DIVERSITY – The Changing Face of Romance -By Wayne Jordan

By: Wayne Jordan

Website – www.waynejordan.net

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/wayne.jordan.94695

My first book, Capture the Sunrise, went on sale in November 2005, the same month BET sold its imprint of African-American fiction, mainly romance, to Harlequin Enterprises. I was ecstatic.  I was finally a published author and I was writing for my dream publisher. Who doesn’t want to write for Harlequin? For the next seven years, I lived my dream.  I wrote stories I loved with characters who looked just like me.  They met, fell in love, had some trouble here and there and then married and lived their Happy-Ever-After.  For a while, I was happy and then…I started to feel the first pangs of discontent.  In the meantime, I was dealing with deaths in the family, students who committed suicide and discovering I not only had Diabetes but Hypertension.  My writing didn’t make me happy anymore.  I’d lost my spirit and my desire to write romance.

I love writing romance, I love the industry…well, some aspects of the industry.  I was a black man writing romance and somehow, I felt underappreciated, that because I was a man, I could write a romance, but just not as well as my female counterpart…and then finally, I was dealing with segregation in publishing - the belief that the black romance authors were considered less than their counterparts of other color, that the stories we wrote were stories for people just like us, people of color and that very few romance readers read romance novels with hero/heroines of color. While I worked for a ‘big’ publisher, as a romance author, I didn’t feel big and as a male romance author, I felt even smaller in the scheme of things. 

It was at that point I didn’t get a renewed contract and discovered that the only category romance line, the line I wrote for, the only line for black authors, was closing. 

My solution is a simple one. Yes, close our line, but integrate us into the wider Harlequin portfolio. Don’t segregate us, but give us the same opportunities as all the other authors. Treat us with respect and let us know that we matter. Promote the hell out of our books so that readers know that we matter to you.

Organizations like RWA have finally started to step it up and make their position about diversity clear.  But publishers and organizations alone cannot change the climate.  Readers and authors alike must speak out about the need for diversity, must not just give ‘lip service’, but add authors of color to their reading.  Years of publisher attitudes to romance with protagonists of color has been transferred to readers.  The subtle messages that publishers convey by treating us differently is not lost on potential readers. 

I love my second career (I’m a teacher by profession), but so much must change for authors of color, like me, to get their just reward. Each of us, publishers, writing organizations, authors and readers, must play a part.  One of my favorite poets penned these words:

No!

I will not still my voice!
I have too much to claim
If you see me looking at books
or coming at your house
or walking in the sun
know that I look for fire.

I have learnt from book, dear friend,
of men dreaming and living
and hungering in a room without light
who could not die since death was too poor
who did not sleep to dream but dream to change the world

And so, if you see me looking at your hands,
listening when you speak, marching in your ranks
you must know,
I do not sleep to dream but dream to change the world

Martin Carter - Looking At Your Hands.

When I was invited to write this blog, my first thought was to focus on being a male romance author, but diversity is an issue in publishing which cannot be ignored. I will not ignore it and like the poem says, “I will not still my voice!”

My next release, PROMISE ME A DREAM, is book #7 in a very special  twelve  book series called: Decades: A Journey of African-American Romance which, while romance, highlights the African-American Experiences in the 20^th Century and two decades of the 21^st Century. 

Website – www.waynejordan.net

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/wayne.jordan.94695

Black Romance Authors

Hi everyone! I am YA author B A Binns , writer of contemporary and realistic fiction for teens. My tagline tells you what I am about - Stories of Real Boys Growing Into Real Men - and the people who love them. 



Today I have asked two of my favorite authors (favorite both in person and from their books) to visit with us and tell us about themselves, their publishing journey and new projects. I've known Connie Gillam since my RWA (https://www.rwa.org/) days, and Farrah Rochon and I sometimes cross paths at Romance Slam Jam (https://rsjconvention.com/), a readers and writers convention focusing on African American romance. Today they visit Romancing The Genres to tell our readers about their writing journey and life as independent or hybrid authors. 

First, tell us a little about yourselves:

Hi, I’m Connie Gillam, writing as Constance Gillam. (http://www.constancegillam.com/) I started seriously writing about fourteen years ago. Before then I would write a chapter get discouraged and stuff it in a drawer. When my last child entered high school, I sat down to learn how to complete a story. My local chapter of Romance Writers of America was instrumental in teaching me the basics through workshops, critiques and personal instruction. I grew up in the Midwest and now live in the sunny South. 

I’m Farrah Rochon, (http://www.farrahrochon.com/) and I have been writing and making up stories in my head my entire life. It’s just what I do. This past March I celebrated ten years as a published author. I’ve written 34 novels and novellas, and am hard at work on the 35th. So far, I’ve only published Contemporary Romance novels primarily featuring African American characters. However, I have a Young Adult and a few Romantic Suspense titles sitting on my computer. In addition to writing, I love to travel (probably too much), watch sports, and attend Broadway shows. 


Clue us in on the steps in your writing journey. 

Farrah: I was with Kimani Romance from 2009 – 2016. That means the news of it closing hit very close to home. I wrote sixteen novels and novellas for the line, and found many of my readers through those books. They will always hold a special place in my heart. But Indie publishing has opened up a whole new world to both authors and readers of color. It’s no longer up to the gatekeepers to decide whose stories get told. That’s refreshing. 

Connie: When I finaled in RWA’s Golden Heart contest in 2008, I received my first validation as a writer. The next two years were filled with highs. I wrote a young adult novel that was well received on the contest circuit, got an agent and felt I was on my way to the life of big advances and hardback covers. 

(Clue the dramatic music). 

Then it all went to shit. My mother died, my agent left the business and every publisher in New York rejected my manuscript. I went through a two year bout of writing depression. About that time digital started to grow. I tried my hand at being my own publisher. I self-published my young adult novel. It did poorly. Two years later I tried again this time with an adult novel that defied categorization. Part mystery, part supernatural/mystical suspense, part women’s fiction, Lakota Dreaming received some decent reviews and made enough money so I could qualify for RWA’s PAN (Published Authors Network).


What are your future publishing plans, especially with Harlequin closing it's African American line? 

Farrah: Because I’d already stopped writing for Kimani, I don’t see the closing of the line affecting me in any significant way. While I feel sorrow for my fellow writing friends still with Kimani, I wasn’t all that surprised when the decision was made to shut it down. The romance world has changed drastically in the time since I’ve been published, and Kimani’s core audience now has a plethora of options when it comes finding romances with people who look like them. They aren’t constrained to the four books Kimani published a month, along with a few offerings from a couple of other publishing houses

For now, I love being a hybrid author and don’t expect to change any time soon. I’ve just published TRUST ME, the fifth book in my Holmes Brothers series—a series originally published with Dorchester Publishing years ago that I’ve been able to return to because of indie publishing. I plan to continue that series for several more books before moving on to something new. I have so many ideas; the biggest question is which one to tackle next. 

Connie: I’ve continued the Lakota series with a historical, Lakota Moon Rising (a prequel) and the latest, LAKOTA BLUE MOON, a romantic thriller.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of being an Indie or hybrid author? 

Connie: Marketing and promotion sucks when you are Indie, but I love being in control of my covers, my writing schedule and my time. Maybe one day I’ll go hybrid, but for now I’m happy being self-published.

Farrah: I’m a hybrid author, and so far, I am loving it. I love the control over my work, the quick turnaround (no more waiting a year to see my book on virtual store shelves) and the flexibility. There are disadvantages, of course. I miss seeing my books on the shelves of brick and mortar stores, however, the shelf space has been shrinking so much that I’m not sure my books would be there anyway. There’s also the issue of owning every single bit of the publishing process. It can be really intense at times. Some days I do miss just turning my book over to my editor and not having to worry about writing back cover copy, searching through hundreds of pages of stock art, and all the other things that come with indie publishing. However, for me, the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. 


I want to thank both of my friends for sharing themselves with us. 

Farrah’s latest release is TRUST ME, Book 5 in the Holmes Brothers series.

Trust doesn’t always come easy… As the maverick of the New Orleans City Council, Mackenna Arnold has spent the last four years dismantling the council’s “politics as usual” mentality. Never one to shy away from a challenge, Mack now has her sights set on an even bigger prize: the mayor’s office. But only when the time is right. And only if she can get the pesky freelance journalist hell-bent on investigating her for corruption—who just so happens to be one of the sexiest men alive and her best friend’s younger brother—off her back. But when Mack suspects that her longtime mentor and the city’s current mayor is up to no good, she must convince Ezra Holmes to help her investigate the mayor’s office. Ezra can admit to having had a thing for Mackenna in his younger days, even though she barely knew his name back then. But his past feelings for Mack have nothing to do with why he’s so committed to exposing her. He suspects she’s used her influence as a public official to cut private deals, and breaking this corruption story would be just the thing to jumpstart his fading career. But what is Ezra supposed to do when he discovers Mack isn’t the one who’s a crooked politician? There’s only one thing he can do: join forces with the woman he’s been crazy about for far too long.

For more, and to read an excerpt, go to:https://www.facebook.com/notes/farrah-rochon/trust-me-the-holmes-brothers-book-5/1976413585718238/

Connie's new book is LAKOTA BLOOD MOON

A MAN WILL GO TO HELL AND BACK TO PROTECT WHAT IS HIS.

Police Captain John Iron Hawk’s life is a speeding vehicle down a deserted road. A road with his tormented past looming at his back and a future summed up by the black thunder clouds building on the horizon. His relationship with his daughter is nonexistent. And he can’t seem to say the words to the woman he loves to make her stay.

When Zora Hughes receives a job offer from Cosmopolitan magazine, she knows she has to take it and reestablish her career on the New York fashion scene. She has nothing to keep her on Little River Reservation, even if John is the only man she’s ever trusted or loved this completely. John’s life is his job, and he has little left over to build something with her.

When a psychopathic killer turns their world upside down, they must dig deep to find the strength to outwit an adversary who will strip them of everything they hold dear…including each other.

For more, and to read an excerpt, go to https://www.amazon.com/Constance-Gillam/e/B00OV1JERO/ 

Reinvent! Celebrate the New You!

By: Marcia King-Gamble

www.lovemarcia.com

Happy, happy anniversary my fellow Generistas, and a huge shout out to our Blog Queens with the mostest; Judith Ashley and Sarah Raplee! You and our international readership have kept this blog going.  It’s been six impressive years. You’ve changed direction on a dime, keeping topics fresh and relevant. 

Join us on Tuesdays in the month of May at 9.00m PM EST to hear how the following authors and publisher reinvented themselves:

May 9th  Author Michelle Monkou
May 16    Vice President Editorial, Dianne Moggy Harper Collins
May 23 Historical Author Alyssa Maxwell
May 30  Author ML Buchman

  

Congratulations and Happy Birthday to us!  

In keeping with this month’s theme of “Reinvention”, and in celebration of writers everywhere – those published and those on their way to publication, I say, don’t be afraid to reinvent yourself and go off in a completely different direction. That’s called change.

The only thing writers must fear is fear itself!  

Let me share with you my own reinvention story.

My writing journey began in the eighties as a freelance reader for Silhouette Books. For those of you unfamiliar with Silhouette, it is currently a Harlequin imprint. It’s the place some of the more popular authors like Nora Roberts, Linda Howard and Sharon Sala had their home.

 I read for the imprint for seven years, while changing residences and states. I had a busy corporate life, and publication was not a top priority for me.  But one year as fate would have it, I attended a conference, and met the lovely, inspiring, and now late editor, Monica Harris. Monica was at the time acquiring historicals for Kensington Publishing.  I don’t write historicals, but I enjoyed meeting Monica and we had a very nice rapport.

 

Six months later, she was named Senior Editor at Kensington and charged with acquiring for Kensington’s Arabesque line. This was a fledgling line targeted at a multi-cultural audience. Most said it would never succeed. Back then, it was not believed that people of color were huge readers with immense buying power.

Monica proved the naysayers wrong. She knew that 33% of the romance market were readers of color. Under her leadership, the line flourished.  My first manuscript was diplomatically turned down, but she encouraged me to submit any other work I had.  My second submission was accepted, and a request for a two-book contract followed.  Naturally I was over the moon!   

The Arabesque line was a ground breaker in so many ways, and Monica Harris, an insightful pioneer.  Writers were expected to be socially conscious and were expected to represent our heroes and heroines of color in a positive, responsible light.  Back then there was a huge HIV epidemic, and any sexual encounter required the use of condoms, at least in our books. 

The line was launched in July 1994 by two of my favorite authors; the late, Francis Ray and Sandra Kitt. The titles were Forever Yours and Serenade respectively.  These books were so well received that the imprint quickly increased from 2 releases to 4 books a month; usually each month introduced a debut author.

My first book, Remembrance was released in April of 1998 and Eden’s Dream followed that same year.

Between contracts with Kensington, I wrote a couple of novellas for St. Martin’s Press; Island Magic and Island Bliss.

 In the year 2000, the Arabesque line was sold to the television station BET, and they did a heavy promotion of both books and authors. Authors were not only expected to write, but were expected to promote the line at BET’s events.  Overnight we became television personalities. If you tuned in on Sundays we were often featured on Buy that Book. We were flown to various national events, and I even represented the line at a swimsuit shoot, featuring the then Miss Black America. Sadly, I never quite made the cover of Sports Illustrated or got paid. 

Exciting times lay ahead. The Sepia line; a mainstream (bigger book) imprint followed. I was fortunate to make the leap from category romance to mainstream books. Under the Sepia imprint I published Jade, Shattered Images, This Way Home and Hook, line and Single.



Then Viacom acquired BET and there were even more changes. In 2005, BET Books and its authors were sold  to Harlequin Enterprises and so Harlequin's Kimani Line was born. By then a lot of "street lit" had had hit the market, and to quote the then publisher, Linda Gill, readers of color were looking for more sexy, sophisticated stories mirroring their lives.  Mavis Allen, my editor instilled in us the need to have the series include “rich, realistic, and emotional romances that featured innovative plots and appealing characters who have 'professionally made it', and yet are still seeking love."

 I was fortunate enough to launch the line with my series book, Flamingo Place.  Through all these changes, authors were expected to be flexible and to stay prolific and adapt.  By the time the tablet became an option, there was uncertainty in the air. Advances were being cut, mid-list authors contracts weren’t being renewed, and many houses were merging.

What Amazon did do, was give writers an opportunity to become business owners, and take charge of their lives.  Barnes and Noble quickly followed.  Authors quickly caught on that the percentages being paid directly to the writer by retailers, were far higher than the publishing houses paid. There was a mass exodus, and soon even those who pooh-poohed self-publishing, labeling it as sub-standard, and for those who couldn’t get published traditionally, came on board.

Thus, was my transition into the Indie world.  Now we’ve  come full-circle. Writers have figured out that for more exposure, a hybrid author is the way to go. By hybrid, I mean writing for the traditional publishing world while still maintaining your Indie status.  Yes, you can do both.

In today’s tough market, writers need to be adaptable and open to change. It’s not about selling out. It’s about ensuring you don’t become a dinosaur in an ever changing publishing world.

Be brave fellow writers. You have a lot to celebrate. Go forth!  Shake, rattle and roll!   

About Marcia King-Gamble

Romance writer, Marcia King-Gamble originally hails from a sunny Caribbean island where the sky and ocean are the same mesmerizing shade of blue. This former travel industry executive and current world traveler has spent most of life in the United States. A National Bestselling author, Marcia has penned over 34 books and 8 novellas. Her free time is spent at the gym, traveling to exotic locales, and caring for her animal family.

Visit Marcia at www.lovemarcia.com or “friend” her on Facebook: http://bit.ly/1MlnrIS