I had a reader of this blog share a story with me a week or so ago. She talked about how much she enjoyed reading romance but that her last visit to the bookstore had left her yearning for more, something that reflected her as a black woman and the types of romance stories she enjoyed. She said she left the bookstore empty handed. She then commented how much she enjoyed my blog because I wrote interracial romance with black women and white men as the central characters. She also said she’d just discovered interracial romance books with black woman and non-black men as the hero and heroine. She was excited and it showed in how she spoke about this new romance sub-genre discovery.
I know the feeling, I discovered interracial romance in 2008 as my previous marriage was going down the crapper and I just needed something to take me away. I don’t remember how I actually found out that there were romances written about the type of relationships I’d been in all my dating life. But hallelujah and pass the tambourine, it was a joyous occasion. I remember buying my first three books of interracial romances from Amazon, I wasn’t sure what to buy because when I discovered this pot of gold I also discovered the gold had been there many years. So there were a crapload of interracial romance books featuring black women and non-black men. How could I have been so blind? But two of those first three books I bought were by these two women and I’ve been a super fan of them ever since. Most of us don’t really get to know the authors of our books but I can say I know these two ladies via social media, they are both engaging and funny. They’re wonderful, genuine women which makes reading their books even better.
Roslyn Hardy Holcomb, writes some of the best interracial romance and erotica ever. The first book I ever read by her was Rock Star, if you haven’t read it pick it up. Also just pick up anything else she’s ever written too. She is amazing. She’s what I believe they were talking about when they say wordsmith. Her writing is crisp, full of emotion, and she doesn’t hold back. I enjoy that she doesn’t insult the intelligence of the reader. I figure she thinks if you’re reading this you’re smart enough for her to fully engage you. She’s never written a bad book, at least not for me. Anyone I’ve ever told to read her writing was as smitten by it as I was the first time I read her stories. She is not one to miss, go on Amazon now and put her name in the search engine and buy every book she’s written you won’t regret it, I guarantee. Also check out her blog The One Who Writes, she is funny and straight forward, and always has an encouraging word for black women. I can’t tell you how much you’ll enjoy it.
Now, Crystal Hubbard, I met online after reading her book. I think I talked about it in a little Yahoo online group I had regarding interracial romance books. She found the online chat group and just got in there like she’d known me all my life and in a way I felt she did. She’s so friendly, quirky, fun, and silly and has an amazing loving spirit. She has had an ongoing a battle with cancer that occurred a little after I met her. She has the most determined spirit. Both of these women are mothers and have some awesome kids and I like that they share that partially with us. The first book I read by Crystal was, Crush, I think I read it in 2 days. She took me there, her ability to weave a tale and put you right in the midst of it is fantastic. She’s got an amazing ability to be descriptive without being too wordy. She also writes children books and horror and fantasy stories. I can’t tell you anything but that you need to read her work. It will enchant you, as will she.
I am a die hard romance fan, always have been since my teen days but discovering interracial romance just brought me life. I cannot express in a more definitive fashion how important it is for you, if you’re a fan of this sub-genre, to get and read these two ladies’ books. Also find them online and talk to them, they are both thoroughly engaging, intelligent, funny, and kind women. You don’t always get that kind of opportunity with writers but I’m so glad I know these two. I’m even happier that I’m a fan of their work. Don’t forget to look them up at Amazon for all their titles.
Sometimes I Write 