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Willaful Review (and thoughts): Always in My Heart by Kayla Perrin

Friday, August 10, 2012
Posted in: AA authors, AA romance, AA romance book promotion, Uncategorized, willaful, willaful reviews
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Sensuality rating: steamy

This is my first book from Harlequin’s “Kimani” line, and my primary thought reading it was that it’s really messed up that there needs to be an entire separate line for romances with black characters. By any standards I can think of, Always in My Heart is a category romance — it’s a secret baby story, for crying out loud, what could be more typical? — and could be published under a general line, which makes Kimani seem like a publishing ghetto.  Or is it valuable as a tool for people to easily find romances with black characters?  There’s no one definite answer, as the author points out in a Karen Knows Best interview from 2007:

KP: in many ways, I understand the publishers’ dilemma. They know there is a huge AA market. They want AA readers to be able to easily identify books they might relate to. The easiest way to do that is to make the covers ethnocentric.

Booksellers say the same thing—that having an AA section where there is a large AA readership helps readers know where to go to find the stories they’re looking for. It’s the kind of question for which there isn’t necessarily an easy answer.

KKB: What are your thoughts on niche marketing? What do you think the limitations are if any?

KP: I think there are lots of limitations, one of which is alienating the general reader. There really is a feeling, with the current marketing, that if the books are being marketed to the AA reader, then that’s the only demographic which will enjoy AA books. That’s a serious limitation.

I know there are category lines that do publish a few romances with black characters. This is what I’ve noticed in my (extremely limited) reading experience:

The Kimani romance: standard category, no major focus on race, but did include an issue particularly relevant to the characters as black people. The heroine and hero were both activists against racially motivated police violence; the original conflict between them was his joining the police force to try to improve the system from within, and her seeing this as a betrayal. Also, their son is given a West African name. I thought the story did a good job overall of having black characters without making everything be about the fact that they’re black; perhaps other readers might think there’s not enough about it.

The Silhouette Desire romance (name forgotten): This was an absolutely typical Texas tycoon story and nothing, except the cover and a very minor mention of the heroine’s skin tone, indicated in any way whatsover that the main characters were black and that the writer was black.

Of course this comparison is useless because you can’t make a judgement about entire lines based on two books. Still, it gave me food for thought. It’s as if the Desire characters were allowed to be black as long as readers don’t have to think about it; Kimani characters got a little more freedom within the basic formula, although only the most bigoted “general i.e white reader” would find anything in the story to alienate them. I’d love input and title recommendations from others who’ve read these lines more extensively.

As for the book itself: If I were rating solely on the writing, I’d give it 2 1/2 stars. The style is bland and there’s a lot of grating repetition; when every character uses the same phrase to describe a situation (“couldn’t be faithtful” is said about an offscreen character three times) it doesn’t feel real to me.

I’m rating it up a bit because I found the portrayal of Nigel so appealing. He’s very vulnerable, having loved Callie devotedly and been deeply wounded by her. Unlike many romance heroes, his pain doesn’t cause him to act out in hyper-masculinized ways; he’s a family man at heart and is still hoping to find the right woman to settle down with.  Although he’s wary of Callie, fearful she’ll run away from him again, he embraces his newfound son with complete commitment.

So as a pleasant story with an appealing hero, I’m giving it three stars; I’ll probably check out the next books in the series, which will be about Callie’s sisters. You can buy Always in My Heart from Amazon here or from B&N here.

A few more pertinent comments from the interview:

KKB: Have you been personally involved in trying to bring about changes within the publishing industry, with regards to how African American authors are treated? If so can you tell me about your efforts?

KP: I have voiced my opinion in support of having an AA category for the Rita Awards, since our books don’t final (or hardly ever) in the current categories. We have some fabulous books out there, but they’re not finaling. I’d love to know why.

KKB: Do you think this will still be a controversial subject in five years time, or do you think major changes would have been made by then?
KP: The cynic in me says that in 5 years, it will still be a controversial topic. The dreamer in me hopes there’ll be substantial changes. Only time will tell!

This interview took place in 2007 — five years ago. There’s no African American RITA category and in 2012 there were no African American winners. It looks like time hasn’t told us anything very encouraging.

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Racism In Romance – Kayla Perrin Has Her Say…

Monday, March 12, 2007
Posted in: Kayla Perrin on racism in romance


Kayla’s latest book – Gotta Have Some

When did you first get published?

I was first published in 1998.

What genre do you write in?

I write romance, chick lit, and mainstream women’s fiction with suspense.

What race/colour are the majority of your characters?

My characters are predominantly black.

How is your work marketed?

My work is definitely marketed toward the African-American reader.

Where are your books generally shelved?

My books are generally shelved in the African-American section. Sometimes romance as well. It depends on the store.

Where would you prefer your books to be shelved?

This is a catch-22 question. If an area has a large African-American readership, it makes sense for the books to be shelved in the AA section. But if not, then it’s far better to be in the general romance section, or general women’s fiction section.

Have you been subjected to direct/indirect racism from editors, publishers etc in your publishing career.

That’s a tough question. I think that sometimes publishers can have a certain mindset when it comes to AA fiction, in terms of how to market it, for example, and they’re not always willing to budge.

But, AA authors could certainly benefit from broader marketing efforts. Even things such as the book covers—it would be interesting to see if our books would reach a broader readership if the covers weren’t necessarily ethnocentric.

A publicist I was working with recently told me that in normal circumstances, she would walk right by my books in a bookstore—the “blacks” on the cover would not appeal to her. She said, however, that once she started reading my books she was hooked. Her opinion was that publishers should use more generic covers to reach a broader audience.

How do you feel about Oprah Winfrey’s book club- Do you think she could do more to promote AA authors?

Oprah certainly could do more to promote AA authors. She has that kind of power. Can we expect it? I don’t think so. Oprah likes a certain kind of book, which is her right. There are other ways to promote AA authors, ways publishers can exploit.

Do you believe that publishers are more ambivalent when it comes to marketing AA books?

From what I hear other authors say, and from my own experience, I would say yes. Not always, but yes.

I think that publishers are traditionally conservative, and don’t understand the AA market as much as they could. In many ways, they put books out there and see what hits—not just AA books, but books by midlist authors as well.

If you’re able to gain some success without huge publisher efforts, then they’ll likely do more for you later. But that “more” is still limited in many ways.

Which race groups would you say bought the majority of your books?

My books are mostly purchased by AA readers. I do hear that in certain cities, I have a lot of white readers buying my books as well.

What do you think needs to change in order for more white people to read African American books?

That’s a great question. One—I’d love to see an experiment with covers. Change the covers so they don’t specifically target the AA market, like my publicist suggested.

I posed the question of covers and shelving categories online a couple months ago, and one thing authors and readers said was that seeing covers with Black characters often makes them think “That’s not for me.”

However, most said if the books were in the general fiction sections they peruse, not in a specific AA section, then they would likely pick the book up and check it out.

Have you ever been snubbed by white readers/white authors during a signing?

Here’s something interesting. I did a signing once where a white reader approached me and asked, “Are your books just for black people?” I told her no, and explained the nature of my story, and she ultimately bought a book.

But I’ve definitely had readers come to a table where I might be signing with white authors and ignore me entirely. Is this because they feel they can’t relate to my stories because I’m black? I can’t say.

Have you ever been overlooked by an editor in favour of a white author?

This I can’t answer. I would say no, since I continue to get publishing contracts. What I can see happening is better marketing and promotion for white authors (in general) versus black authors—simply because publishers know how to market “white books” better.

However, my agent expressed frustration to me regarding the film agent she uses. This agent said, “It’s too hard to sell black books to Hollywood” and therefore didn’t even try to get me film sales. That was very frustrating, and her decision racially based.

Have you ever been asked to tone down, or increase the ethnicity within your books?

I have been asked why I had a white character in a book with two black women—this by an editor who is white! I guess she felt that if my book is targeted at blacks, why should I have a white woman in the story.

However, we have friends of all races, and that is no different in fiction—if we want to tell stories that reflect reality. Another editor (also white) not only understood the diversity, but loved it. She ultimately bought the book.

Are you familiar with Millennia Black’s lawsuit against Penguin? If so, what do you think her chances of winning are?

I have heard about it. It’s an interesting case. I don’t know what her chances of winning are. But I’m curious to see what happens next!

How do you think her victory will affect the way AA authors are treated within the industry?

I think it will make publishers reconsider how they market AA fiction. That said, in many ways, I understand the publishers’ dilemma. They know there is a huge AA market.

They want AA readers to be able to easily identify books they might relate to. The easiest way to do that is to make the covers ethnocentric.

Booksellers say the same thing—that having an AA section where there is a large AA readership helps readers know where to go to find the stories they’re looking for. It’s the kind of question for which there isn’t necessarily an easy answer.

What are your thoughts on niche marketing? What do you think the limitations are if any?

I think there are lots of limitations, one of which is alienating the general reader. There really is a feeling, with the current marketing, that if the books are being marketed to the AA reader, then that’s the only demographic which will enjoy AA books. That’s a serious limitation.

Have you been personally involved in trying to bring about changes within the publishing industry, with regards to how African American authors are treated? If so can you tell me about your efforts?

I have voiced my opinion in support of having an AA category for the Rita Awards, since our books don’t final (or hardly ever) in the current categories.

We have some fabulous books out there, but they’re not finaling. I’d love to know why.

Do you think this will still be a controversial subject in five years time, or do you think major changes would have been made by then?

The cynic in me says that in 5 years, it will still be a controversial topic. The dreamer in me hopes there’ll be substantial changes. Only time will tell!

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions, Kayla, some very interesting responses!

If you want to find out a little bit more about Kayla and her books, you can visit her website here.

Coming up tomorrow, Eugenia O’Neal.

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Racism In Romance – Author, Lynn Emery Has Her Say…

Sunday, March 11, 2007
Posted in: Lynn Emery Racism In Romance Survey


Lynn’s latest book – Soulful Strut

When did you first get published?

My first book came out in 1995

What genre do you write in?

Romance and women’s fiction

What race/colour are the majority of your characters?

My main characters are black, but casts of characters in my novels have always been diverse (white, Asian, etc.)

How is your work marketed?

Publishers do the usual, ads in Romantic Times, publisher catalogues and send ARCs out for review. A few times HarperCollins coordinated with myself and a PR pro I used on special promotional efforts

Where are your books generally shelved?

In the AA sections at Waldenbooks/Borders. In fiction at Barnes & Noble. Walmart puts them on a shelf with AA mass market fiction.

Where would you prefer your books to be shelved?

In romance or fiction. For a long time I didn’t have a problem with the shelving. I wanted readers to find my books easily. After taking part in some lively forums about shelving, and seeing the way AA books of all genres are just thrown together, I changed my mind.

Even black readers browsing for a specific genre have to guess which book is a mystery, which is urban fiction, which is a romance, etc. It makes no sense.

But let me say that back in the day blacks who were activists fought for bookstores first to carry our books, then to increase the number and variety of AA books on sale, then to give AA studies (serious non-fiction on Civil Rights and other race issues) a separate section. So I don’t think the origins of separate shelving is like the “Colored Only” signs back in the day. But now it’s time to move away from it.

Problem is AA readers want those sections generally. They don’t want to wander around looking for their fave AA authors in the romance, then go to the horror, etc. sections.

I’ve heard them say it, reinforcing what booksellers say. I don’t think this is some made-up excuse. AA authors have to raise consciousness about this- that convenience shouldn’t trump the greater good.

Have you been subjected to direct/indirect racism from editors, publishers etc in your publishing career.

That would be impossible for me to answer other than to say, “I don’t know”. This is a complicated business and decisions are made based on sales.

Also I’m at a great distance from the decision making on marketing, etc. So any answer I give about myself personally would just be speculation with no evidence at all to back it up.

I will venture to say that I don’t think most publishers have figured out how to market most AA commercial fiction.

I can say that black readers in America tend to read a variety, and don’t just stick to romance, fantasy or mystery like other readerships might. If they fall in love with black characters they will cross genres, though horror, science fiction and paranormal generally seem to be a hard sell.

Yet as a new romance author back in the day I remember that they marketed Arabesque in the traditional ways white romance authors were marketed. Which IMHO explained why I would meet black women at booksignings for several years stunned to learn about black romances- even after Arabesque had become established.

Although I don’t have hard figures, I have a strong feeling that most American black women don’t read Romantic Times or even know about the magazine. That’s just one example.

How do you feel about Oprah Winfrey’s book club- Do you think she could do more to promote AA authors?

Oprah is not doing her book club to promote a group of authors period, she wants to promote reading the kind of literature she prefers. She’s not going to push books that she doesn’t personally love, so no.

Unlike some authors I don’t think Oprah has a duty to promote AA authors more. She has done a lot for AA authors of literary fiction and to encourage a love of reading in general. That’s enough IMO.

Critics of her book choices should leave her alone for the love of all that’s sacred!!! LOL Seriously, I’m not on the bandwagon to make Oprah, or any celebrity, push some agenda as defined by others.

Do you believe that publishers are more ambivalent when it comes to marketing AA books?

Yes. I think (no facts, JMO) they really believe that every AA novel that hits big is an anomaly for some weird reason that I cannot for the life of me fathom.

They understand fiction with a race issue, like showing us suffering and overcoming racial indignity.

They do understand violent, sexually explicit books selling like hotcakes, but Terry McMillan and most other authors writing about AA folks struggling with life issues seem to leave them going-”Yeah, but that was a fluke.” Caveat before this next answer. I like urban fiction, read gritty books and love them. But the usual picture of crime, sex, violence seems to reinforce a racial stereotype that somehow whites understand. So they “get” why urban fiction is hot. But building authors who aren’t doing these kinds of books seems to them a waste of money.

Even so urban fiction had to “prove itself”, once again, before the big houses joined the party. And other self-pubbed authors first worked their butts off, built an audience and then got picked up by traditional houses.

Which race groups would you say bought the majority of your books?

Black women, hands down. I literally can’t give away free books at RWA publisher sponsored events. While new white authors with no name recognition draw interest.

What do you think needs to change in order for more white people to read African American books?

IMO there needs to be a cultural shift. White readers need to stop thinking of us as “others” whose stories are in some ethnic code that is not relevant to their human experience.

No matter how much we’ve said it, white women don’t think that a romance with AA characters is about romance. They are convinced it seems (in general) that there is some element in our books that will alienate, offend or confuse them.

Others are convinced that there are “political statements” in books even when the author is scratching her head because she didn’t include any such subplot. But perception is reality.

There also needs to be less of whites thinking the world revolves around them, that everything important (big ideas, grand romance, great expectations) has a white face.

This is not even conscious, it’s just so ingrained that most whites didn’t even notice the lack of AA people in romance books, or any other fiction, or movies, or television. See, this is “normal” for them.

Have you ever been snubbed by white readers/white authors during a signing?

Oh yeah.

Have you ever been overlooked by an editor in favor of a white author?

I have no way to tell, except. I will say that at RWA conferences I’ve seen newbie and mid-list white authors get perks like lunch with their editors (picking up the tab) while the AA romance authors in general don’t.

Definitely not us mid-list AA authors(which means bottom list in reality) don’t. At first I thought, “You’re being a tad paranoid, Lynn.” But I kept seeing it. Then finally another AA author said, “Have you noticed…” and I was like “ding-ding” that rings a bell.

Now again this is complicated because there is no such thing as equal treatment when it comes to authors. There are prominent AA romance authors who do meet with their editors. So it’s not a hands down “NO” AA authors get perks.

But when you see unknown or mid-list white authors get treatment that AA authors don’t, you do wonder.

Have you ever been asked to tone down, or increase the ethnicity within your
books?

Never.

Are you familiar with Millennia Black’s lawsuit against Penguin? If so, what do you think her chances of winning are?

Based on what little I know she may have a shot.

How do you think her victory will affect the way AA authors are treated within
the industry?

I doubt it. I think they will quietly continue as always, but be extra careful not to make the fatal mistake MB’s editor/publisher did.

What are your thoughts on niche marketing? What do you think the limitations are if any?

Niche marketing makes sense, but AA fiction should have outreach marketing as well.

Have you been personally involved in trying to bring about changes within the publishing industry, with regards to how African American authors are treated? If so can you tell me about your efforts?

At first I wasn’t going to say no, but I did join one effort to get a major chain to stop shelving all AA books in one section and put AA romance in with other romances (wrote a letter to corporate). They ignored us. The cash register rules.

Do you think this will still be a controversial subject in five years time, or do you think major changes would have been made by then?

Unless I’m totally wrong and MB’s suit brings changes I doubt anything will change in regard to shelving or marketing, etc. Back in 1993 when Kensington created Arabesque AA romance authors thought things would change, didn’t happen.

When our books started selling and found the untapped audience of AA women who had been reading and collecting white romances for decades we thought, “Ah-ha, money talks.” Nope, no change. So here we are eleven years later and what are we discussing? If things will change. You do the math.

What has changed is publishers realized that they could make money, bookstores realized they could make more money, thus more black authors are on the shelves than ever before. You don’t have to go on a great treasure search to find black authors of fiction and non-fiction. That has indeed changed. So I have hope.

Thanks for taking the time to participate in this survey Lynn.

If you want to find out a little bit more about Lynn and her books, you can visit her website here.

Coming up tomorrow, author, Kayla Perrin.

22 Comments »

The Great (Or not So Great) Racism In Publishing Survey…

Monday, February 5, 2007
Posted in: Racism in publishing survey

I’m somebody who likes to get the true tale straight from the horse’s mouth, so with this in mind, I decided to conduct a poll based on African American authors experiences within the publishing industry.

I want to know how other AA authors feel about the current shelving policies, I want to know who they feel is to blame for the current problems that they face. I want to know if they feel that their work is considered inferior in comparison to white romance authors. I want to know their thoughts on what needs to change.

I already tried doing this the discreet way, by sending out an e-mail to all the AA authors that I’m familiar with, but so far I’ve only had 9 responses (I sent 50 e-mails out thus far). Two of the authors were too busy, one person didn’t want to be involved, because they thought I was affiliated to All About Romance, and one author decided to forward the supposedly private e-mail and private e-mail address, to a whole host of Yahoo groups. Thanks for that, I do so love getting spam. Incidentally, she didn’t want to particpate.

Now here’s the hard bit, to get this news out, I need help from you guys. (Yes you need to do some work!)

I would like for all the reader and writer bloggers out there who frequent this site to cut and paste the following message onto their blog:

Racism In Publishing, How Does It Affect You?

Are you an African American author who’s been published for at least one year? If so Karen Scott wants to hear from you.

She’s conducting a survey based on the racism within the publishing industry, and whether or not it’s as prevalent as some believe. She’s looking for black or African American authors who have been published for at least one year.

She would like to know about your specific experiences within the industry thus far. She wants to know how AA authors feel about the current shelving policies, and niche marketing. She wants to know who you feel is to blame for the problems that you face. She also wants your suggestions on how things can be improved upon.

In all, there are twenty questions in the survey, and all that she asks is that people be as honest as possible. Confidentiality is assured if requested, but for the findings to yield more weight, she would request that she be granted permission to directly quote from the answers given by the authors.

She’s hoping to poll at least 100 AA authors, in an effort to ensure that a fair representation is achieved.

If enough authors agree to partcipate, (and depending on the findings) the results may well be sent to representatives within media and press. No promises that Oprah will hear about it, but all efforts will be made to get the message out.

If there are AA authors out there interested in participating in this poll, please e-mail Karen at hairylemony @ gmail. com (without the spaces) with the subject header ‘Please send me the survey’.

The deadline for the survey to be completed and returned to Karen is March 1st 2007

I’d be really grateful if you guys could help me to spread the word, and fingers crossed that I get a better response this way.

Please note that this post will remain at the top of the blog for the next month. For my regular *ahem*, daily posts, please look below.

Thanks to the following AA authors who have agreed to particpate so far:

Lynn Emery

Evelyn Palfrey

Marcia King-Gamble

Niqui Stanhope

Gwyneth Bolton

Beverly Jenkins

Monica Jackson

MJ King

Raine Weaver

Kayla Perrin

Kymberlyn Reed

Angela Henry

Seressia Glass

Kyra Hicks

Eugenia O’Neal

Shelia Goss

Millennia Black

Bettye Griffin

Harrine Freeman

I’m sure it’s no coincidence that these ladies also have great websites. (g)




35 Comments »

Tuesday Special Author Interview: Kayla Perrin

Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Posted in: Uncategorized

Author Name: Kayla Perrin
Website: www.kaylaperrin.com
Genre: Romance and mainstream women’s fiction
Latest book in shops now: A Season of Miracles BET Books

Before we begin this interview, I need to check that you’re still grounded and that your head isn’t swollen from all of your success, so with that in mind, what was the last thing you bought at Target, and do you know how much a loaf of bread costs? (grin)

Hey, do they actually have Target in the U.K.? They don’t have them in Canada, where I live, but I do shop at an equivalent—a store called Zellers. And I bought LOADS of stuff there over the holidays. Most recently a “Diva Karioke” machine for my 3-year-old who is a little star. As for the loaf of bread, my men servants always buy them and never tell me the price—sorry! :)

Actually, we don’t have Targets in the UK… yet. *g*

What were your favourite books as a child?

I am currently suffering from post Triple Deadline Dementia, and drawing a serious blank. I can only say that I loved to read, and read voraciously—everything. It’s the main reason I started writing my own books from the time I could first hold a pencil. Judy Blume was one of my favourite authors, though (and I’ll have an essay in a collection of essays about how she affected young women’s lives next year…).

Did you read romance books as a teenager?

Actually, I didn’t! Well, I did read a lot of Sweet Valley High, which had romance plots in different books in the series. So if that counts, yes. But I didn’t read my first Harlequin romance until my early twenties—at which point I thought, “Hey, I should be writing these!”

I guess every girl read SV High books when they were teenagers huh?

What does a typical day as a writer consist of?

Ha ha ha ha ha. Okay, now that I’ve stopped laughing, I have to ask—are you serious? Well, I suppose you are. So. Well. It definitely consists of procrastinating until the sun goes down.

At least when I’m trying to write the first draft. It’s easy to be distracted since my daughter isn’t in full time daycare (something I need to rectify!) and she wants my attention pretty much the whole day. Plus, no matter how I might try to change my schedule, I create best at night.

Try writing at night and getting up in the morning to be a mother. I’m constantly sleep-deprived. Which is when I need my men servants to rub my back with exotic oils just to alleviate all my stress!

I’m liking the sound of your men servants Kayla, can I borrow them sometime? *g*

Name your top five favourite books of all time.

To Kill A Mockingbird, The Chrysalids, Are You There God It’s Me Margaret, Envy (by Sandra Brown), and Where Are The Children?

Which authors are you glomming at the moment? (reading a lot of?)

Oh, just discovered Carl Hiassen! He sets his hilarious mysteries in Miami, a place where I lived for a while and adore. Also, since a writing partner and I have set a chick lit mystery in Miami, I thought it was fitting to start reading his stuff. I didn’t know he was so much fun. I’m having such a blast reading the Carl Hiassen books that I know I’ll be disappointed when I get through them all.

Do you have other close romance writer friends, and if so who are they?

I have lots of romance writer friends, and my closest is Brenda Mott, who is my writing partner for the chick lit novel I mentioned. The book is called How To Kill A Guy In Ten Days, and I have to say, it’s hilarious!

Nina Foxx is one of my newest friends (don’t ask about the cruise to the Bahamas…!) Tina Wainscott is also a great friend, and each year we throw the Wild and Wacky Be A Diva Party at the Romantic Times convention—which is quite scandalous and lots of fun. I’ve met practically all the big names at various conferences, including Sandra Brown, Nora Roberts, Susan Wiggs, Jennifer Crusie . . . and the list goes on.

Ooh what a name dropper, lol! Bahamas eh, my imagination’s just gone wild!

When did you realise that you wanted to write books, and who or what inspired you?

Honestly, I have been telling stories since before I could hold a pencil, and started writing them as soon as I was physically able. My desire to write has been with me right from the beginning. I even sent my first book to a publisher when I was 13 years old!

How long has it been since you first got published?

My first book hit the shelves in 1998. I got that contract at the end of 1996.

How did you get your first book published? Did you have a mentor?

No mentor! I’m the type of person who tends to work alone and I want only the editor’s input! No critique group for me, thank you very much. When it comes to stuff like grammar, I never had a problem, as I was an English major.

I knew instinctively that I had what it took to become a published writer, once I put my mind to it, which I did on January 1, 1996. It was my New Year’s Resolution to have a publishing contract by the end of the year—and I did! What helped me was going to the national RWA conference and meeting with editors and agents. I met an editor from Genesis Press there who requested my book (which I told her was written, but neglected to tell her it was written as a screenplay).

After frantically writing the book to meet her requested deadline (September), I heard in December that they were offering me a 2-book contract.

Which of your books do you feel that you are best known for?

Definitely If You Want Me. I get more fan mail about that book than any others, and if I meet people who have read my books, it’s usually that one. Also, a lot of people know me for The Sisters of Theta Phi Kappa (mainstream), which was an Essence Bestseller.

Have any of your books been optioned for a movie?

So far, one – Sweet Honesty. Unfortunately for me, Viacom bought out BET just before they were going to go into pre-production for my book, and everything was put on hold. Currently, two producers are very interested in another couple of my books: Sister’s In Pink(sorority hazing leads to murder) and Getting Even (launching Harlequin’s Spice line in May).

Earlier this year, Harlequin bought Arabesque books from BET, what were your thoughts on this, and what do you consider are the pro’s and cons of such a move, and also, what do you think the future holds for Arabesque books now?

You know, I’m not really sure. Harlequin is a powerhouse, so I’m sure the books will see much wider distribution. I also think that with them buying BET, it shows that they know African American romances are here to stay.

I like that an author’s backlist (like mine) should be get a second chance at life with hopefully larger distribution. But, in a way, I’d prefer to see Harlequin incorporate AA romances into their other lines, which they are doing to a small degree.

Lately, there has been a lot of talk about the advantages and disadvantages of shelving African American romance books, separately from general romance books, what are your thoughts on this? Should AA books be shelved separately, or should they be kept together?

I think that a combination of both options should be explored. Some stores definitely benefit from the separate section. The patrons who want those books head straight there and find a whole lot to choose from. But in more multicultural stores, I think it’s wise to do a combination of both separation and integration—to reach as many customers as possible.

If you could have a one-to-one conversation with a famous historical figure, who would it be with and what would you talk about?

Oh, great. You’re throwing in a serious question. Well, I’d have to say Jesus. I’d love to talk to Him and ask all the questions of the universe that we currently don’t have answers to!

Something along the lines of how come we women bleed for a week, without dying you mean? *g*

What is your ultimate goal when it comes to your writing?

First and foremost, I want a career for many years. If I achieve that, then it’d be a career-high thrill to hit the New York Times Bestseller list.

How has the romance industry changed from when you first started writing, and which of these changes were you happiest/unhappiest with?

I see a lot more diversity now with ethnic characters (African American, East Indian, Chinese, etc) and the biggest change is the move toward chick lit. I actually like this change. I find that change helps keep things fresh and interesting and I’m devouring lots of chick lit as well as romance these days.

In this day and age, do you think it’s possible for new romance writers to make it without having some kind of presence on the internet?

I think it is possible. Especially if your publisher gets behind you and promotes you in a seriously big way. That said, and internet presence is certainly helpful. I need to revamp my website, which I hope to do soon.

In your experience, what would you say was the most effective method of marketing a romance novel?

Hmm… Advertising in Romantic Times Magazine.

Which of your books is dearest to your heart, and why?

I’d have to say my first book, Again My Love. That’s my baby. My firstborn.

I first stumbled upon your work in a Mother’s Day anthology, published by BET, since then, I’ve noticed that you seem to write in a lot of anthologies, was this a deliberate choice on your part, and if so, why?

It wasn’t a deliberate choice, but I’m happy to do it because, like your own experience proves, a new reader can find me through an anthology she might have picked up because of another author. They’re also short and sweet and fun to write.

I’ve always wondered about this, but as an author, once your books are published, do you actually go back and read them yourself, and if so, are you able to enjoy them, or do you perhaps see things that make you want to chew your own arm off in frustration? (grin).

You know, I can’t say I’ve re-read one of my books in its entirety, but I definitely will pick one up, open to a passage, and read. And yes, I’m entertained! I’m usually pleasantly surprised, and sometimes amazed at what I wrote in terms of not remembering I actually wrote that.

For me, it affirms that my stories come from somewhere deep inside of me I have no control over until I’m in front of the computer. There are some books that I definitely cringe a little at wishing I could re-write something, but I don’t obsess over it because I can’t change it, so what’s the point?

Has anything a reviewer or reader said or written about you changed the way you write?

Yes! One reader once told me I used “Oh my God” too much. Since then, I try to cut down on the usage, but it’s a common expression people use every day, so I can’t eliminate it entirely.

Earlier this year, RWA attempted to try to define romance, and it caused a bit of a furore round the romance blogosphere, due to the limitations of the definitions. What were your thoughts on this at the time, and do you think it’s possible/necessary to define romance in a way that doesn’t exclude other sub-genres?

I’m all for opening up the definitions. I think the romance genre is growing up to reflect the times, at least where the reader and writer are concerned. We’re not babies. We can handle some “blurring.” If you read Gimme An O! then you know that the hero is technically married when he gets involved with the heroine.

A reviewer wrote that had she been reading for pleasure, she would have closed the book at that point, but since she was reading for review purposes, she kept going, and was glad she did because she said she thoroughly enjoyed how the story played out—something she would have missed if she judged the book by the “constraints” of the romance definition.

When was the last time you went overseas and where did you go?

The Bahamas. On an author cruise put together by TJ Butler. This is where I roomed with Nina Foxx …

Oh aren’t you gonna spill? Pretty Please?

Who are your favourite romance hero and heroine of all time?

Does it have to be in a book? Because I love Bo and Hope from Days Of Our Lives dearly and will always love them as my favourite romantic couple.

I’ll let you have Bo and Hope *g*

What kind of characters would you say you typically wrote?

Hmm… Characters with issues of trust.

If only one person could read your book, who would that be? (as in the person who you would want most to read your book)

My father!

If you had to pick, who would you say has been most influential within the romance genre?

Nora Roberts.

What was the last movie you saw?

At the theatre: After the Sunset. At home: Cheaper by the Dozen. Hilarious!

Name your top five favourite romantic films.

When Harry Met Sally, The Mirror Has Two Faces, While You Were Sleeping, How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days, and I’m drawing a blank. There are so many to choose from! Just realized that I chose all romantic comedies. I also loved the combo of Before Sunrise/Before Sunset.

What was the last book you read, and did you enjoy it?

I read Paranoia by Joseph Finder (his High Crimes was made into a movie with Morgan Freeman). I was BLOWN AWAY by this book. It was over 500 pages and I didn’t want it to end! I also love the suspense genre quite a bit.

Have you ever written a book that you didn’t particularly care for, and do you cringe if you see people picking it up to read it?

I don’t cringe. But I have some that I’m less fond of. Usually, I get lots of mail re those with people telling me how much they love them! Like Fool For Love.

What do you enjoy most about being a writer?

My flexible schedule.

What do you least enjoy about being a writer?

The fact that my flexible schedule leads to a lot of procrastination.

As well as being a successful writer, you have a major interest in drama. You’ve appeared in several stage shows as well as films, and you’ve also worked behind the camera. Is the movie industry, an area you’ll continue to be involved in along side writing, or is it something that you’ve put on the back burner for now?

It was on the backburner, but now, I’m really feeling the urge to find a way to produce and direct my own film. Furthering this dream is a new program I picked upt that helps you edit videos and pictures to make your own DVDs. Over the last 5 days, I’ve made around 10! I was up till 6 a.m. this morning working on that—not my revisions for my book (shh! Don’t tell my editor!). I really want to find a way to produce a feature film within the next two years.

As you’ve been there, done it, and have the badge to prove it, what is the number one advice that would you give to aspiring writers out there?

Don’t give up! Persistence really is key.

Since all authors are readers, too, do you have any books you’ve especially enjoyed over the last year or so that you’d like to recommend to readers who’ve enjoyed your books?

Paranoia by Joseph Finder, The Givenchy Code by Julie Kenner, Skinny Dip by Carl Hiassen and everything else he’s written! I can’t say I read a lot of romance last year, but that’s okay.

Finally, when’s your next book due out, and what’s it about?

I’m really excited about my next book, Getting Even. It’s launching Harlequin’s new SPICE line and it’s what I like to call erotic chick lit. Don’t look for any real romance though (the big clue is that the title is GETTING EVEN).

Three women who are screwed over by the men in their lives plot some delicious revenge. It’s a lot of fun, and it hopeful in terms of a romantic note, but I wouldn’t call it a romance.

Thanks so much for taking the time out to answer these very nosy questions!
Your welcome. Now, if you’ll excuse me, my men servants are waiting….

Ooh please, don’t let me hold you up *g* Thanks Kayla!

OK, that’s it for this week, next week, Julia Quinn will be in the hot seat! (Hopefully) *g*

Ciao for now!

2 Comments »

Tuesday Special Author Interview: Sharon Sala

Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Posted in: Uncategorized

Author Name: Sharon Sala
Website: http://romanceauthorspage.com/sharonsala/
Genre: Romantic suspense
Latest book in shops now: The Chosen

Before we begin this interview, I need to check that you’re still grounded and that your head isn’t swollen from all of your success, so with that in mind, what was the last thing you bought at Target, and do you know how much a loaf of bread costs? (grin)

Okay… the last thing I bought at Target was a T-Rex dinosaur mountain (for my 4-year old grandson’s Xmas present), and the bread I buy is $2.19 a loaf. I’m picky about bread. It has to be whole wheat or at least cracked wheat. None of that gummy white stuff for me.

Sharon, I have to tell you that your book, The Way To Yesterday inspired me to write the first ever gushing fan letter. It was an amazing story, where did you get the inspiration for Daniel’s character?

I got the inspiration for The Way To Yesterday from a dream. That’s where almost all of my stories come from. Daniel’s character was such a sweetheart. I used my son, Chris, as a pattern, though, because he’s such a great dad to his three little girls.

Have you ever been approached by a film company, to option any of your books for the big screen?

I’ve had people who worked in the film industry express interest in some of my stories, but nothing’s ever come of it.

What were your favourite books as a child?

My favorite books as a child were the Zane Grey stories and the Tarzan books. I liked adventure stories a lot.

Did you read romance books as a teenager?

As a teenager, the Emilie Loring and Grace Livingston Hill were the ones I liked best.

What does a typical day as a writer consist of?

A typical day for me is answering email in the morning. Doing shopping and running errands during the day and writing the most in the evening and at night.

Name your top five favourite books of all time.

I don’t know if I have five favorite books of all time. I don’t reread books much. Once I know what’s going to happen, the story has lost most of the interest for me. But, if I had to make a list, the Holy Bible would be on the list, as would my old Better Homes and Garden cook book.

Too many favorite recipes that I used to make for my kids who are now all grown up. Also, Palomino by Danielle Steele, because it was the first romance book that made me want to write romance. Another book would be the family history book that my mother and a cousin compiled. It’s not just a “family tree” book, but a book with funny and poignant stories about the people who were my ancestors.

It’s humbling to know that, but for them and their sacrifices, I would not be who I am. And the last favorite book I guess I would put on the list is a little Golden Book with a character named Grandpa Bunny Bunny. It was an Easter book that my children absolutely loved and I can still remember them climbing up into my lap with that book to be read.

Which authors are you glomming at the moment? (reading a lot of?)

I haven’t been reading a lot of anything at the moment, because I don’t allow myself the luxury when I’m on deadline. However, I love James Patterson’s mysteries, Patricia Cornwell’s mysteries, and Lisa Jackson’s romantic suspense stories. Also the J.D. Robb series that Nora Roberts writes. All spectacularly good stuff.

I have to agree about Cornwell and JD Robb!

Do you have other close romance writer friends, and if so who are they?

My closest friends are romance writers, and high on the list is Janis Reams Hudson, who has been my best friend and savior through 2005, which turned out to be the saddest year of my life. I lost my fiance, Bobby, to liver cancer at the end of June and my Auntie two days later also succumbed to cancer.

Wow, tough year indeed, I was really sad to hear about your loss Sharon, let’s hope 2006 is a much better year for you.

When did you realise that you wanted to write books, and who or what inspired you?

I don’t know exactly when I thought about writing, but as I said earlier, Danielle Steele was my first inspiration. I wrote my first book of any kind in 1980, then another one in 1981 and stuck them under the bed because they were so bad. However, the bug had bitten me.

How long has it been since you first got published?

My first book came out in 1991.

How did you get your first book published? Did you have a mentor?

I just sent my book to a publishing house and the first place I sent it to, bought it. No, I didn’t have a mentor. I had to trust my own judgement in everything. However, Kate Duffy was my first editor and I valued her guidance greatly.

Which of your books do you feel that you are best known for?

I’m not necessarily best known for a single book, so much as a style of books. My stories are very emotional, contemporary and dark, but with really wonderful characters to love. Readers comment a lot about a book called Jackson Rule, and another book called Out of The Dark.

Both very good books!

If you could have a one-to-one conversation with a famous historical figure, who would it be with and what would you talk about?

My one-on-one conversation with a famous historical figure would be with
Eleanor Roosevelt. I think she was a woman ahead of her time.

What is your ultimate goal when it comes to your writing?

My ultimate goal in writing is to write stories that my readers can identify with.

How has the romance industry changed from when you first started writing, and which of these changes were you happiest/unhappiest with?

The industry has changed a lot since I got in the business. There are less publishing houses to submit work to, stricter guidelines in which to do it, but you still have to be able to tell a good story to get the book sold.

I think I’m happiest about the quality of work that’s being published, and least interested about the e-books. I still like to hold a book when I read, and feel the paper between my fingers. I work so much at a computer that I do not enjoy reading from one for entertainment.

In this day and age, do you think it’s possible for new romance writers to make it without having some kind of presence on the internet?

I really can’t say how much impact the internet has on the romance industry other than to provide another way to purchase books. I’m not particularly pleased about the fact that used copies of my books go up for sale on the internet almost before they’re available in the stories.

I don’t get any royalties on resales. Just the initial few cents per book for original sales, so you can understand where I’m coming from.

I know a few authors who would agree with you actually Sharon, so you’re not alone on this.

In your experience, what would you say was the most effective method of marketing a romance novel?

In my experience, the most effective method of marketing a romance novel is to leave it to the experts, which happen to be my publisher.

Which of your books is dearest to your heart, and why?

I have a couple that are near and dear to my heart. One of them is Sweet Baby. Another is Out of The Dark, and also The Chosen.

I’ve always wondered about this, but as an author, once your books are published, do you actually go back and read them yourself, and if so, are you able to enjoy them, or do you perhaps see things that make you want to chew your own arm off in frustration? (grin).

Once in a while I will go back to one of my books and reread a particular scene just to visit the characters. It sounds strange, but I do miss them when the book is finished.

Has anything a reviewer or reader said or written about you changed the way you write?

Despite criticism, comments and suggestions from reviewers and readers, I write what I want to write, the way I want to write it. If they like it, then wonderful, but if they don’t, then all that means to me is that book wasn’t meant for them to read, that it was written for someone else to enjoy.

Good philosophy.

Last year, RWA attempted to try to define romance, and it caused a bit of a furore round the romance blogosphere, due to the limitations of the definitions. What were your thoughts on this at the time, and do you think it’s possible/necessary to define romance in a way that doesn’t exclude other sub-genres?

I have no comment regarding the definitions of romance. If people want to define it and categorize it, then that’s their headache. There are sub-genres of romance that I enjoy and there are some that I absolutely hate, so.. it’s personal preference after all.

A lot of well known authors who first wrote within the romance genre, seem to have moved away from traditional romance, and are now writing paranormals, suspense etc. (e.g. Linda Howard, Catherine Coulter) Why do you think this is?

This question has to do completely with the one before. Romance is romance, whether it includes suspense, erotica, paranormal, gothic, etc. I don’t know why the other authors write what they write, but I know why my style has changed some over the years.

I would sincerely hope that I’ve learned to tell better stories in fewer words, and that I am now allowed to write the kind of stories that I want to, not necessarily what my publisher wants me to write. I have always like the gothic, paranormal, suspense stories more than just straight character driven, family sagas…
therefore, I’m writing what I like to read. Not trying to keep up or change with the business.

When was the last time you went overseas and where did you go?

The only time I’ve ever been overseas was to Italy. I was in Milan, Naples and Positano. Memorable cities for a memorable trip.

Who are your favourite romance hero and heroine of all time?

My favorite romance hero and heroine of all time? Vincent and Catherine from the television series, Beauty and the Beast.

Oh I loved Vincent and Catherine!

What kind of characters would you say you typically wrote?

Typically, I write dark, tortured hero/heroines who have to overcome some big issue in their life before the story ends.

If only one person could read your book, who would that be? (as in the person who you would want most to read your book)

If only one person could read my book, I would want it to be the person who intends to make all of my books into movies.

Good answer *g*

If you had to pick, who would you say has been most influential within the romance genre?

I have no idea who the most influential person in the romance genre is. My friends would be laughing at me now as I’m writing this, because I am constantly oblivious as to what’s going on in the industry. Half the time I don’t know agents from editors and never know what house is looking for what style of work.

What was the last movie you saw?

I can’t remember the last movie… maybe Hidalgo with Bobby before he died.

Name your top five favourite romantic films

Top favorite romantic films. Oh my. The Last Of The Mohicans with Daniel Day-Lewis, Ghost with Patrick Swayze. The Ghost And Mrs. Muir, Out Of Africa and Sleepless In Seattle.

What was the last book you read, and did you enjoy it?

The last book I read was the latest Harry Potter book… the Half-Blood Prince, I think it is.

Sweetbaby is one of my favourite books ever, can you tell me where you got the inspiration to write such a moving story?

The inspiration from Sweet Baby came from an incident that happened to me when I was six. School was let out early one day without notice, so when I got home, my family was gone. We lived far in the country and I was so scared. Convinced that I would never see them again. I didn’t even realize that I’d used that for the basis until the story was over and published.

Have you ever written a book that you didn’t particularly care for, and do you cringe if you see people picking it up to read it?

No, I’ve never written a book I didn’t like. I wouldn’t have turned it in otherwise.

What do you enjoy most about being a writer?

I most enjoy the freedom of being able to work at home, and to share the stories in my head with people who love to read.

What do you least enjoy about being a writer?

My least favorite thing about writing is the length of time between turning in a piece of work and getting paid for it.

Oh yeah, I never really gave any thought to what kind of impact that might have on authors before…

As you’ve been there, done it, and have the badge to prove it, what is the number one advice that would you give to aspiring writers out there?

My best advice to anyone wanting to write is join a writer’s group. It is without doubt the best thing you can do for yourself. After that, sit yourself down and write.

Since all authors are readers, too, do you have any books you’ve especially enjoyed over the last year or so that you’d like to recommend to readers who’ve enjoyed your books?

No, I can’t recommend a particular book other than ones I’ve mentioned earlier, by writers I admire. Just read. It’s the best hobby a person can have.

Finally, when’s your next book due out, and what’s it about?

My next book is called Nine Lives by Sharon Sala, and it will be out in the fall of 2006.

Sounds great Sharon, thanks so much for taking the time out to answer these very nosy questions!

You’re very welcome. Thank you for showing the interest in my and my work, and I hope this hasn’t been delayed too long for you.

Don’t worry, I totally understood, smooches!

Okey dokey then, that’s it for this week, next week, I’ll either have, Kayla Perrin, or Julia Quinn, in the hot seat! Until then, au revoir dudes!

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