Eboni Snoe is the best-selling author of seventeen books. In this episode, we discuss her experiences publishing her first romance novel A Shiek’s Spell with Odyssey Books in 1992 as well as her experiences publishing with Arabesque and Avon Book. We deep dive into her novels Beguiled , Tell Me I'm Dreamin’ , her forthcoming autobiography The Altar , and her publishing company Beyond Maya Press. Eboni Snoe’s Facebook: Eboni Snoe: The Life, Books, and Times https://www.facebook.com/ebonisnoe/?ref...
Jul 13, 2021•51 min•Season 2Ep. 10
Celeste Norfleet, a best-selling writer of over twenty-five novels, joins me this week. We talk about her 2002 debut novel Priceless Gift and its curious ending, which became the inspiration for the novels in her well-loved Mama Lou Matchmaker Series. She recounts her experiences at the beginning of her career and the supportive environment of Romance Slam Jam among her well-known sister writers and readers. We also discuss her current release One Night in Georgia , which tells the story of thre...
Jul 06, 2021•53 min•Season 2Ep. 9
Adriana Herrera, a USA Today bestselling author, joins me this episode to talk about a converging series of experiences and events that led her to write and publish romance: her experiences as an immigrant from the Dominican Republic; the dissonance she felt between her studies on Black Feminist Thought and the colonial images she read in romance; the demoralizing rhetoric about immigrants in the 2016 elections and her need to affirm the existence of immigrants; and her need to create romance no...
Jun 29, 2021•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 8
Today’s guest is Katrina Jackson, best-selling writer of over twenty novels. She joins me to discuss her prolific career. Katrina discusses some of her early reading practices, writing her first romance, a self-published book titled Encore , and why she publishes affirming images of Black women. She also recounts how her life as a pre and post tenured historian in the Academy informs some of her novels’ themes. She and I also discuss several of her books: From Scratch , Office Hours , The Hitman...
Jun 22, 2021•52 min•Season 2Ep. 7
Best-selling writer Piper Huguley joins Julie to talks about her experiences writing, publishing, and marketing historical novels with African American Christian characters. She talks about developing her online platform to self-publish her novels, including her first The Lawyer’s Luck and the books in her “Home to Millford College Series.” In addition, she talks about A Virtuous Ruby from her “Migrations of the Heart Series” as well as her forthcoming books: her Hallmark novel Sweet Tea , and B...
Jun 15, 2021•1 hr 17 min•Season 2Ep. 6
Best-selling writer Kennedy Ryan joins Julie to talks about how she developed her writing craft, which led to the 2014 publication of her first book, When You Are Mine . She talks about her experiences self-publishing, starting a foundation serving Atlanta families living with Autism, and she recounts her experiences at the 2019 RWA award ceremony when she won the Rita award for her self-published novel Long Shot in the Contemporary Romance Long area. They deep dive into her books series All the...
Jun 08, 2021•1 hr 20 min•Season 2Ep. 5
Best-selling writer LaQuette joins Julie to discuss her successful writing career, which began with the 2013 publication of her first book, My Beginning . They discuss how she came to write and publish romance, her role as the current President of the Romance Writers of America, her publishing company Brooklyn Girl Ink, and her books Jackson and Bedding the Enemy . LaQuette is a 2021 Vivian award finalist for her book titled Under His Protection . This award-winning writer has received the 2016 ...
Jun 02, 2021•1 hr 10 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Best-selling writer Reese Ryan joins Julie to talk about her successful writing career, which began with the 2013 publication of her first book, Making the First Move . They discuss Ryan’s recent nomination for the Vivian Award in the Contemporary Romance Short area as well as her experiences writing and publishing romance. They also deep dive into three of her novels: Making the First Move , Second Chance on Cypress Lane , and Waking up Married . Reese Ryan is the author of over twenty novels. ...
May 25, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Season 2Ep. 3
Best-selling and award-winning novelist Shirley Hailstock joins Julie to talk about her successful writing career, and they deep dive into her novels Whispers of Love ( Under the Sheets ) and Love in Logan Beach . Shirley Hailstock is the author of over 40 novels and novellas. She writes contemporary romantic suspense, paranormal, historical romance, and mainstream women's fiction. She holds a Career Achievement Award from Romantic Times Magazine, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the New York C...
May 18, 2021•54 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Best-selling writer Donna Hill joins Julie for the first episode of Season two of the Black Romance Podcast. They discuss Hill’s experiences writing and publishing romance, and they deep dive into three of her novels: Rooms of the Heart , Chances Are , and Confessions in B Flat . Donna Hill is a prolific writer who has published romance, women’s fiction, chick lit, erotica, and mysteries. She has even had her books adapted for TV. Her career started in 1990 when she published Rooms of the Heart ...
May 11, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Margo Hendricks who writes romance novels as Elysabeth Grace joins me to close out Season one of the Black Romance Podcast. We discuss her contemporary and paranormal romance novels as well as our forthcoming editorial collaboration on a special issue of the Journal of Popular Romance Studies , which will focus on Black Romance. This issue will include all of the transcripts from my interviews on Season one of the podcast along with essays from several well-known romance writers and scholars. Ma...
Oct 20, 2020•46 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Rochelle Alers and I talked about a number of topics: her experiences writing and publishing romance in the 1980’s; and we talked about books and characters from her Hideaway, Cavanaugh Island, and The Innkeepers series. She also discussed her work with Vivian Stephens on the Women Writers of Color group, her experiences with RWA, and with Black women editors and writers who she believes have contributed to her success.
Oct 13, 2020•1 hr 21 min•Season 1Ep. 10
This week Gwendolyn Pough (writing as Gwyneth Bolton) and I discuss her popular romance fiction Make It Last Forever and Sweet Sensation . We also discuss whether her academic publications on Black feminism and Hip-Hop culture influence her romance fiction.
Oct 06, 2020•46 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Rebekah Weatherspoon discusses the importance of depicting Black women in her books, writing inclusive novels that feature queer love stories with Black characters, and her experiences self-publishing and publishing with Dafina, a traditional press.
Sep 29, 2020•27 min•Season 1Ep. 8
This week Alyssa Cole and I discuss how her precocious childhood reading habits may have influenced her current romance publications. Cole also reveals how her historical and contemporary romance like Let it Shine , An Extraordinary Union , An Unconditional Freedom , A Princess in Theory , and A Duke by Default work through, try to understand, and trouble particular aspects of U.S. culture, history, and politics.
Sep 22, 2020•1 hr 17 min•Season 1Ep. 7
This week’s conversation with Vivian Stephens focuses on several topics: her work at Dell; her transition as editor from Dell to Harlequin; Harlequin’s release of her; her subsequent work with Black romance writers; marketing an all-Black line of Vivian Stephens romance; and her own publication Second Act .
Sep 15, 2020•46 min•Season 1Ep. 6
In part one of my interview with Vivian Stephens, she discusses her experiences as an editor at Dell Publishing, and she talks about her role in the founding of The Romance Writers of America.
Sep 08, 2020•55 min•Season 1Ep. 5
In this conversation, Beverly Jenkins and I talk about her early experiences as a Black woman writing and trying to publish her historical romance featuring Black characters. We also discuss Night Song , her debut novel, Indigo , Jewel , and Forbidden , her historical novels set in the late 1800’s.
Sep 01, 2020•51 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Having published over one hundred and twenty-five novels, Jackson talks about the importance of how Blackness is represented in media and popular culture and about how this led her into filmmaking.
Aug 25, 2020•30 min•Season 1Ep. 3
New York Times best-selling writer Brenda Jackson recounts the challenges she faced publishing romance fiction with black characters in the 1980’s and why she negotiated her own contract to publish her first novel in 1995.
Aug 25, 2020•29 min•Season 1Ep. 2
Welcome! If you love reading Black popular romance fiction, if you love writing and teaching Black Romance fiction, or if you are a budding romance writer wanting to find out how best selling Black writers got into romance writing and publishing, the Black Romance Podcast is for you.
Aug 21, 2020•2 min
Best selling writer Sandra Kitt and I talk about publishing romance fiction in the 1980’s and the path she took to becoming one of the first published writer for Harlequin and for Kensington’s Arabesque series in 1994. We also talk about working with renown Black editors Vivian Stephens and Monica Harris, and Kitt provides a sneak peek into her upcoming releases.
Aug 18, 2020•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 1
