As most of you know, I spent much of the pandemic in front of the television. During that time I watched shows that I wouldn't normally watch, and it affected my writing. Although speculative fiction is still my wheelhouse, I wondered if I could write stories in certain genres, most notably holiday stories and romance. I'm the kind of person that loves a challenge, so I set out to do just that.
There's also another reason I took on writing romance. My wife is an avid romance fan, from reading books every night and watching the movies and shows. I'm basically writing these with her in mind, and her opinion matters most. If she doesn't like it, I change it. She's the only editor I can tolerate.
Mind you, I've never read a romance novel. Common sense says I probably should do that and if it was my goal to become a serious romance author I would. My stories are influenced by the movies and paying attention to what I see and don't see, especially when it comes to Black Love. One of the things I don't see is what I call 'sweet romances,' stories about two people falling in love without all the over-the-top drama that you see in most Black romance movies and shows. This is not about 'keeping it real,' it's about a story that provides a bit of escapism that I feel all readers need sometimes.
And that brings us to Second Kiss. The description follows:
Jason Stone and Lisa Hollis thought they would be high school sweethearts. A terrible first kiss said otherwise, so they became great friends. Ten years later a chance encounter in Atlanta brings them together again and rekindles their friendship. But everything changes after their second kiss.
I like this story, and artist Amber Denise and graphic designer Uraeus did an excellent job capturing the mood of the story. Second Kiss will be released on February 14, 2025 (surprise), and be available for preorder November 14, 2025. I'm looking forward to y'all reading it and telling me what you think.
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