muses + musings

Everyone knows a writer must read, read, and read some more to become the best possible writer. I’ve had a love affair with books since the first day my mom took me to our neighborhood library as a child. Back before we could read whole novels on the small, hand-held computers we’re all now addicted to, I carried a book with me everywhere I went.

I explored all sorts of genres as I became older. In middle school, I was loyal to the Babysitter’s Club, R.L. Stine, Lois Duncan, Christopher Pike, and Walter Dean Myers (18th Pine St. — Sort of Sisters was it for me). The older I got, I read Omar Tyree (Flyy Girl is a classic) and went through all of my mom’s Terry McMillian books when she wasn’t looking. Between them, Beverly Jenkins, Eric Jerome Dickey, and a deep love for Dwayne Wayne and Whitley Gilbert, I thought my destiny was to write romance novels. I dipped my toes in the writing pond by writing both original works and fanfiction on websites like Fiction Press and Fanfiction Dot Net.

Romance is beautiful. I smile both at couples getting engaged and couples celebrating golden anniversaries. Romance is one of the most popular genres of books because people love to love and to also bask in the love of fictional characters. While loving can be easy, romance writing is not. I have a great deal of respect for romance writers. Creating compelling characters that people root to get together is a special kind of talent.

I pursued it head-on. It was an exciting time for me as a writer. I received so many great comments that motivated me to keep writing more. However, soon the excitement dulled, and it seemed more like a chore. My passion for romance left, and my writing suffered because of it. This was when I started reading Octavia Butler, Tananarive Due, Dean Koontz, and Stephen King. It drew me in how they weaved stories out of cold but sometimes beautiful darkness. I wanted to write more stories like my new favorite authors, but I’d invested so much time into my romance writing.

My TV and movie watching changed too. While I’d never give up my favorite comedies, I was fascinated with the X-Files, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and old returns of The Twilight Zone. And was obsessed with movies like The Silence of the Lambs, Jacob’s Ladder, Blade, Candyman, and The Sixth Sense.

My solution for my writing was to add a bit (a pinch, a dollop) of darkness and mystery to my romance stories. Dark romance is a great genre. But still, it didn’t feel right to me. Something was missing. So, I added more darkness, more Southerness, more of a gothic aura. A little bit of magical realism. Soon very little romance was evident in my stories. I lost some readers, but I understood that was not what they signed up for. There was no disrespect at all to me and my writing. People like what they like, and I was no longer fulfilling their needs. The reader had to be true to their literary tastes, and I had to be true to the stories I craved telling.

I felt joy in writing again. I’m a writer who can’t just focus on one piece of writing at a time. I usually have three novels going and a couple of short stories. I write better that way. I have a spreadsheet full of beautiful ideas that I can’t wait to start writing. Though I was happy with my writing, I didn’t show anyone other than close family and friends. My inner critic nagged about whether people would want these stories from me. There’s another sage writing advice we all know so well: write the books you want to read. And I want to read beautiful, Southern Gothic novels sprinkled with horror, magical realism, and mystery where Black culture is at the forefront.

I’m writing a three-part book series about a magical town in the South. Putting more of those types of books in the world brings me so much joy. Books are life-changing. I envision people falling in love with this town and the many characters that make up the citizens. I want these books to inspire others to start writing. I want people to crave seeing these characters on the big screen. I want Black, Southern people to feel proud about our culture on full display.

I hope to have the first book in people’s hands within the next six months or so. I can’t wait to display my art to the world. If anyone else loves dark fiction, please let me know your favorite books, movies, and TV shows in the comments.

Thank you for reading. I appreciate you.