With a tinge of the Gothic,of course!
 

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What you are writing sounds wonderful, because of the Gothic ;). I'm not usually big on romance! Add in some classism or politics, and I'm your girl :D Or creepy stuff. I love me some creepy stuff.

I leave romance out of my work so much it's silly! I do have one about a girl falling in love, but it's such a subplot. The MC is probably not PoC, either, because she lives and loves in a very small white town. It's about a specific war, so the setting dictates the probable race of the characters.

Otherwise, no real romance in my work, lol. There's some spooky or sci-fi sex, but that's as close as I get. My characters have a lot on their minds :D :D
 

FoamyRules

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I actually plan to write an African American gothic fiction. Of course one of the books you mentioned "Wuthering Heights" is the inspiration for it, but of course it's going to be nothing like it. I haven't decided on what era to put it in, but I'm leaning towards Contemporary. I tend to write romance a lot, mainly interracial, but I do from time to time write about African American couples :)

ETA: As far as what era to set the story in, I'm open for suggestions.
 
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Silver-Midnight

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Well, I used to write IR romance and that's it. However, I've really started to look at other genres and "alternative endings" to books, if that makes sense. I write a lot of Fantasy, specifically Urban Fantasy. But I'm trying to write some other stuff too. I'll still use some romance in my stories, but I think they'll romantic themes more than they used to be.
 

Kitty27

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What you are writing sounds wonderful, because of the Gothic ;). I'm not usually big on romance! Add in some classism or politics, and I'm your girl :D Or creepy stuff. I love me some creepy stuff.

I leave romance out of my work so much it's silly! I do have one about a girl falling in love, but it's such a subplot. The MC is probably not PoC, either, because she lives and loves in a very small white town. It's about a specific war, so the setting dictates the probable race of the characters.

Otherwise, no real romance in my work, lol. There's some spooky or sci-fi sex, but that's as close as I get. My characters have a lot on their minds :D :D


LOL! Mine do,too. But I really want to try romance. I am enjoying it so far.

I actually plan to write an African American gothic fiction. Of course one of the books you mentioned "Wuthering Heights" is the inspiration for it, but of course it's going to be nothing like it. I haven't decided on what era to put it in, but I'm leaning towards Contemporary. I tend to write romance a lot, mainly interracial, but I do from time to time write about African American couples :)

ETA: As far as what era to set the story in, I'm open for suggestions.

I like that,Foamy! I love me some Gothic stuff. I am partial to the Reconstruction era.

Well, I used to write IR romance and that's it. However, I've really started to look at other genres and "alternative endings" to books, if that makes sense. I write a lot of Fantasy, specifically Urban Fantasy. But I'm trying to write some other stuff too. I'll still use some romance in my stories, but I think they'll romantic themes more than they used to be.

I still write IR but given the feedback from my friends about my little WIPs,I'm going to work on them.

I write UF,too!
 

FoamyRules

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Gothic fiction is my favorite genre :) I mean, I write in different genres; thrillers, urban fantasy, horror, science fiction, contemporary both YA and adult fiction, but I love gothic fiction. Of course with each genre I'll add romantic and erotic elements/themes. I would love to read books where black characters are portrayed in other than "hood fiction" and Zane or portraying an oppressed person.

Hmm, the reconstruction era. I don't know too much about it, but I am great at researching. I'll shall look into that.
 

akaria

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I've got a AA werewolf romance that's been sitting on the back burner for about a year. Tried to write it as just a simple contemporary with no supernatural elements. Yeah right. That wasn't happening. There's drama and obsession. Not too much angst. Yet. ;)

I enjoy writing romance. The journey that brings two people together is very addicting and no matter how many times I write one it's different every time. It's especially satisfying to use POC as the leads. A lack of PNR with POC is what got me into writing in the first place.

Glad you're having fun writing romance!
 

aruna

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hmmmm -- you say African-American. I've certainly done African Guyanese and African British and African interrarcial epic romance! I love it! And I'm doing that right now. But never AA.
 

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Anyone writing it?

If so,what era and such?

I ask because I'm working on a trilogy right now and would love to talk about the paucity of erotic romance in the AA area.

I don't mean the urban fiction novels or Zane type stuff.

I mean REAL epic love stories with angst,drama,passion and obsession! We so rarely see that with AA romance.

Romeo&Juliet,Wuthering Heights,and all the epic stuff of classic literature is what I'm trying to write.

With a tinge of the Gothic,of course!

*raises hand*

I just sold an AA contemporary erotic romance. I'm still waiting to get my contract, so at this point, I won't say too much more than that. Just know that one will be released into the world in early 2013, and it's not ”urban” fiction in any way (not that I'm knocking urban fiction, but that's not what I write). It is the first in a series, so I plan to keep contributing to the genre as long as my editor will have me!
 

veinglory

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I bought a couple at RT. One from Kensington which look particularly good. Still pretty low visibility though. I'd expect to see more given the thousands of books at that con.
 

Evangeline

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I bought a couple at RT. One from Kensington which look particularly good. Still pretty low visibility though. I'd expect to see more given the thousands of books at that con.

Black romance writers have their own conference--Romance Slam Jam--, and given the slightly cool climate of mainstream romancelandia towards them, I'm not surprised so few black writers attend RT (or any other mainstream writers/readers conference).

As for the OP, I highly recommend Sharon Cullars' Again for angst, passion, eroticism, and gothicky tones.
 

Kitty27

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*raises hand*

I just sold an AA contemporary erotic romance. I'm still waiting to get my contract, so at this point, I won't say too much more than that. Just know that one will be released into the world in early 2013, and it's not ”urban” fiction in any way (not that I'm knocking urban fiction, but that's not what I write). It is the first in a series, so I plan to keep contributing to the genre as long as my editor will have me!


YAAAS! Please let me know so I can buy and support you!

Black romance writers have their own conference--Romance Slam Jam--, and given the slightly cool climate of mainstream romancelandia towards them, I'm not surprised so few black writers attend RT (or any other mainstream writers/readers conference).

As for the OP, I highly recommend Sharon Cullars' Again for angst, passion, eroticism, and gothicky tones.

Thank you so much. So RT and these other conferences have "tude,huh? For some reason,that doesn't surprise me at all.
 

veinglory

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Black romance writers have their own conference--Romance Slam Jam--, and given the slightly cool climate of mainstream romancelandia towards them, I'm not surprised so few black writers attend RT (or any other mainstream writers/readers conference).

Sure I can understand that, but it does mean that readers like me pick up 30-40 other books when I am actively interested in POC romance--and others in the audience are too. The signing days were well attended and IMHO a reasonable way to spend $100 just to go to that part and blow the rest of it off. Or even just have the publisher send books for the 'goody room' in lieu of attending. I may be overly optimistic, but I think the authors of POC romance that were there got reasonable reader interest/response.
 

Evangeline

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Thank you so much. So RT and these other conferences have "tude,huh? For some reason,that doesn't surprise me at all.

I don't think it's so much a genuine snubbing, but the general notion that "'those' books aren't for me, so why bother going over there or buying?".

Sure I can understand that, but it does mean that readers like me pick up 30-40 other books when I am actively interested in POC romance--and others in the audience are too. The signing days were well attended and IMHO a reasonable way to spend $100 just to go to that part and blow the rest of it off. Or even just have the publisher send books for the 'goody room' in lieu of attending. I may be overly optimistic, but I think the authors of POC romance that were there got reasonable reader interest/response.

I definitely don't doubt your experience, but the old guard--those AA romance writers who came into the biz in the 90s--have spoken about attending events like RT year after year and watching the hundreds of readers ignoring them, or averting their eyes as they scooted past them, to get to the authors they do want to see. Based on that experience, I can understand why many are more comfortable sticking to venues that are more welcoming and receptive to their presence. And I can see why newer authors, who were inspired to write by the old guard, would follow their lead as well.

In general, I do believe that consistent visibility and support from major reader/reviewer blogs help make dents in the segregation and apathy (mulling over whether this is the right word to use), but I can see why many would choose to not expend energy struggling for a piece of the mainstream pie when they have a loyal market of readers whom they don't have to coax into buying their books.
 

FoamyRules

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Right now I'm currently rewriting an AA epic romance I've been working on for quite a while. I lost the original version (hard drive failure) and now am starting over from scratch.

Also, I'm still gonna write my AA gothic novel, but I'm doing research on the reconstruction era.

Oh and I also plan to read Again by Sharon Cullars.
 

Sorin

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YAAAS! Please let me know so I can buy and support you!

Thank you so much. So RT and these other conferences have "tude,huh? For some reason,that doesn't surprise me at all.

Thanks, Kitty! I'll be sure to let everyone know.

I was one of the few black women attending RT, and I found everyone to be very friendly. At the erotica panel, I met Kayla Perrin, whose covers are seriously drool-worthy, so there is another author you might want to check out. I was at RT this year as a reader, but given the timing of my book release, I'll be there next year as an author. Yay! I would happily attend the Slam Jam, too, if it's not at the same time.
 

FoamyRules

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Thanks, Kitty! I'll be sure to let everyone know.

I was one of the few black women attending RT, and I found everyone to be very friendly. At the erotica panel, I met Kayla Perrin, whose covers are seriously drool-worthy, so there is another author you might want to check out. I was at RT this year as a reader, but given the timing of my book release, I'll be there next year as an author. Yay! I would happily attend the Slam Jam, too, if it's not at the same time.
Congrats on your sale as well Sorin :)

If you don't mind my asking but who did you sale your story to?
 

Kitty27

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Thanks, Kitty! I'll be sure to let everyone know.

I was one of the few black women attending RT, and I found everyone to be very friendly. At the erotica panel, I met Kayla Perrin, whose covers are seriously drool-worthy, so there is another author you might want to check out. I was at RT this year as a reader, but given the timing of my book release, I'll be there next year as an author. Yay! I would happily attend the Slam Jam, too, if it's not at the same time.


WHEW!

That's good to hear. Thanks for the book recommendation. Go head with ya bad self! I will most definitely be buying as soon as you let us know.
 

Silver-Midnight

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Thanks, Kitty! I'll be sure to let everyone know.

I was one of the few black women attending RT, and I found everyone to be very friendly. At the erotica panel, I met Kayla Perrin, whose covers are seriously drool-worthy, so there is another author you might want to check out. I was at RT this year as a reader, but given the timing of my book release, I'll be there next year as an author. Yay! I would happily attend the Slam Jam, too, if it's not at the same time.

That's cool.

Is this her website, Kayla Perrin's I mean: http://www.kaylaperrin.com/page/books.html
 

Sorin

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Silver-Midnight

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Yep! That's her, although her book list on her web page doesn't seem to be updated. If you go on Amazon, you'll see her newest titles with yummy covers.

And my series will be coming out with Samhain. :D

Found her Amazon and Barnes & Noble:

Amazon:

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/kayla-perrin/2390118
Yep! That's her, although her book list on her web page doesn't seem to be updated. If you go on Amazon, you'll see her newest titles with yummy covers.

And my series will be coming out with Samhain. :D

Keep us all posted on when your book comes out. :D
 
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Sorin

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Oh cool, Samhain is on my list of publishers to sub to if I don't go the agent route.

I can't say enough good things about them. My editor is fantastic, gets my work (which has a crazy premise), and really inspires me creatively. If you decide to go straight to publishers, they are a great company. Once I sign my contract, I'll post more info. Thank you all for your support!
 

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I actually just finished an AA fairy tale type romance. It's out being "judged" now. It's takes place in "a desert kingdom" and is based on the 1001 Arabian Nights story, and it's a bit sexed up (because I write erotic romance.)

As I said, it's out to the publishers now and am checking my email every three to four nanoseconds. :)
 
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