Black romance is not particularly popular at the moment.  Many black authors write white romance which pays better, or interracial romance which seems to be the new black romance.  I read and enjoy all types of erotica and romance.  I have written interracial erotica and will no doubt write more of it in the future, but I love to write black romance.  It's what I know intimately, what I live, what my brothers and sisters live and what my parents live.  I've met sexy men of every race, but no one makes me go weak at the knees like a sexy black man!

Well, tell a lie, there was one tall, good-looking, dark-haired, buff English man I met in a club years ago who made my heart go pit-pat because he moved like a black man on the dance floor.  Now, I'm not saying that only black men know how to dance!  What I'm saying is that the only men I've ever danced with and felt that we were born to dance together were black men.  And the only men I've ever seen dance to music and give me goose bumps were black men.  I'm not talking choreographed, practised steps - I'm talking natural, instinctive rhythm.  Dancing is my thing, you see, and if a man can't dance, whether he is blue, black or white, he simply doesn't do anything for me. But dancing is only a small part of it - no one understands my history, my pain, my joy like someone who is the other part of me. So, even if I had taken that white guy's number that night after we'd met in the club, it was quite likely that I would have found that off the dance floor we had very little in common. 

Please don't get me wrong!   I have nothing against men of other races or interracial relationships.  Three of my closest girlfriends have wonderful, loving interracial marriages.  I'm godmother to two of their children and I adore their husbands - one of my friends even threatens to leave her spouse to me in her will as I think he is so wonderful (he and I agree on most of the things they disagree on).  I'm fine with interracial relationships, but they are not for me - unless I meet a man of another race and looked into his eyes and saw myself reflect back.  I'm talking about a deep, spiritual connection. 

Like my erotica, my romance novels are based on mainly African-American, Black British and West Indian characters.  The sex scenes, however, are written with a lot more subtlety and finesse.  I toyed with the idea of writing my romance under a different name not wanting my fans to buy my romance novels thinking that they're erotica, but decided against it - I want them to experience my softer side.  Writing erotica comes easier to me - the stories are conjured up purely from my imagination and end happily, or unhappily, depending on my mood.  Writing romance is a totally different experience.  The characters, although not autobiographical, carry my hopes and dreams with them.  I experience their emotions and share their pain and heartbreak. They take a lot out of me emotionally and I find them harder to share.  So by reading my romance you get a glimpse of the real me.

Black relationships are dwindling at an astonishing rate.  My male black friends complain that they can't find decent black women and my female black complain that they can't find decent black men.  So, tell me, if decent black men and women are looking for one another why aren't they finding each other?  With black men and women playing a game of 'hide and seek', black romance may soon become a thing of the past, so I felt the need to write about it before it disappears altogether.  I want to inspire black people to go out there, seek and find black love.  It can be wonderful, rewarding and fill you with a sense of homecoming.  Give it a try!