Episode 20

Love, Power and Black Royalty: An Interview with LaQuette, Author of Royal Bride Demand

Join host Octavia Marie as she welcomes award-winning romance author LaQuette to discuss her latest book, 'Royal Bride Demand.' Dive into black love, legacy, sisterhood, and the balance of modern and royal life through the eyes of a Brooklyn billionaire. LaQuette shares her journey from indie to traditional publishing, creating complex black characters, and navigating the publishing world as a black woman. This episode is packed with insights into her writing process, personal experiences, and a fresh perspective on black joy in romance. Don't miss the chance to grab your copy of 'Royal Bride Demand' and join the conversation on black romance and representation.

Find this and other recommendations at The CultureLit online BookShop and support independent bookstores at Visit my bookshop!

Culture Lit is a community celebrating black women and black love, and a reminder that black women deserve joy, love success, second chances, and all the beautiful magic the world has to offer.

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Let me know what you’re reading, what you’re thinking, and what you’re thinking about what you’re reading.

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Music credit: Cool Jazz Beat by FASOL PROD

A Subito Media production

Transcript
Octavia Marie:

Welcome back to Culture Lit, the podcast where black

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love stories take center stage.

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I'm your host, Octavian Marie, and

today we're diving deep into the

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bowl, the beautiful and the royally

dramatic with award-winning romance.

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Arthur Lat.

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Her new book, roll Bride Demand kicks

off the sizzling, crowning the DeVero

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series and delivers everything we

live for enemies to lovers, second

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chances, marriage of convenience,

and oh yeah, secret royalty.

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We're talking about love, legacy,

sisterhood, and power, all through

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the lens of a Brooklyn billionaire

boss and a salty but sexy print.

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So grab your favorite drink,

get cozy, and let's get into it.

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Thank you for joining me.

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It's, it is such, it is such an honor

and I'm so excited to talk to you

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and talk, hear about your new books.

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And, I wanted to just start out, just

talking about like how you got your start.

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I think your first book was, My

beginning, was that your first book?

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Yes, that actually was

my first published book.

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Wow.

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That's that's like 2013.

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That's a long time ago.

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Yeah, long time ago.

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So, wow.

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You really, you really are like

from OG back in the day, OG back in

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the day, years, years, years ago.

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my career transitioned into PR and

um, I've, but I've always been a

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huge, huge romance reader and many

people don't know this, but back in

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the Arab best book days and back,

back, back, I used to do proofreading

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and copywriting for Arab Best.

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So I come, I'm far, far back.

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Yes.

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So, but then transitioned into

PR and just, but still stayed.

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So I'm a fan, of all the OG writers,

you self-published that title, correct?

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Yes, I did.

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Okay.

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Yeah, that was my first

foray into publishing.

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That's what I thought.

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That's what I thought.

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How has it been, transitioning from

indie publishing into the traditional

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publishing and then your latest book

is with Harlequin Present, so that's

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like a whole lot going on there.

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So, yeah.

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Can you just gimme an, uh, an idea

of what it's been like for you?

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I, I know, a lot of, authors start out

indie, or especially now, you know,

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self-publishing has changed mm-hmm.

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So much.

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but just gimme an idea of

what it's been like for you.

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So, um, I started out with self-publishing

because I really had I had no

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knowledge whatsoever of publishing.

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I was a, an avid romance reader, but I had

no clue about like, how books were made.

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Right.

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Yeah.

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And I also, because I was a, a fan,

I, you know, had a lot of like social

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media connections with established

authors and I was hearing like so many

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horror stories about publishers stealing

people's work and things of that nature.

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And I was like, eh, maybe this is just

something I need to try to do on my own.

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But, just a warning for folks.

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Be better than Laqua.

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Don't be like laqua.

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' When I tell you I had no

knowledge of what I was doing.

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I just literally put a book up

on Amazon and, um, probably about

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five people read it and I was

probably related to three of them.

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So, or at least knew them personally.

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I had no clue like what it

really took to, to self-publish.

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And the truth of the matter is

self-publishing, indie publishing is

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extremely difficult to do well, right?

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To do well at it.

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It is extremely difficult.

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you literally become the publisher,

the marketer, the PR person,

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everybody all wrapped up into one.

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I mean, it was a lot.

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I had, my kids were really

small at the time, so in:

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my oldest would've been three.

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My youngest would've been

one, like almost one.

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it was a lot of transition

going on in my life.

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And so there was a.

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like it took so much just to put

that book out the way that I did.

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but the thing that that book did was it

again, really put me in author spaces

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so that I could connect with more

established authors who really had a

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better understanding of the industry.

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Whether I wanted to be indie or tra

or hybrid, I, you know, I could reach

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out and get information from them.

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And so, I.

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Was friendly with this,

author named Piper K.

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She was a, a gay romance author.

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God bless her soul.

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She passed away, um, not too

long ago, few, a few years ago.

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and, she was writing for a really

small press called Hot and Press,

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and she's like, Hey, my publisher

is looking for diverse stories.

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You should, you know, you

should submit your stuff.

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And I was like, are you sure?

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Like, I, I don't wanna go

through this whole like back

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and forth process with people.

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She's like, no, and she's, you know,

she's cool people and just send it in.

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So she sent it in.

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and within three weeks they got

back to me and was like, yeah, we,

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we wanna, we wanna publish this.

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and so that became the heart of

the, that was Heart of the Matter,

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and it became the Kings of Queen

series, the five book series.

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And that was probably one of

my most popular, um, series.

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Like people loved those characters.

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I was sick, sick of them by the time

the series ended, but readers had

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real investment in those characters.

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So, um, how that sort of parlayed

into like the small press was.

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You know, it's sort of a little

bit like a hybrid of indie

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with not quite trad, but Right.

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You know, close enough to tra where

someone else is taking care of all of

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the, publishing aspect of it for you.

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Right.

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Um, and it, it was, you know, an

opportunity to learn, get my hands

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involved in things and sort of

understand the business a little bit

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better than I did when I started.

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and then I joined, romance Writers

of America and I was, I got so much

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information from them on, writing and,

submissions and things of that nature.

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And I've become very vocal in on

the social media space, about the

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lack of diverse romance and the

lack of opportunities for diverse

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authors, particularly black authors.

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and.

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I guess people saw that and,

thought it was cool, I guess.

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I don't know.

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Or, but what cool though, I mean, I

thought it was because I, I mean, I,

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I was talking not because I, you know,

wanted people to notice me, but because

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I, you know, I believed firmly and

Calling a problem, what it is, like

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stating it and, and not pretending

that it's something that it's not.

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Um, and so I was very vocal about that

and I wound up giving a speech at,

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RWA conference, the summer of 2019.

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And it, it sort of put me on a platform

in the industry, for people to see me that

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I hadn't before had any connection with.

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So after that speech, and thank goodness

it went very well, 'cause I pretty much

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thought I was canceling my career at

that point, going on that stage, having

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the hubs to tell publishing you're

leaving money on the table and you're

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problematic for not acquiring our stories.

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I figured there was no one who

wanted to work with me after that.

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But, um, my agent was there and

she told me, she says, Hey, so

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this editor from Harlequin wants

to meet with you and Hannah, God.

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My response was for what?

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And she's like, and I wasn't being

like facetious, I wasn't like,

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you know, I wasn't possibly, yeah.

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I wasn't like, oh, what they want with me.

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Like it wasn't, it was, I really had,

it could not fathom why an editor

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from Harlequin would wanna talk to me.

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And then she was like, because

he wants to talk to you about

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like, acquiring you publishing.

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And I, and then at that point

I was like, again, for what?

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But I, I meant it a little bit differently

because I, I, I told her, I said,

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um, Latoya, my agent is Latoya Smith.

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I was like, Latoya, we both know Harla.

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My ain't publishing anything like what

I'm writing and ain't no curvy black

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chicks from Brooklyn in Harlequin books.

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That part.

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Yeah.

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And so, Yeah, nah, I think I'm gonna pass.

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And it's like, lost your envelope.

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Mind.

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You better go meet with that man.

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It's gonna be like an

exercise in frustration.

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And I, I, because I hadn't, really

traditionally published, I'd

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done a couple of small presses,

but I hadn't like published with

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like big five publishing at all.

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And I.

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I just, you know, I had a lot of

assumptions about what Big Five publishing

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was like, and that as a black woman

writing about black women from Brooklyn

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and bringing blackness and, and black

culture into my books, I really did

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not see that being represented in the

stories I, I was reading from Harlequin.

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Right.

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Because Reese Ryan was there and she

has that like southern thing going on.

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Mm-hmm.

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And, um, there were a couple of other

black authors who also had, you know,

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regional different regional things going

on, but I hadn't really seen like, you

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know, rough brash heroines from Brooklyn.

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Um.

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In, in these stories at all.

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Um, and I thought that was intentional,

right at that point that was my

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assumption that it was intentional.

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So she told me to go talk to the man

and because I listened, because, you

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know, she's been really helpful in my

career and getting me into the faces

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that on my, on my own I probably would

never even think to attempt to get into.

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And so, the editor's name

was Charles Greensman.

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And, We met briefly at RWO, but it was

really busy and he couldn't really sit

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down and talk to me the way he wanted to.

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So he was like, can I call you

so we can, you know, really

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have an in-depth conversation?

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So I said, absolutely.

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So he called and I told him, I was

like, listen, I am, you know, so

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flattered that Harlequin, you know,

has any interest in me whatsoever.

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I said both.

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We all started reading because we

all started reading with Harlequin.

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Like literally my first romance novel

that I ever read was a Harlequin Presents

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Carol Mortimer's, um, the Devil's Price.

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That was the very first

Harlequin novel that I read.

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And, so when I, when I spoke to him,

I said, listen, I, I am very flattered

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and I really appreciate the interest.

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I said, but I, I have to be very

candid with you, my writing voice.

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Is very black and it's very Brooklyn.

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And that is intentional.

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And I don't have any intention of

changing that to fit into this line.

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Uh, which at the time it was,

um, the Harlequin desire line.

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Oh yeah, yeah, yeah.

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And, he, well, you are absolutely right.

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We have not published anything, that

has, you know, curvy black women from

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Brooklyn In it, he is like, but, I

have actually read some of your work

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and I actually think you have a pretty

great voice for category romance.

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And so that kind of like stood

out to me because sometimes

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editors will approach you.

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They have no idea what you write.

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Like they've never actually

picked up one of your books.

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They just, know your name and think,

yeah, let's acquire that person

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because they may have, you know,

this kind of following that we are

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interested in tapping into or maybe

the type of work that they're writing.

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We wanna acquire more work like that, so

let's, let's connect with this author.

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But that doesn't mean they've

actually like read your work.

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and I've had that happen where it

became sort of a clash with myself

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and the editor because they were

expecting something else and I'm

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like, this is always how I've written.

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And so you obviously just

aren't familiar with my work.

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but he had actually read,

under his Protection and which

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was a, a male male romance.

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And he was like, I absolutely loved it.

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he was like, and I'd like to see

you come do something like that

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he was trying to recruit me for

romantic suspense at Harlequin.

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And he's like, well, you know,

since I see you've written a lot

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of romantic suspense, I can connect

you with a romantic suspense editor.

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I was like, okay, that's

cool, but you contacted me.

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Um, you've read my work.

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If I'm gonna do this,

I wanna work with you.

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So what are you looking for?

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And um, he was like, oh, you

wanna write contemporary?

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I was like, I write it all.

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So what, what do you want?

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What's your ideal story that you would

like to see, you know, in Laqua style?

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And he is like, honestly, I would love

to see like an affluent black family in

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Brooklyn, where the, the business has

some connection to the love stories that,

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the romance stories that's going on.

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And so I said to him, so you want

me to write Dynasty, but with

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black folks that in Brooklyn.

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And he said, um, actually, yeah, that is

exactly what I would like you to write.

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So, uh, to, I was so like, yes, by

this opportunity and by, not just

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by the opportunity, but what he was

proposing, like the type, because this

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was right up my alley, very dramatic.

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very Soap Opry, you know, the,

these were the things that I,

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I loved, putting in my books.

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And so, I created Devereux Inc.

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And the Devereux family.

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And of course the name was a, a

throwback to, Dominique Devereux.

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I wondered that.

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I was like, is this Yeah, the

de I actually dedicated the

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book to, um, the actress di Ms.

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Diane Carroll, because like, her being

on Dynasty was iconic and it was,

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you know, groundbreaking at the time.

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So, I created the Devil Row family.

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Who owned Devereux Inc.

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And there were all of these like

sorts of isms and ski schisms

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and separations in the family.

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And it was all like surrounding

this company, Devereux Inc.

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And, um, each story follows one of

the cousins in the, like, it's a group

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of cousins, four or five cousins, and

each story follows, you know, one of

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them getting their, their love stories.

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And I've done all three books.

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My contract was over and the editor

came back and said, Hey, can you

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do three more books in this series?

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We really love this series.

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Readers are liking it.

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Can you do three more books?

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I was like, well the problem is,

I hadn't like left really any

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more space for any more cousins.

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Because it was only ever planned

to be like a three book series.

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And um, I had mentioned another

cousin, but there really was no

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room to really put him on the page.

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And I said, Hey, so the thing is.

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This is modeled after 1981 Dynasty, right?

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It's like they had a gay man, they had

a gay character named Steven Carrington,

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who I felt like his really tragic like,

um, barrier or gay story was really,

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I mean, I understand at that time that

was the only story that they could tell

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on primetime television with respect

to, having lgbtq plus characters.

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They couldn't just be happy

'cause that's not what, society

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wanted to see at that time.

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And so, I was like, I wanna write a story.

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You know, the Carringtons had

Steven the, I want the de Roses

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to have Stefan and I want him.

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To be able to have like a story that's

not based in his societal struggles

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As a gay black man, I want him to have

a family who is open and 'cause Blake

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Carrington was so terrible to mm-hmm.

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Poor Steven.

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He was terrible father.

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And, um, I wanted this, I wanted this

man to be loved and adored by his

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family and his, his sexuality had

nothing to do with his conflict of

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how, like, what was wrong, what he, the

thing he had to overcome in the story.

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So, he was like, I don't know, we've

never had a male, male in article.

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I can see, but I dunno.

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And so, yeah, that's

pretty much what it was.

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And, um.

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And I, I had also like, created this

set of twin sisters who, um, but I

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said the only way to really introduce

them was to kill ace off, to kill

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off the, patriarch because that way I

could bring in you know, other family

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members that hadn't necessarily been

seen before on any other three stories.

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And, um, so they originally came back

with a three book deal and they told me

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I had the green light to write Stefan.

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and so I created this story for

Stefan, and I really love that story.

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But, shortly thereafter, Harlequin

desire, canceled the line.

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Yeah.

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So I still had two books left

on my contract and they're like,

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well, you could go to another line.

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But the thing about Harlequin category

is their lines are very specific.

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They have a very specific

reader promise for each line.

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Yes.

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Um, and.

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And readers know what to expect, and

they're, they're buying that line

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because that's what they wanna see.

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They're not venturing outside

exactly what they expect.

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And, and I said, I don't really

think any of, I don't know that

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any of the other lines will fit me

because my work is kind of high heat,

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especially for a Harlequin category.

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And, I don't really know any other line

that would allow me to, to do that.

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And so they were like, well,

why not try a Harlequin present?

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So it's like, you sure?

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Because I don't know.

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But you're sexy are very, very spicy.

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They are.

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But even, but even in reading your

newest book, I felt like even that

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was kind of dialed down a little bit.

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No, it wasn't dialed down.

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What was dialed down was

some of the language.

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Okay.

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Because at the time there, there was

this internal misunderstanding about.

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What, like what words could and couldn't

be used in the line because again, gotcha.

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Lines have very specific Reader promises.

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And so because I was just coming in

and sort of figuring out things in the

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landscape of things, I knew that certain

words I wasn't gonna be able to use that

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I would normally use in my, my book.

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So that might be what you felt

was a little bit downplay.

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But by the time I got to the second

book, I actually learned that I

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was incorrect in my assumptions and

that I could do whatever I wanted.

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So

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the second book is a whole lot spicier.

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the second book actually almost

starts off with a sex scene.

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It really became this really, like I've

had a really great working relationship,

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thank God, knock wood with Harlequin and

I've really enjoyed working with him in

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either line, both desire and presents.

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and it has been different from indie

publishing in that indie publishing

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require, you know, allows you

to have a lot of control, right?

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You get to control everything, but

it's also with that control comes

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a lot of responsibility and I just

have a lot going on in my personal

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life that doing indie publishing

well just would not work for me.

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Mm-hmm.

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So.

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Like, you know, I have kids.

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I'm, you know, happily

married for almost 20 years.

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I'm in the middle of a PhD program, so,

you know, LA's got a lot of stuff and

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I still got book contracts to fulfill.

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So

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life, life is life and you

know, LA's got a lot going on.

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So sometimes even just writing

the story is like, all I can do.

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That's all you have?

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Yeah, because I don't have

the, the, the energy, the time.

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To put into self-publishing to

do it well, and I think, you

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know, there's this misconception

that trad publishing is better.

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It's, it's not, it's different.

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They each come with their own challenges.

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Right.

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like with trad, you don't have as much

control, not in how you tell your story,

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but in, let's say like who it's marketed

to, where the books are sent, you don't

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really have like any control over that.

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That's a, a, a company thing.

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but because of the fact that I just

personally in my life right now,

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it's not a viable option for me.

365

:

That's the only reason that

I'm no longer indie publishing.

366

:

Yeah.

367

:

And different kind, different

strokes and what you, what you

368

:

can, like you said, handle.

369

:

Mm-hmm.

370

:

Especially when for black women.

371

:

We're so used to taking

on all the things doing.

372

:

And that's one of the things I kind

of touch on a lot, With this podcast

373

:

is, black women seeking out joy

and, being very, intentional with

374

:

their time and, you know, and, and

what they can and can't take on.

375

:

And, and, and it being okay to take a

rest or to hand stuff off to other people

376

:

or do things a different way because

we get so, entrenched in we have to be

377

:

all the things and do other things and

like you said, your PhD and mom and.

378

:

Listen or award winning author.

379

:

I have learned in life that, the

strong black woman trope is a,

380

:

a lie, it's a death sentence.

381

:

And actually it's so ironic that you would

mention bl you know, black women have

382

:

enjoyed, like that's what my PhD is about.

383

:

My, my PhD is about black women,

representing themselves and showing us

384

:

how, showing, writing ourselves, how we

see ourselves, writing our ourselves, how.

385

:

We wish the world knew us, but

how we already know ourselves.

386

:

And one of the things that I, I

tell people constantly is that

387

:

I don't write struggle stories.

388

:

Yes.

389

:

And you, I was just gonna say,

everything is not a struggle.

390

:

Exactly.

391

:

Everything is not a struggle.

392

:

Love not, and people get offended by that.

393

:

Ain't you mean?

394

:

And, you know, are you trying to

say like, completely where black

395

:

people have come from as a problem?

396

:

It's like, nope.

397

:

See, that's not the conversation at all.

398

:

the reason I don't write struggle

stories is not that I don't find the

399

:

struggle narrative important, right?

400

:

Like we need that to, to

establish the history.

401

:

Like to, to explain what has happened,

what is still happening in terms

402

:

of the black experience in America.

403

:

However.

404

:

I do not believe that that is the sum

total of our existence, of our identity.

405

:

And so it is very important to me

to write compelling stories that do

406

:

not center what I call the perils

of social societal blackness.

407

:

Yes.

408

:

Um, you know, I don't, my women

are wonderful, fab, fabulous,

409

:

and established well before they

meet their partners in my books.

410

:

Um, and that, that is intentional

because that was me like I.

411

:

I was, I moved outta my parents'

house at like 21, had a job,

412

:

had an apartment, had a car.

413

:

Like I've never had a roommate

outside of my husband.

414

:

Like,

415

:

so it, it, you know, that was me from

a very early age, like in the world

416

:

as grown folks do, making it work.

417

:

However, I could make it work

with the limited resources

418

:

I had in the circumstances

that I was in at that moment.

419

:

but that doesn't mean that I.

420

:

I wasn't having a good time.

421

:

I wasn't enjoying myself.

422

:

I wasn't having fun.

423

:

I wasn't loving me.

424

:

I wasn't loving my blackness.

425

:

And so for me, it is very important.

426

:

Like I, refuse to fall prey to the idea

that the only compelling story about black

427

:

people is their struggle, um, in America.

428

:

And so I just don't write those stories.

429

:

And so when I get reviews

like, oh, I, these, these

430

:

characters don't seem realistic.

431

:

That is often to me, in my opinion, it's a

dog whistle to, these are not black folks.

432

:

Like I know black folks, like

this is not what I see on tv.

433

:

This is not what the media

tells me black people are.

434

:

There's no victimization,

there's no predatory behavior.

435

:

There's no criminal activity.

436

:

Mm-hmm.

437

:

there's no poverty, there's

no abuse in the home.

438

:

There's no, Baby daddy issues.

439

:

There's no single mother issues,

there's no abandoned parent issues.

440

:

Like those are the stories

that we are permitted to tell

441

:

in terms of mainstream media.

442

:

Uh, I mean, even if you look back

to like what's the black movie that

443

:

has won an Oscar for Best Picture?

444

:

12 years.

445

:

A Slave, only one 12 Years A Slave.

446

:

Mm-hmm.

447

:

And what roles have the black actors

and actresses won Academy awards for?

448

:

Absolutely.

449

:

If you look at Hallie Berry's Berry win,

she was a struggling mother who was, you

450

:

know, just shy of being like a prostitute

in the way that she was portrayed

451

:

in that with a husband on death row.

452

:

And the white savior, sheriff.

453

:

Exactly.

454

:

Who is the jailer for the husband Exactly.

455

:

As well as Denzel's, training day.

456

:

He won for being a thug.

457

:

He was a cop.

458

:

You know, he was a thug with a badge.

459

:

He was a criminal.

460

:

Exactly.

461

:

You know, just because he had

a badge didn't make him right.

462

:

As you know, if you watch the

movie, he wholeheartedly is

463

:

the stereotypical violent.

464

:

criminal black man, that's

a threat to society.

465

:

And now he's gotten a badge.

466

:

So he truly is a, a real threat.

467

:

And of course, the white cop is

the conscience of the movie is

468

:

the one that sees, you know, sees

him doing wrong and is trying to

469

:

rectify, trying to bring him down.

470

:

and so when you look at stuff like

that, like Black Panther had won an

471

:

Oscar, but it was for costume design.

472

:

And I'm not knocking, that win

because that designer deserved it.

473

:

Like she was amazing and

her Afro futuristic designs

474

:

were, but it was palpable.

475

:

But it was, for them to be able to

award her for that with exactly the

476

:

entire movie, actors, actresses, every,

so much of that movie deserves that

477

:

movie We're shut out of the Oscars.

478

:

And again, not to minimize the win

for the costume design, but that's the

479

:

only thing that they would allow us.

480

:

'cause that movie was amazing and it

should have won more accolades that

481

:

night than just absolutely that one.

482

:

It, there should have

been more on top of that.

483

:

But there are only certain avenues black

folks are allowed to be successful in.

484

:

So like fashion design,

entertainment, right?

485

:

These are the things that we're

allowed to be successful in.

486

:

but other avenues for having

generational wealth or something like

487

:

that, like that is not something that

is the typical experience or what is

488

:

believed to be the typical experience

of, of a black person in America.

489

:

There's so much of that exists

and it's absolutely insane that

490

:

those kind of stories can't.

491

:

Make it to the screen, to all of

these other accolades because, and,

492

:

and I, and, and, and part of that

also, when you look at what just

493

:

happened in the election mm-hmm.

494

:

It's because they can't fathom what's

happening now is a direct result of

495

:

Barack Obama becoming president because

it's absolutely, it's so fashionable

496

:

that these people, those mm-hmm.

497

:

We can achieve those things.

498

:

They, that is not the narrative.

499

:

Exactly.

500

:

And some people, like, they really cannot

step outside of that, that narrative.

501

:

And so, I've had this conversation

even in my PhD classes, you know,

502

:

I'm, my focus is black feminism.

503

:

And I've boldly said with my professors

in front of me, this program is

504

:

not teaching me black feminism.

505

:

It's teaching me language to.

506

:

already address the things

that I have experienced.

507

:

Right.

508

:

But I live black feminism,

this is my existence.

509

:

And so, I don't need this degree to

be able to have the conversations

510

:

that I would like to continue to

have in publishing regarding, the

511

:

lack of support that black authors

are getting in the industry.

512

:

But what I need, the, the, the

credential for is not because

513

:

I, I need to learn these things.

514

:

I already know them.

515

:

What I need the credentials for is

because as a black woman, I don't

516

:

have the luxury of being believed.

517

:

I can't know stuff.

518

:

Right.

519

:

Exactly.

520

:

Yes.

521

:

I I, I cannot walk into corporate America

and have them believe I know stuff.

522

:

Right.

523

:

They will not.

524

:

They will, their minds cannot

be wrapped around that.

525

:

However, if I get a degree that they

recognize now, that's not to say that they

526

:

will believe me even then, but at least

I can command a little bit more attention

527

:

and bring more awareness in that way.

528

:

So, you know, again, it's, it's this

idea that blackness is monolithic

529

:

and that it can only be one thing.

530

:

And so I write characters that are really

steeped in joy and love, and even if

531

:

they're struggling in terms of having an

emotional conflict, the emotional conflict

532

:

is never that I'm black and I'm suffering

because of society and my blackness.

533

:

And that's, that's kind,

that's one of the things.

534

:

Um, I, I told someone when I first

started reading Romance, of course

535

:

we didn't see ourselves in it.

536

:

Mm-hmm.

537

:

We weren't.

538

:

Mm-hmm.

539

:

And one of the first authors that I

read, that had well off wealthy black

540

:

people doing all of these things

were, Brenda Jackson's books and

541

:

Brenda Jackson, uh, Rochelle, Rochelle

Ez, Francis Ray and Sandra Kitt.

542

:

Those, those were the people that,

the first black authors I read.

543

:

Those four women were

the first black authors.

544

:

I Ira.

545

:

Absolutely.

546

:

and Beverly Jenkins.

547

:

And even then she's even, and the way

she did historical romance stories that.

548

:

Touched on the truth and, you know, but

done in a way that it, it wasn't all

549

:

steeped in pain and overcoming and suffer.

550

:

I actually teach her, what is the, now the

book is escaping me, the, the title of it,

551

:

but there's a book she has where the hero

is passing for white, the Leve family.

552

:

And, I teach it to my brother.

553

:

Brother.

554

:

Yeah.

555

:

I, I teach it to my students and I have

them break it down, like we analyze

556

:

it and it's like, one of the things I

love most about that book, it's, even

557

:

though this man is a black man, he's

formally enslaved, but because he can

558

:

pass for white, You never see him trying

to separate himself from his blackness.

559

:

He actually aches.

560

:

He longs to, to be able to

publicly embrace his blackness.

561

:

It kills him deep down in his

soul to not be able mm-hmm.

562

:

To publicly embrace his blackness and

the way he talks about the old queens.

563

:

Uh, you know, and the, the, the

magic and the, and and the, the

564

:

things that they knew and how they

took care of each other, um, and.

565

:

And, but he's doing that, he's

sacrificing like that so that he's

566

:

in a position to help his community.

567

:

Right.

568

:

He's in a position even though they don't

know it, he's because he has wealth now

569

:

that he's been able to accrue because

of the fact that he's a white man, or at

570

:

least believed to be a white man, he's,

he is able to use that wealth to fund

571

:

black businesses in the, in their town

and somewhere out west, wherever they are.

572

:

Right.

573

:

He's funding businesses, he's

giving business loans to black,

574

:

entrepreneurs who could never.

575

:

Get a business loan at that time

and building this really prosperous

576

:

town that has a lot of black

dollars being not just created and

577

:

generated but circulated in the town.

578

:

And these are the things, like, this

is why there is a wealth gap between

579

:

black people and white people.

580

:

Because we have not had

that ability to keep dollars

581

:

inside of the black community.

582

:

We could not give business loans to.

583

:

To have businesses in our own

communities, Asian people were

584

:

actually given business loans to

start businesses in our communities.

585

:

Mm-hmm.

586

:

Because white folks didn't want

Asian people in their communities.

587

:

And so the problem with that is

those Asian dollars are generated,

588

:

those dollars are generated in the

black community, but they go back

589

:

outside, back to the Asian community.

590

:

Right.

591

:

Because they take their money

back to their own communities.

592

:

And so black communities

have not had the opportunity.

593

:

It's been very far, few and between

and, and when we have with places

594

:

like Tulsa, um, it's been destroyed.

595

:

Right.

596

:

And again, crippling us and, and putting

us, you know, Rosewood, all these places

597

:

that were thriving, black meccas, and they

were destroyed out of hatred for seeing

598

:

us become something other than what I.

599

:

The world believed we should be.

600

:

So for me, writing, you know, strong

women and their partners who treat

601

:

them, who cater and care for them

and treasure them and treat them

602

:

like they are, delicate and precious.

603

:

that's important to me

because it's resistance.

604

:

It's resistance to this idea, yes,

that black women don't need rest and

605

:

that we don't need to be cared for.

606

:

It's resistant.

607

:

It actually resists the

idea that we are not.

608

:

Superheroes, right.

609

:

We are human.

610

:

Mm-hmm.

611

:

And it, it demands, like, I demand that

my readers see my characters as human

612

:

beings because they feel and they have big

feelings and they're, you know, oftentimes

613

:

very confused about those big feelings.

614

:

And they have to work through those big

feelings you know, throughout the book.

615

:

But never will their big feelings be, I,

you know, am struggling because I'm black.

616

:

Yes.

617

:

Yes.

618

:

And, and, uh, and you, you mentioned

that resistance and what the, the,

619

:

they're not used to traditionally

seeing black women roles.

620

:

And I keep saying that is what the whole.

621

:

backlash is for Duchess Megan.

622

:

Mm-hmm.

623

:

Is that it has nothing

to do with Lake Nette.

624

:

It has nothing to do with it is because

why this black woman and they can't see

625

:

us in those roles doing those things,

having that, hate to say, but that soft

626

:

life and being adored and loved mm-hmm.

627

:

On and kissed on the forehead

by her husband especially.

628

:

Mm-hmm.

629

:

A white man, a white prince,

because that is white prince.

630

:

That is like, that is the goal, right?

631

:

That's every little white girl's

dream to grow up and marry a prince.

632

:

Right.

633

:

We have how many Disney movies about that.

634

:

Right.

635

:

So it's the goal, it is what Americans are

trained to aspire for and, and then, to

636

:

see this, this woman who is not like them.

637

:

You know, and see him so

love her so ferociously.

638

:

Right?

639

:

Like he is very intentional with the

way he loves and takes care of her.

640

:

Absolutely.

641

:

And, and literally was like, and I

don't think black women deserve that.

642

:

Yeah.

643

:

They don't think that black

women deserve, deserve that.

644

:

But then on top of that, for him

to literally be like, I'll burn

645

:

all this inch down over my wife.

646

:

Don't play with me and,

and, and have and did.

647

:

Right.

648

:

Don't play with my wife.

649

:

I won't all this down.

650

:

And for that happen, that's

what they can't like.

651

:

Yeah.

652

:

That's the.

653

:

He cannot be thinking it has

to be her manipulating her.

654

:

Yeah.

655

:

It because it can't, it can't be her.

656

:

It can't be him.

657

:

Like it can't be him.

658

:

Yeah.

659

:

Burning all this shit.

660

:

And that's the whole whole thing.

661

:

'cause we are, that's that whole

Jezebel, you know, controlling

662

:

image and stereotype, you know?

663

:

Absolutely.

664

:

We're Wiley, we tempt white men

and they are unable to control

665

:

themselves with our feminine

wilds and all that other nonsense.

666

:

That that's what that is.

667

:

They really just cannot believe that

this, ' He is the status, right?

668

:

He is what?

669

:

All of those.

670

:

He's the, like you said, the goal.

671

:

Yeah.

672

:

He is the goal.

673

:

He is what all those

Disney movies are about.

674

:

Right.

675

:

And to see him decide to choose

someone that they could never be.

676

:

'cause that's the thing.

677

:

As long as he chooses someone

that looks like them, they can

678

:

still have their fantasy in their

minds that, oh, it could be me.

679

:

Like, it could have been me, noble.

680

:

It could have never been

you, never, ever, ever.

681

:

Why does this, prince Harry

has told, kinda told on himself

682

:

a few times, several years.

683

:

It makes sense now.

684

:

Exactly.

685

:

And even though it is a form

of resistance, that's not

686

:

the purpose of my books.

687

:

Like the, that's an outcome.

688

:

Yes, But the purpose of my books

is just to love on black women.

689

:

Like, I, I just, I love being a black

woman from, from the cocoa butter we

690

:

used on our skin that gives us that

quintessential black girl smell, to

691

:

the black eyed peas and collard greens

we cook on New Year's from voodoo

692

:

practices that have been transferred

from generation to generation.

693

:

Like, I love everything

about us, everything.

694

:

I love our hair.

695

:

I love the way we wear lip liner

and a light lipstick inside.

696

:

I love all that about us, right?

697

:

Mm-hmm.

698

:

and so I, I write that joy,

the things that I love about.

699

:

Us.

700

:

I put that into my books because my books

really are a love letter to black women.

701

:

and to some extent, you know, the black

community as a whole, saying, Hey, I,

702

:

I love us and, and we are so much fun.

703

:

Like the things that we do and come up

with, you know, out of necessity to be

704

:

able to survive in a place that was never

intended for us right to, to survive.

705

:

It was never intended for

us to be assigned humanity.

706

:

Mm-hmm.

707

:

Uh, to embody humanity.

708

:

The ways in which we have been able to.

709

:

create spaces for ourselves, create

culture when they ripped our away,

710

:

you know, and create these wonderful

things, these wonderful practices,

711

:

these wonderful ways in which we

exist and walk through the world.

712

:

I, I think it's phenomenal.

713

:

And so I, I'd much rather write my books

focusing on the way I love black folks

714

:

than how white people are treat me.

715

:

I love it.

716

:

I knew, I loved it.

717

:

I love it.

718

:

going back to your new book mm-hmm.

719

:

Royal Brides, man, that

book features Rayna.

720

:

Mm-hmm.

721

:

Right?

722

:

Yeah.

723

:

she is a Brooklyn billionaire.

724

:

I was like, okay.

725

:

of course, I've loved the

whole Royal bride side.

726

:

Mm-hmm.

727

:

And this, it's, this is a truly

a royal ride, but she is unlike,

728

:

most, you, what you, come to see for

your princesses and she's, mm-hmm.

729

:

So, She you mixing this royalty

with this hometown vibe, with

730

:

this very modern black woman.

731

:

how did this story come about?

732

:

Because I'm like, okay, I'm, I'm okay.

733

:

Miss Bride from Brooklyn.

734

:

Let's go.

735

:

Well, again, it always starts

with I love black women.

736

:

Uh, I especially love being a black woman

from Brooklyn 'cause that's my hometown.

737

:

tell people all the time, they'd

be like, where you from Brooklyn?

738

:

And then somebody else would be

like, don't you live in Pennsylvania?

739

:

I was like, you ain't

asking me where I live.

740

:

You asked me where I was from.

741

:

From Brooklyn.

742

:

From Brooklyn.

743

:

I used to, work at an agency and

twice a, I I'm in Atlanta now.

744

:

Mm-hmm.

745

:

And I have gone back and forth

between Atlanta and Los Angeles.

746

:

And, for several years I worked for

an agency, a PR agency in New York.

747

:

And twice a month, I had to go to

New York for two weeks at a time.

748

:

Absolutely.

749

:

And Brooklyn, like the first, like the

first time I got there, it was I, oh,

750

:

I, I'm going to Brooklyn and like To

the point I, there's so much culture in

751

:

Brooklyn went, there's so much culture and

time, there's so went culture in Brooklyn.

752

:

I, I would be looking at

like, okay, can I move here?

753

:

Like, I would go looking

for brownstones in Brooklyn.

754

:

I'm like, this is like, I still,

to this day, my sister will tell

755

:

you, everyone tell you my, my

dream is a brownstone in Brooklyn.

756

:

It's, it's, but that's

how I pictured my life.

757

:

And I'm nowhere near, but

I'm like, I still can live

758

:

in a brownstone in Brooklyn.

759

:

Well, and and that is how,

that is Reyna's family.

760

:

Literally.

761

:

They live, yeah.

762

:

It grew up in Brooklyn.

763

:

The family's still very much in Brooklyn.

764

:

and.

765

:

she's what, k Burris calls bogie

like, like she a bit bougie, but

766

:

she don't have a problem becoming a

round the way girl in a heartbeat.

767

:

Like in a heartbeat.

768

:

And so when she, and you know, Veri,

when we meet them, they are ex lovers.

769

:

They have been broken up for two

years when the book starts and

770

:

they had a very nasty breakup.

771

:

And so they are fuss fighting

and arguing like from jump.

772

:

She's coming at his throat 'cause she

can't stand the ground he walks on.

773

:

I mean, and what I love about her is

that she stands her ground, right?

774

:

Like she does not, that's one of the

things that I knew going into writing

775

:

her like, listen, I don't write, I.

776

:

Heroines that just be like, okay,

like I, my heroines they just don't

777

:

like, they don't like, you can't

just tell them something and they're

778

:

gonna do it without questioning

or you questioning questioning it.

779

:

And it would not be authentic.

780

:

It wouldn't mean, so, I don't know very,

I mean, they, they exist but not none

781

:

of the ones in my social circle exactly.

782

:

Mine either.

783

:

So I was like, like a lot of the times

I would re, I have read like certain

784

:

stories and a lot of the ways that I

would see the hero treat the heroine.

785

:

I like, I have cussed his behind

out a long time ago and told him

786

:

where he and his mama could get off.

787

:

Like I'm saying, why and does she still

here on the, with him, that's keeps

788

:

saying it's so that's why it's so, so, so

important to have inclusive and something

789

:

that is representative because mm-hmm.

790

:

I'm like you said, 'cause

you'd be like, wait, what?

791

:

Like, who you, like, who do you think

you talking to and say, and there's

792

:

even a moment like that in the book

where he gets very beside himself

793

:

because he's about to become king and

he's making all sorts of edicts and,

794

:

and talking to her sideways and she's

like, let me explain something to you.

795

:

All right.

796

:

We got hands for days

and we don't fight fear.

797

:

All right?

798

:

So if you want that smoke, you

better make sure you want that

799

:

smoke when you come for one of us.

800

:

'cause you gonna come for all

of us and you are not going

801

:

to tell me what I have to do.

802

:

'cause all I really gotta

do is say black and die.

803

:

Don't come at me like that.

804

:

Like don't.

805

:

And he is so like shocked because

in his world, no one would dare.

806

:

That doesn't happen.

807

:

Like literally tell him, I will beat

you behind if you come at me like this.

808

:

Because that's literally, that's

basically what she said to him.

809

:

Don't come from me.

810

:

We fight.

811

:

We will fight.

812

:

We'll fight you.

813

:

He literally has to like think

like, did she just threaten me?

814

:

Like, is he me?

815

:

She know I'm about to be a teen.

816

:

Exactly.

817

:

And so it, it so unnerves him because

he, he can't put her in a box, right?

818

:

starts the book by trying to

force her into things and every

819

:

time he tries to force her, she

ends up resisting in some way.

820

:

And it's only when he finally starts.

821

:

Coming together with her and partnership

and working with her that he starts

822

:

to see, okay, this is how we can

actually get things done without all

823

:

of that, because she is his partner.

824

:

She is not one of his servants,

and that's what he has to learn,

825

:

like that she's her own person.

826

:

That he can't just make you

unilateral decisions for her.

827

:

Yeah, he may be king of a

nation, but he's not king of her.

828

:

and that's a hard lesson for him

to learn, especially when he's like

829

:

actually concerned about her and worried

for her and trying to protect her.

830

:

But he just doesn't understand that you

can't, take agency out of her hands.

831

:

Her natural response is gonna

be fight you because she is a

832

:

whole human being with the right.

833

:

And she understands who she is.

834

:

Like she's the woman

who is self-possessed.

835

:

She knows who she is.

836

:

She does not need outside

influence to tell her who she is.

837

:

And when you are self-possessed like that,

when you really know who you are, like,

838

:

there is no coming at you and forcing

you to do things without resistance

839

:

because you like people respond to that.

840

:

Like even in my, my own personal life,

people respond to me in a certain way

841

:

because I give off a certain aura.

842

:

It's not that I'm trying to be

intimidated and I'm all a four

843

:

11, so I really don't understand

how I'm intimidating anybody, but.

844

:

I do understand that I have

presence because I know who I am.

845

:

Right.

846

:

And I, I find that that is such a rare

quality in today's world of social

847

:

media where people are looking for

validation, you know, getting that

848

:

instant reward, that instant response

from, you know, posting something.

849

:

I'm a, a Gen Xer, right?

850

:

A late Gen Xer, almost millennial.

851

:

And like, we just didn't do that.

852

:

Like we, we found self

validation within ourselves.

853

:

We did things to love on ourselves.

854

:

We grew, and I know growing up in

Brooklyn, you can't be worried about

855

:

whether somebody like you or not.

856

:

Like that's a, that's the quickest

way to bring harm to yourself.

857

:

If people see you as vulnerable

because you want to like them and

858

:

you gonna survive in Brooklyn, people

better know, okay, I can't try her.

859

:

And I think that there are so many people

now who, especially since Covid, where

860

:

we were locked away for four years.

861

:

Yes.

862

:

And a lot of people did.

863

:

Not really, especially a lot of

young people, didn't really have

864

:

those four years to really, like I.

865

:

Grow emotionally and socialize

in into their adulthood.

866

:

Many of them don't really understand that.

867

:

They don't understand.

868

:

They, they think you are standoffish.

869

:

It's like, I'm not standoffish.

870

:

I just, I know what I will tolerate.

871

:

I have my boundaries.

872

:

They're very clear.

873

:

You have boundaries and I don't

need to be convinced of anything.

874

:

you know, I don't need

to be part of the group.

875

:

If I am, that's great, but I'm

okay being over here by myself.

876

:

I actually do love my own company.

877

:

and I don't, like, we

had to play by ourselves.

878

:

We had to do things by ourselves,

especially because our parents were often

879

:

working and we were probably with grandma.

880

:

Yeah.

881

:

Right.

882

:

And so there was, and that's so,

and you saying that is so crazy.

883

:

'cause like, I will go on a, I'm headed on

a two week vacation right now by myself.

884

:

My sister's like.

885

:

So you just going by yourself?

886

:

I absolutely, I do that all the time.

887

:

I would go to Europe by myself.

888

:

I go to dinner by myself.

889

:

I take myself to the movies and I, I

don't have issues with being alone.

890

:

Yep.

891

:

Same here.

892

:

I kids on my own.

893

:

I, I go to movies by my, I have, I

go see these, I see movies twice.

894

:

Right.

895

:

So what happens is, as a mom taking kids.

896

:

To a movie you actually wanna

see will make you wanna fight.

897

:

So I go, I go see the movie by

myself or with my husband on opening

898

:

day if, if our schedules align.

899

:

But if our schedules don't align, I

go by myself on opening, on opening

900

:

day, enjoy my, without anybody calling

my name, telling me they gotta go

901

:

to the bathroom, asking for more

concessions, not telling him to stop

902

:

putting his hands in near a popcorn.

903

:

Like, no, I don't have

to deal with any of that.

904

:

So I go see my, my movie first and, and I

don't, I don't make any apologies for it.

905

:

Like they know it's so unfair.

906

:

You go by yourself for sure.

907

:

Do.

908

:

And then the next time I go, usually

sometime that weekend I'll take the kids.

909

:

And if, again, if my husband's

schedule allows, then we

910

:

all go out like as a family.

911

:

But I have absolutely, I have

no problems going to movies on

912

:

myself, gonna dinner by myself.

913

:

I, I go, I have gone on

vacation either by myself.

914

:

Um, I, when the rare occasions when

everybody is outta my house and I'm

915

:

home, like the peace, the peace,

916

:

nothing beats it.

917

:

And it's interesting.

918

:

My daughter is like that now.

919

:

My daughter is about to be 35.

920

:

Mm-hmm.

921

:

But she's like this.

922

:

She'll hop on January.

923

:

She's like, I'm going on vacation.

924

:

I'm gonna Puerto Rico.

925

:

And my sister's like,

you're gonna by yourself.

926

:

She's like, yeah, she's

traveled over the world.

927

:

She went, she, she

studied abroad for a year.

928

:

So I, she has that in her

also, but her friends.

929

:

A lot of her friends do not, they don't,

you know, do those things by themselves.

930

:

They're like, Hey, they gotta

get this group together.

931

:

It has to be all these plans.

932

:

And my daughter's like,

y'all are doing too much.

933

:

I'm, I'm over in Italy already.

934

:

Well, listen, if you want to,

like, I, I, I have never really

935

:

understood peer pressure and it's

not because I think I'm so wonderful.

936

:

I just, in order for peer pressure to

work, you have to fear the disconnect.

937

:

Like you have to fear being, being not

allowed to be part of the collective.

938

:

And again, I like being part of

the collective is cool, it's useful

939

:

and there are benefits to it, but.

940

:

It's not the end all be all.

941

:

Like, I'm still gonna be all right

if I'm not part of the collective.

942

:

And so that's how I actually write.

943

:

My heroine, my heroines are cool

with being part of the collective,

944

:

but they are, it's not who they are.

945

:

That's just like a, something they, uh,

you know, enjoy something they do for fun.

946

:

The minute it stops being what

they need it to be, they're okay

947

:

with moving on to the next thing.

948

:

And I, I try to recreate that

over and over in my books because

949

:

to me, like it literally is, is

how I, my, it's my worldview.

950

:

Like my, my grandparents.

951

:

That's what I love about it.

952

:

My grandparents have always told

me, um, you can't take none of

953

:

this stuff with you when you gone.

954

:

You came in this world by yourself and

you gonna leave this world by yourself.

955

:

And that's what I love.

956

:

And you need to be able to, to do that.

957

:

Yeah.

958

:

And that's one of the things I.

959

:

I think I love about your characters.

960

:

a lot of them are curvy plus

size, some are plus size.

961

:

They're very, confident.

962

:

They know who they are.

963

:

They know who they want and

you know what they want.

964

:

you know, even with, Rainer, you know, it

is just like, okay, so you a prince and.

965

:

I, well, I mean when she finds

out what, that he's a prince.

966

:

'cause she doesn't know

in the beginning, right?

967

:

When she finds out, like, I think

she says, um, something to the

968

:

effect of you, you are lying ass.

969

:

Like, like she like, so amount of

times I kind of giggled and like,

970

:

okay, I love her, her sister's worse.

971

:

I kept saying, She's so Brooklyn.

972

:

Her sister is so much worse.

973

:

And the king that her sister ends

up with is even worse than Giri.

974

:

So it's, it's it's sister.

975

:

What does Regina come in with?

976

:

Yeah.

977

:

Regina's book comes out

in, November, December.

978

:

So it, it'll come out like early

November on Harlequin and then

979

:

like the end of, I think November

25th, wide for everyone else.

980

:

But I love writing characters like that.

981

:

Yeah.

982

:

there's so many times I was just like.

983

:

Oh, she's so Brooklyn.

984

:

Oh, she's so Brooklyn.

985

:

I love it.

986

:

How you, you have two, like very, I guess

intense tropes in, in this one book.

987

:

You have the Enemies to Lover story.

988

:

Mm-hmm.

989

:

And then you have the second chance.

990

:

And the second chance wasn't be, it was,

like you said, it wasn't an ugly breakup.

991

:

It wasn't something like, oh,

we just grew apart, or mm-hmm.

992

:

There was a misunderstanding.

993

:

Like, they cannot stand each other.

994

:

How did you balance these very

intense, different tropes?

995

:

Like, and because you was like,

it's not just one, it's two.

996

:

Well, and then there's also marriage

of convenience as well, and the,

997

:

and the marriage of convenience

that they can't stand each other.

998

:

Yeah.

999

:

So the thing is, when, whenever you have

two people Who can't stand each other.

:

00:54:03,638 --> 00:54:09,878

There's usually some deep seated

connection between them that has either

:

00:54:09,878 --> 00:54:15,518

gone wrong or either has not landed

the way one or both of them wants.

:

00:54:15,518 --> 00:54:15,848

Right.

:

00:54:16,178 --> 00:54:21,368

And so the thing is, Jai and Reyna

have always loved each other.

:

00:54:21,368 --> 00:54:23,168

They have always loved each other.

:

00:54:23,168 --> 00:54:23,258

Mm-hmm.

:

00:54:23,888 --> 00:54:31,752

But because of her past traumas and

his ego, they really could not stay

:

00:54:31,752 --> 00:54:39,612

together because he was too proud to

understand what she needed and she was

:

00:54:39,612 --> 00:54:46,662

too raw from her trauma, her childhood

trauma, to be able to try to see past.

:

00:54:47,787 --> 00:54:49,887

What she, her feelings about marriage?

:

00:54:49,917 --> 00:54:52,617

'cause she was a commitment fo

she didn't wanna be married.

:

00:54:52,917 --> 00:54:53,307

Right.

:

00:54:53,517 --> 00:54:57,717

Her feelings about marriage and

see that she and Jai could have

:

00:54:57,717 --> 00:54:59,727

something different Possibly.

:

00:54:59,997 --> 00:55:04,617

And so because neither one of them is

willing to relent in their perspectives,

:

00:55:05,337 --> 00:55:10,887

they, that love turns into something

very dark because they, they do love

:

00:55:10,887 --> 00:55:16,841

each other, but their egos really

will not allow, for there to be any

:

00:55:16,841 --> 00:55:20,501

sort of deep digging and connecting.

:

00:55:20,501 --> 00:55:25,211

And the situation, the marriage

of convenience, the, the situation

:

00:55:25,211 --> 00:55:28,181

that's happening in his country

that requires that he gets married.

:

00:55:28,536 --> 00:55:36,636

it really forces them to stop operating

from a place of ego and to start like.

:

00:55:37,236 --> 00:55:40,506

Taking care, trying to take

care of each other, but also

:

00:55:40,506 --> 00:55:41,796

trying to communicate better.

:

00:55:42,203 --> 00:55:44,811

they're older now, you know, they've.

:

00:55:45,636 --> 00:55:47,166

Had some more experience.

:

00:55:47,389 --> 00:55:49,879

they know what it is to

be without each other.

:

00:55:49,879 --> 00:55:54,649

And so when they finally do

get past this, I hate you.

:

00:55:54,903 --> 00:55:58,263

and it's usually the reason they,

they sort of, kind of get past that

:

00:55:58,263 --> 00:56:02,253

I love you is because something

emotionally intense happens between

:

00:56:02,253 --> 00:56:06,723

them where they're taking care of each

other one way or the other, right?

:

00:56:07,053 --> 00:56:11,313

So once, once they kind of get past

that, it's always this ba I mean,

:

00:56:11,313 --> 00:56:14,253

in the beginning they have to hate

each other, so they're always like

:

00:56:14,973 --> 00:56:18,423

shooting the dozens back and forth and

telling each other off, back and forth.

:

00:56:18,903 --> 00:56:23,283

Um, like I think when the book starts,

she basically tells him, you know, I, I

:

00:56:23,283 --> 00:56:24,813

know you had something to do with this.

:

00:56:24,813 --> 00:56:26,433

Why don't you get over?

:

00:56:26,433 --> 00:56:29,703

Like, get, I know your feelings was

hurt that I, you know, that I turned

:

00:56:29,703 --> 00:56:31,983

you down, like get over it already.

:

00:56:31,983 --> 00:56:33,993

And his response is, I'm over it.

:

00:56:33,993 --> 00:56:41,193

And you like, they, they don't

pull any punches with each other.

:

00:56:41,193 --> 00:56:41,253

Oh.

:

00:56:41,638 --> 00:56:46,048

But that's what, that's what makes the

fire between them burn the fact that

:

00:56:46,048 --> 00:56:51,418

they're not, they're not pulling punches,

but in their most vulnerable moments

:

00:56:51,418 --> 00:56:55,948

together, you see that they put down

their armor and they care for one another.

:

00:56:55,978 --> 00:56:58,498

They put down their weapons

and they care for one another.

:

00:56:58,828 --> 00:57:04,558

And it stops being about who can one up

the other and becomes about how can I help

:

00:57:04,558 --> 00:57:07,948

this person in the moment that they're in.

:

00:57:08,128 --> 00:57:08,578

Right?

:

00:57:08,938 --> 00:57:13,168

Like he, he does all sorts of

underhanded things to get her on

:

00:57:13,168 --> 00:57:15,028

the island, to get her to marry him.

:

00:57:15,619 --> 00:57:18,080

and she's rightfully upset about it.

:

00:57:18,709 --> 00:57:24,769

But once she gets to the island and begins

to see what's at at risk, what could be

:

00:57:24,769 --> 00:57:32,059

lost if she doesn't go along with all

of this, she gets out of her own way.

:

00:57:32,059 --> 00:57:36,649

Like it stops being about her and it

starts being about caring for this nation.

:

00:57:37,138 --> 00:57:37,408

Right.

:

00:57:37,607 --> 00:57:41,507

sitting here talking to you and listening

to you, I wonder, now I know you, you've

:

00:57:41,507 --> 00:57:43,397

mentioned like your PhD work mm-hmm.

:

00:57:43,637 --> 00:57:49,242

And I know you're like the, the biggest

like makeup girly and all of these things.

:

00:57:50,102 --> 00:57:55,990

And are there any parts of your life

or in your, your personality or things

:

00:57:55,990 --> 00:57:57,790

like that, that show up in your writing?

:

00:57:57,790 --> 00:58:00,130

Like, I know the Brooklyn girl, of course.

:

00:58:00,160 --> 00:58:00,250

Mm-hmm.

:

00:58:00,490 --> 00:58:06,130

But then as I'm talking to you, 'cause

even sometimes I, I see a lot of you.

:

00:58:07,135 --> 00:58:13,045

Um, Raina, I definitely, I feel like if,

out of all my, my characters, Rena and

:

00:58:13,045 --> 00:58:18,505

Regina are probably very much like me, and

I would say Keely, um, from, uh, designs

:

00:58:18,505 --> 00:58:20,215

on the rancher is very much like me.

:

00:58:20,455 --> 00:58:20,695

Okay.

:

00:58:20,755 --> 00:58:26,275

Um, but I think the thing that's

actually most like me, or rather

:

00:58:26,275 --> 00:58:30,835

like my experience, my real world

experience is the familial connections.

:

00:58:31,345 --> 00:58:34,945

Um, like in all, in most of my books,

I don't wanna say all, but in most of

:

00:58:34,945 --> 00:58:40,435

my books, the familial connections and

the strong ties to black history are,

:

00:58:40,795 --> 00:58:44,035

are very much part of my own upbringing.

:

00:58:44,455 --> 00:58:46,945

And so I always try to like.

:

00:58:47,545 --> 00:58:48,655

Represent that.

:

00:58:48,655 --> 00:58:54,025

So for the DeVeres, it's about Ace

Devereux, who is the patriarch, who is

:

00:58:54,295 --> 00:58:59,605

very much poured into each of them in

these really individual and magnificent

:

00:58:59,605 --> 00:59:07,735

ways that really have helped them grow

into the people that we meet on the page.

:

00:59:08,185 --> 00:59:09,535

Um, and I know that.

:

00:59:10,255 --> 00:59:14,485

Growing up with my grandparents, like

growing up with my grandparents, living

:

00:59:14,485 --> 00:59:19,825

in the same houses as my parents,

it gave me that ability to have

:

00:59:19,975 --> 00:59:22,435

that sort of wisdom poured into me.

:

00:59:22,975 --> 00:59:27,775

And so, and I really believe that a, a lot

of my life choices, a lot of the reasons

:

00:59:27,775 --> 00:59:32,395

why I do some of the things I do and why

I've made certain decisions have been

:

00:59:32,395 --> 00:59:38,515

right or wrong, have been because of the

way my grandparents poured into me and how

:

00:59:38,515 --> 00:59:43,589

important that was in helping me develop

my own identity the self possession that

:

00:59:43,589 --> 00:59:48,029

I have, like that, that is very much part

of growing up in the house with them.

:

00:59:48,527 --> 00:59:51,317

and so you see that a

lot in all of my books.

:

00:59:51,317 --> 00:59:52,997

Yeah, definitely in the Devereux family.

:

00:59:53,144 --> 00:59:54,104

I saw this post.

:

00:59:54,303 --> 00:59:57,990

That said, I was reading a book

and the, one character called

:

00:59:57,990 --> 01:00:01,530

their sibling like brother and

I, I was like, I can't read this.

:

01:00:01,530 --> 01:00:02,550

This is not reality.

:

01:00:02,550 --> 01:00:07,440

I was like, actually, like, I called

my sister, sister, I was like, if

:

01:00:07,440 --> 01:00:10,890

my sister called me by my name, I'm

like, it's like she cursed me out.

:

01:00:10,890 --> 01:00:12,000

Like, are we fighting?

:

01:00:12,000 --> 01:00:17,310

Like if my husband calls me Laqua,

I'm like, who is you talking to?

:

01:00:17,580 --> 01:00:19,110

Who is this Laqua person?

:

01:00:19,980 --> 01:00:21,515

Like, that's not what you call me.

:

01:00:21,515 --> 01:00:21,955

My, like that.

:

01:00:23,910 --> 01:00:24,630

I have cousins.

:

01:00:24,630 --> 01:00:27,900

They, they call each other, uh,

she calls her sister, sister.

:

01:00:27,905 --> 01:00:28,115

Mm-hmm.

:

01:00:28,295 --> 01:00:31,027

Now I, me and my sister, we

call each other, Hey girl.

:

01:00:33,097 --> 01:00:37,443

But, but, I have two cousins and they

call each other sister, sister and

:

01:00:37,443 --> 01:00:38,493

they call their brother, brother.

:

01:00:38,763 --> 01:00:39,243

They don't.

:

01:00:39,558 --> 01:00:41,898

Use their names with each other course.

:

01:00:42,078 --> 01:00:43,008

Exactly.

:

01:00:43,008 --> 01:00:48,329

And so like, I, I have cousins that

I call them cousin, like, And so the

:

01:00:48,329 --> 01:00:52,949

DeVeres, that's how the, the, the line

of cousins, that generation of cousins,

:

01:00:53,009 --> 01:00:57,449

that's how what they refer to each

other cousin like it, because that,

:

01:00:57,449 --> 01:01:00,389

that is something that's very real,

that sort of familial connection Yeah.

:

01:01:00,809 --> 01:01:04,261

Is something that's very

real, to my own experience.

:

01:01:04,261 --> 01:01:08,251

And so I do replicate family

ties a lot in my books.

:

01:01:08,731 --> 01:01:12,991

Um, my family have gotten a lot

smaller than it was when I was

:

01:01:12,991 --> 01:01:18,091

growing up, you know, just by the

nature of losing people, people, you

:

01:01:18,091 --> 01:01:20,761

know, moving away or what have you.

:

01:01:21,211 --> 01:01:26,701

but I can remember the security

growing up of having like

:

01:01:26,701 --> 01:01:28,951

that large family connection.

:

01:01:29,326 --> 01:01:32,506

And so, I try to give

that to my characters.

:

01:01:32,506 --> 01:01:35,866

So Reyna and Regina have that with

each other as identical twins.

:

01:01:35,866 --> 01:01:39,586

They're very close, but they also have

that with the Greater Devereux family.

:

01:01:39,958 --> 01:01:42,658

and Ja has that with his parents.

:

01:01:42,658 --> 01:01:48,208

Even though they're Royals, they operate

as a family first and not Royals first

:

01:01:48,394 --> 01:01:52,787

and that connection between he and his

family, especially he and his mother.

:

01:01:53,087 --> 01:01:57,857

Like that's something that Rain

Reyna really cherishes, like the,

:

01:01:57,857 --> 01:02:02,999

the ability to see this black family

who has all the trappings, right?

:

01:02:03,028 --> 01:02:06,039

they don't have to be in

each other's faces, but they

:

01:02:06,039 --> 01:02:07,419

still have dinner together.

:

01:02:07,419 --> 01:02:11,799

They still spend time together

outside of their official capacity.

:

01:02:12,309 --> 01:02:13,719

And that's something that I.

:

01:02:14,109 --> 01:02:15,489

Really touches her.

:

01:02:15,808 --> 01:02:21,019

and so I, you will always find

in my books that family is a

:

01:02:21,019 --> 01:02:23,089

really always like a subplot.

:

01:02:26,059 --> 01:02:27,349

It always is.

:

01:02:27,349 --> 01:02:33,619

I the history also like this, the,

this story was, this kingdom is

:

01:02:33,619 --> 01:02:38,689

founded on a very real event that

happened in history, the:

:

01:02:38,869 --> 01:02:40,309

slave Conspiracy of New York.

:

01:02:40,609 --> 01:02:41,929

It was a very real event.

:

01:02:42,199 --> 01:02:46,788

And so I, I wanted to be able to

sort of like, touch back to that and

:

01:02:46,788 --> 01:02:51,469

show that beauty can still come from

something that was meant to destroy us.

:

01:02:51,920 --> 01:02:53,385

and so I always write Absolutely.

:

01:02:53,385 --> 01:02:53,465

Yeah.

:

01:02:53,600 --> 01:02:58,970

I'm like, I'm always inspirational in

that regard and how I write us, because

:

01:02:59,037 --> 01:03:04,474

I believe very much in Afrofuturism,

like I, I see us in the future.

:

01:03:04,474 --> 01:03:08,913

I see the great things that we do and

we are just working toward those things.

:

01:03:08,913 --> 01:03:11,674

And it's like, for me,

it's a foregone conclusion.

:

01:03:11,674 --> 01:03:14,524

So I write my characters that way.

:

01:03:14,524 --> 01:03:18,094

I don't, my, my characters are

unapologetically black, but

:

01:03:18,094 --> 01:03:22,864

they're also unapologetically

proud of their meager beginnings.

:

01:03:24,304 --> 01:03:28,684

And even, even just Siri,

who is a king, a whole king.

:

01:03:29,163 --> 01:03:33,544

The way his nation is founded is one of

the most pro, you know, one of the things

:

01:03:33,544 --> 01:03:39,544

he's most proud of, you know, that he,

his nation was founded by enslaved people.

:

01:03:39,904 --> 01:03:44,254

And that is like, there's

no shame attached to that.

:

01:03:44,314 --> 01:03:51,364

Like he, he re, there's such reverence for

what his ancestors went through and how

:

01:03:51,364 --> 01:03:53,074

they turned that around for themselves.

:

01:03:53,074 --> 01:03:58,024

So I'm, you're always gonna see

that sort of thing in my books.

:

01:03:58,024 --> 01:03:59,584

Like, I just, I can't help myself.

:

01:04:00,964 --> 01:04:01,294

Woo.

:

01:04:01,384 --> 01:04:03,094

What a conversation.

:

01:04:03,094 --> 01:04:03,604

Yes.

:

01:04:03,964 --> 01:04:04,384

Okay.

:

01:04:04,384 --> 01:04:06,094

But I'm gonna lighten it up a little bit.

:

01:04:06,184 --> 01:04:06,694

Okay.

:

01:04:08,374 --> 01:04:09,844

Got a couple of questions for you?

:

01:04:10,084 --> 01:04:10,444

Sure.

:

01:04:10,624 --> 01:04:11,014

Okay.

:

01:04:11,824 --> 01:04:16,744

If this book got turned into a

Netflix series tomorrow mm-hmm.

:

01:04:16,984 --> 01:04:16,985

Mm-hmm.

:

01:04:17,074 --> 01:04:18,784

Who will play Rayna and who will play?

:

01:04:18,784 --> 01:04:19,413

Just Siri?

:

01:04:20,111 --> 01:04:23,021

Raina, her name is Danielle.

:

01:04:23,021 --> 01:04:24,941

I can't remember her last name right now.

:

01:04:24,971 --> 01:04:27,242

She played in, orange is the New Black.

:

01:04:27,812 --> 01:04:29,221

Oh, uh, Brooks.

:

01:04:29,372 --> 01:04:29,732

Yes.

:

01:04:29,732 --> 01:04:30,267

Danielle Brooks.

:

01:04:30,427 --> 01:04:30,992

Danielle Brooks, right?

:

01:04:31,172 --> 01:04:31,502

Yes.

:

01:04:31,502 --> 01:04:32,162

Danielle Brooks.

:

01:04:32,402 --> 01:04:36,962

I think she is one of the most

beautiful, talented people that I've,

:

01:04:37,142 --> 01:04:41,042

I saw her in Mahalia Jackson and I

forgot that she was on the stage.

:

01:04:41,042 --> 01:04:45,962

Like, I thought it was, it felt, sounded,

her mannerisms were Mahalia Jackson.

:

01:04:45,962 --> 01:04:48,752

I think she's one of the most talented

people in the world, and if I, if I

:

01:04:48,752 --> 01:04:51,512

could get, she would actually have

to play both roles because they are

:

01:04:51,512 --> 01:04:53,942

identical sisters, identical Prince.

:

01:04:54,332 --> 01:05:01,652

But, um, she, she is the prototype

for, um, for Rena and Regina.

:

01:05:02,130 --> 01:05:02,520

for Jai.

:

01:05:03,892 --> 01:05:06,262

Who did I think of Wi Ja Siri?

:

01:05:06,322 --> 01:05:07,552

Who was I thinking of?

:

01:05:08,872 --> 01:05:15,802

I knew that he, I wanted him to be like

a tall, broad, like black man with locks.

:

01:05:16,522 --> 01:05:21,412

And I don't know that I was thinking of

a particular like person in real life,

:

01:05:21,712 --> 01:05:25,282

but that's how he came to me in my mind.

:

01:05:25,282 --> 01:05:25,372

Right.

:

01:05:25,372 --> 01:05:30,892

He was, he was very much like, he had

his, his hair like sort of like close

:

01:05:30,892 --> 01:05:34,882

shaved on the sides, but the top was

his locks and they were always twisted

:

01:05:34,882 --> 01:05:37,522

into some intricate beautiful pattern.

:

01:05:37,852 --> 01:05:41,542

The guy that's playing, is it Alex

Cross or what's his name that's

:

01:05:41,542 --> 01:05:43,855

playing in the um, ALS Hodge.

:

01:05:43,860 --> 01:05:45,445

Ho Hodge Hodges, right?

:

01:05:45,505 --> 01:05:45,895

Is that, yeah.

:

01:05:45,895 --> 01:05:47,305

Al Hodge.

:

01:05:47,365 --> 01:05:47,845

Yes.

:

01:05:47,875 --> 01:05:48,205

Yes.

:

01:05:48,205 --> 01:05:49,945

I could definitely see that with lock.

:

01:05:50,305 --> 01:05:50,635

Yes.

:

01:05:50,665 --> 01:05:51,505

I could see that.

:

01:05:51,505 --> 01:05:52,825

I definitely could see that.

:

01:05:52,825 --> 01:05:53,425

Absolutely.

:

01:05:53,785 --> 01:05:54,505

We're connecting.

:

01:05:54,505 --> 01:05:54,925

I get it.

:

01:05:54,925 --> 01:05:59,418

See, if your writing had a

theme song, what would it be?

:

01:06:02,813 --> 01:06:08,673

If my writing had a theme song, I don't

know why, survivor is, Destiny's Child

:

01:06:08,673 --> 01:06:11,583

Survivor is, is coming to my mind.

:

01:06:11,583 --> 01:06:17,359

I, I think that is such a, a

beautiful song, and resilience, and

:

01:06:17,359 --> 01:06:19,099

that's what my characters are like.

:

01:06:19,099 --> 01:06:20,809

They are wonderful.

:

01:06:20,937 --> 01:06:24,099

despite everything that the world,

says about them, they're not

:

01:06:24,099 --> 01:06:25,538

only surviving, they're thriving.

:

01:06:25,569 --> 01:06:28,721

And so that's very, very

important to me, when I'm

:

01:06:28,721 --> 01:06:30,701

creating the worlds that I create.

:

01:06:32,111 --> 01:06:33,071

That was perfect.

:

01:06:33,071 --> 01:06:33,371

Mm-hmm.

:

01:06:34,181 --> 01:06:36,599

And I think we covered it all.

:

01:06:38,369 --> 01:06:43,319

This has been, um, like, uh, again,

what I said, this has been such an

:

01:06:43,319 --> 01:06:48,672

amazing conversation and, I can't tell

you how much more I crush on you now.

:

01:06:48,672 --> 01:06:50,352

Aw, thank you.

:

01:06:50,712 --> 01:06:56,022

You're officially like, I have my,

my crushes and you are like, okay.

:

01:06:56,022 --> 01:06:57,342

She's in my top five now.

:

01:06:58,512 --> 01:06:59,892

I appreciate that.

:

01:06:59,892 --> 01:07:03,492

I mean, it's, listen, we authors,

we, I know y'all think we're just

:

01:07:03,492 --> 01:07:06,642

like living the glamorous, like,

like we live really in a bubble.

:

01:07:06,642 --> 01:07:10,182

Like we have no idea what's

going on with the rest of the

:

01:07:10,182 --> 01:07:13,212

world sometimes, especially when

we're like in the writing cave.

:

01:07:13,212 --> 01:07:17,922

And so sometimes it's like, I never

assume that I, I never like to assume

:

01:07:17,922 --> 01:07:24,907

that people are even know who I am,

let alone care, let alone care who I.

:

01:07:27,251 --> 01:07:30,536

I, I really, and, and some

people might think it's like,

:

01:07:30,596 --> 01:07:32,396

it's, it's a, a, an actor.

:

01:07:32,396 --> 01:07:36,011

So I really do not assume

that people know who I am.

:

01:07:36,016 --> 01:07:38,306

I always introduce myself, Hey, I'm Laqua.

:

01:07:38,306 --> 01:07:39,236

I don't think we've ever met.

:

01:07:39,566 --> 01:07:41,696

And I'm like, of course

I know who you are.

:

01:07:41,696 --> 01:07:42,651

I'm like, ah, really?

:

01:07:43,076 --> 01:07:43,496

You do?

:

01:07:43,886 --> 01:07:46,196

It's always a surprise to me.

:

01:07:46,426 --> 01:07:49,920

I'm like, when I, go to like, book

events and readers are excited to

:

01:07:49,920 --> 01:07:51,630

meet me, they just don't understand.

:

01:07:51,630 --> 01:07:55,080

I'm just as excited to meet them,

to know that they, you know, like

:

01:07:55,080 --> 01:07:56,910

my work, they appreciate what I do.

:

01:07:57,360 --> 01:07:59,070

Uh, and they connect to

my work in some ways.

:

01:07:59,070 --> 01:08:02,340

So I'm, I'm always like, it is

definitely a two-way street.

:

01:08:03,271 --> 01:08:08,221

Like of course I know you do, you

know, you laqua, I, I, because you

:

01:08:08,221 --> 01:08:12,031

know what the, the laqua in person,

like, I'm very much the same.

:

01:08:12,031 --> 01:08:15,061

Like my personality is very much

the same regardless of what I'm in a

:

01:08:15,241 --> 01:08:17,310

professional space or my personal space.

:

01:08:17,791 --> 01:08:19,140

But again, like this is.

:

01:08:19,680 --> 01:08:22,584

I don't see myself in that regard.

:

01:08:22,584 --> 01:08:23,514

Like I fangirl.

:

01:08:23,754 --> 01:08:25,634

I literally, when I met Ms.

:

01:08:25,634 --> 01:08:27,911

Brenda Jackson, I was

waiting for an elevator.

:

01:08:27,911 --> 01:08:32,890

I was on the phone talking to my

husband, and the elevator door is

:

01:08:32,981 --> 01:08:35,201

open and she's in the elevator.

:

01:08:35,206 --> 01:08:35,876

And I was like,

:

01:08:36,470 --> 01:08:37,850

and she was like, aren't you on the phone?

:

01:08:37,850 --> 01:08:39,559

I was like, oh, it's nobody important.

:

01:08:39,559 --> 01:08:41,540

Close the phone right there, hung up.

:

01:08:42,020 --> 01:08:43,430

Didn't even like say bye.

:

01:08:44,029 --> 01:08:44,240

Like

:

01:08:47,510 --> 01:08:48,290

hilarious.

:

01:08:48,859 --> 01:08:49,819

Ended the call.

:

01:08:49,819 --> 01:08:50,870

And it's like, can I have a picture?

:

01:08:52,220 --> 01:08:52,580

Right?

:

01:08:52,580 --> 01:08:59,210

But I, I don't like, as an, as a person,

I don't see myself like in her status.

:

01:08:59,210 --> 01:08:59,540

Right.

:

01:08:59,540 --> 01:09:00,109

I Right.

:

01:09:00,200 --> 01:09:04,903

'cause to me she's so, like, those

pioneers, Donna Hill, um, Rochelle,

:

01:09:04,903 --> 01:09:09,783

Alice, Sandra Kit, Francis Ray, I,

I didn't discover, Beverly Jenkins

:

01:09:09,783 --> 01:09:14,969

until much later, but my preliminary,

foray into Black Romance, those

:

01:09:14,969 --> 01:09:18,261

were the four or five authors that

I was like, really like reading.

:

01:09:18,261 --> 01:09:21,568

And so to this day when I

emailed Donna Hill, I'm like, Ms.

:

01:09:21,568 --> 01:09:25,443

Donna, she was like, if you

don't stop calling me Miss Donna.

:

01:09:25,709 --> 01:09:26,354

Or Ms.

:

01:09:26,354 --> 01:09:27,714

Hill, like, stop it.

:

01:09:28,504 --> 01:09:31,259

Like, because in my head

they, yeah, they are.

:

01:09:31,259 --> 01:09:32,459

These can't grandiose.

:

01:09:32,459 --> 01:09:33,868

You're like, but you know who you are.

:

01:09:34,019 --> 01:09:37,139

But I don't look at my like,

I don't like walk around.

:

01:09:37,139 --> 01:09:39,689

I like, oh my God, I'm

the fabulous author Laqua.

:

01:09:39,689 --> 01:09:44,009

Like, I don't, that's not what don't,

because I'm like, did she, she, did

:

01:09:44,009 --> 01:09:45,419

she say she would interview with me?

:

01:09:45,419 --> 01:09:48,538

I was like, you can't tell me nothing now.

:

01:09:50,553 --> 01:09:51,483

I really appreciate it.

:

01:09:51,483 --> 01:09:53,493

I always love connecting with readers.

:

01:09:53,493 --> 01:09:57,513

It, it really grounds me and it also

sort of gets me outta my own head.

:

01:09:57,543 --> 01:10:00,303

'cause sometimes when you're writing,

you don't really know how people,

:

01:10:00,303 --> 01:10:02,193

like people really read my books.

:

01:10:02,193 --> 01:10:03,423

Like they really enjoy them.

:

01:10:03,452 --> 01:10:03,603

Like,

:

01:10:05,823 --> 01:10:09,423

because in my head I'm like, this is

just, especially by the time, like

:

01:10:09,423 --> 01:10:13,173

by the time I'm done with the book,

like this book is coming out now.

:

01:10:13,353 --> 01:10:15,783

I was, the last time I worked

on this book was a year ago.

:

01:10:16,638 --> 01:10:20,898

And so I like had to like

constantly, constantly be, you

:

01:10:20,898 --> 01:10:22,518

know, working with this book.

:

01:10:22,518 --> 01:10:26,118

So by the time it comes out, like I'm so

through with these characters, I don't

:

01:10:26,118 --> 01:10:29,778

even wanna know about them no more because

I've, I've been immersed in them for like

:

01:10:29,778 --> 01:10:33,348

a year before the actual, um, publication.

:

01:10:33,768 --> 01:10:38,628

So it's, it's always amazing to me

like the way you all respond to books.

:

01:10:38,658 --> 01:10:43,638

It, it rekindles my love of the

characters when I see how much.

:

01:10:43,638 --> 01:10:43,938

That's amazing.

:

01:10:43,938 --> 01:10:45,048

You all love them.

:

01:10:45,948 --> 01:10:46,248

Yeah.

:

01:10:46,278 --> 01:10:47,088

That's amazing.

:

01:10:47,208 --> 01:10:48,138

And I am.

:

01:10:48,588 --> 01:10:52,308

Now sitting on pins and needles

waiting for Regina's story.

:

01:10:52,522 --> 01:10:53,812

Crowned a Devereaux, right?

:

01:10:53,932 --> 01:10:56,842

It's uh, the King's pregnancy proposition.

:

01:10:57,772 --> 01:10:57,802

Okay?

:

01:10:57,802 --> 01:11:02,212

It's, um, it's coming out November,

November 1st on Harlequin, November 25th.

:

01:11:02,212 --> 01:11:02,632

Why?

:

01:11:03,022 --> 01:11:05,977

And Regina and, Alexandros.

:

01:11:05,977 --> 01:11:07,627

They are a mess.

:

01:11:08,287 --> 01:11:09,157

They really are a mess.

:

01:11:09,157 --> 01:11:11,437

'cause Alexandros is a hot mess.

:

01:11:11,467 --> 01:11:15,877

And he has like, he's,

he's Ja Siri on steroids.

:

01:11:15,877 --> 01:11:17,827

Like he makes Jai look like.

:

01:11:18,667 --> 01:11:22,477

Like, like even Ja Siri tells him

like, bro, you gotta like call that.

:

01:11:24,247 --> 01:11:25,027

Oh, I can't wait.

:

01:11:25,027 --> 01:11:25,987

You do it too much.

:

01:11:26,932 --> 01:11:29,827

He's Alex's because this one was wild.

:

01:11:29,827 --> 01:11:31,297

So I can't imagine.

:

01:11:31,417 --> 01:11:33,307

Oh, and this way it gets wilder.

:

01:11:33,307 --> 01:11:39,817

He is a, Alex is a piece of work

that Regina has to constantly put in

:

01:11:39,817 --> 01:11:42,937

his place and he does not like it.

:

01:11:42,937 --> 01:11:45,997

He doesn't often respond well to it.

:

01:11:46,417 --> 01:11:50,347

but eventually he gets

the point that this is.

:

01:11:50,712 --> 01:11:52,872

Someone that is really important to him.

:

01:11:52,872 --> 01:11:57,522

And this is not just a business

transaction, like this woman actually

:

01:11:57,522 --> 01:12:03,702

makes him better and he is so like,

twisted up inside over Regina.

:

01:12:03,702 --> 01:12:08,412

And so like that, like literally

she got that poor king why open?

:

01:12:08,412 --> 01:12:13,874

And he is so twisted and torn, because

of their connection, but also because

:

01:12:13,874 --> 01:12:15,794

of things that haunt him from his past.

:

01:12:16,244 --> 01:12:21,937

And it is like, it's, it's, I find that

their story, their story is very haunting.

:

01:12:22,034 --> 01:12:28,786

it's painful to watch Alex because

he's, he's such a wonderful person, but

:

01:12:28,861 --> 01:12:32,161

he has never had the ability to like.

:

01:12:32,786 --> 01:12:36,206

Outside of his immediate family, his

parents and his sister, he's never,

:

01:12:36,206 --> 01:12:39,176

because he's lived such a guarded life,

he's never really had the opportunity to

:

01:12:39,176 --> 01:12:42,236

be able to allow people into his world.

:

01:12:42,806 --> 01:12:48,806

And so to have this woman just show

up and be big and bold and beautiful

:

01:12:48,806 --> 01:12:54,566

in his life, it's actually like she's

teaching him how to love himself really.

:

01:12:54,626 --> 01:12:58,766

And, and not just do a duty,

but to love himself as a person

:

01:12:58,766 --> 01:13:00,476

and forget about being a king.

:

01:13:00,926 --> 01:13:02,096

So I, I really am.

:

01:13:02,741 --> 01:13:04,991

I probably like their story

a lot better than I do.

:

01:13:04,991 --> 01:13:05,591

Regina and Ja.

:

01:13:05,891 --> 01:13:06,461

Oh goodness.

:

01:13:06,776 --> 01:13:07,276

Oh no.

:

01:13:07,616 --> 01:13:10,276

Oh, because those two are missed.

:

01:13:10,276 --> 01:13:10,916

No, I have to wait.

:

01:13:11,506 --> 01:13:11,796

Yeah.

:

01:13:11,866 --> 01:13:15,551

Unfortunately I don't even have the cover

for that yet, so I probably won't get the

:

01:13:15,551 --> 01:13:18,401

cover until I'm, I'm really interested.

:

01:13:18,401 --> 01:13:22,535

It's an interracial romance, so I'm really

interested in seeing, cause he's, he's

:

01:13:22,535 --> 01:13:25,355

like, I fashioned him after John Stamos.

:

01:13:25,355 --> 01:13:28,235

I've always had like a

John Stamos fixation.

:

01:13:28,769 --> 01:13:31,499

you know that dark hair,

blue eyed white man thing?

:

01:13:31,499 --> 01:13:35,999

I, that if, if I had a white man

tight, that would be it right there.

:

01:13:36,119 --> 01:13:37,799

Dark hair would be blue eyes.

:

01:13:37,799 --> 01:13:41,099

I have a white, I had

have a white man tight.

:

01:13:42,121 --> 01:13:42,721

Oh, you know who?

:

01:13:43,630 --> 01:13:44,500

I do have a white man.

:

01:13:44,500 --> 01:13:46,460

Tight Charlie.

:

01:13:49,565 --> 01:13:55,445

I know who he is that, that rugged,

you know, look like he's a street

:

01:13:55,445 --> 01:13:57,815

brawler kind of thing going on.

:

01:13:57,815 --> 01:14:06,065

I, I know, like, so I'm really interested

in how the cover and how they depict this.

:

01:14:06,065 --> 01:14:06,125

Yeah.

:

01:14:07,295 --> 01:14:10,715

Because I'm really, I really wanna

see what they're gonna do with it.

:

01:14:10,745 --> 01:14:13,025

Uh, because I, 'cause this

cover is really, I love this

:

01:14:13,025 --> 01:14:14,735

cover for World Bride man.

:

01:14:14,735 --> 01:14:16,025

It, it's so pretty.

:

01:14:16,055 --> 01:14:18,934

I have never not loved

my Harlequin covers.

:

01:14:18,934 --> 01:14:19,625

They have always.

:

01:14:19,970 --> 01:14:20,990

God Bless done me.

:

01:14:20,990 --> 01:14:21,440

Right.

:

01:14:21,440 --> 01:14:27,350

And I am so impressed with the 'cause,

you know, they have us fill out forms,

:

01:14:27,350 --> 01:14:31,520

what have you, and I'm like, even that

book I, everything from the coloring,

:

01:14:32,000 --> 01:14:36,110

I was like, I really, because of

the, the colors are representative

:

01:14:36,110 --> 01:14:38,240

of their, their country colors.

:

01:14:38,480 --> 01:14:38,660

Mm-hmm.

:

01:14:38,745 --> 01:14:42,559

And so I was like, I really would

just like to see a lot of purple.

:

01:14:42,620 --> 01:14:44,240

You know, they wear a lot of purple.

:

01:14:44,240 --> 01:14:46,220

I would like to see a lot of purple in it.

:

01:14:46,220 --> 01:14:49,790

And like, there's a scene in the

garden, you know, so if you could

:

01:14:49,790 --> 01:14:52,250

get a garden with like purple

flowers, I would love that.

:

01:14:52,490 --> 01:14:55,130

And they put all of that

together in that book.

:

01:14:55,130 --> 01:15:01,898

And in the, um, the modern version,

it's even this is the UK version.

:

01:15:03,053 --> 01:15:03,754

And Oh, okay.

:

01:15:04,448 --> 01:15:09,638

And it's even more here that you, like,

you get the castle in the background.

:

01:15:09,638 --> 01:15:12,518

You get, I just, they, I love them.

:

01:15:12,698 --> 01:15:18,327

So I'm really excited for what they

will do with, Regina and Alexandros

:

01:15:18,358 --> 01:15:21,088

and I, I'm like, I, I can't wait.

:

01:15:21,088 --> 01:15:24,058

I think May is probably when I'll see,

because there's usually like six months

:

01:15:24,058 --> 01:15:25,738

before your, your publication date.

:

01:15:25,827 --> 01:15:28,378

But I'm really excited to see what

they're gonna do that I don't,

:

01:15:28,558 --> 01:15:31,258

she's probably gonna have a baby

bump 'cause it's a pregnancy story.

:

01:15:31,588 --> 01:15:33,958

So I'm really looking forward to it.

:

01:15:33,958 --> 01:15:35,278

I'm just crush her fingers.

:

01:15:35,278 --> 01:15:39,508

Pray with me that it, I'm

gonna, didn't you good juju?

:

01:15:41,309 --> 01:15:42,720

It could go either way.

:

01:15:43,020 --> 01:15:43,620

Exactly.

:

01:15:44,105 --> 01:15:47,160

I, I, when when I get my

covers and they're gorgeous,

:

01:15:47,160 --> 01:15:48,150

I'm always like, thank you.

:

01:15:48,150 --> 01:15:48,990

Cover Gods.

:

01:15:48,990 --> 01:15:50,520

I so appreciate y'all.

:

01:15:50,550 --> 01:15:51,180

Thank you.

:

01:15:51,910 --> 01:15:52,540

Hilarious.

:

01:15:52,608 --> 01:15:54,198

this has been so much fun.

:

01:15:54,198 --> 01:15:58,818

I am so excited to have had

this opportunity to talk to you.

:

01:15:58,878 --> 01:16:00,318

It's everything that

I thought it would be.

:

01:16:00,318 --> 01:16:01,248

You were amazing.

:

01:16:01,248 --> 01:16:02,327

You were so amazing.

:

01:16:03,408 --> 01:16:03,438

Aw.

:

01:16:03,438 --> 01:16:04,458

Like, I like her even more.

:

01:16:05,568 --> 01:16:06,348

Well, thank you.

:

01:16:06,348 --> 01:16:09,077

The feelings are definitely

mutual and I greatly appreciate

:

01:16:09,077 --> 01:16:10,428

you taking the time to host me.

:

01:16:10,433 --> 01:16:11,208

Thank you so much.

:

01:16:14,502 --> 01:16:15,042

Octavia Marie: Wow.

:

01:16:15,042 --> 01:16:18,732

What a conversation from

rural scandals to Real Talk.

:

01:16:19,092 --> 01:16:23,802

Laqua gave us so much insight into

the magic, the mess, and the movement.

:

01:16:23,802 --> 01:16:25,062

That is Black Romance.

:

01:16:25,692 --> 01:16:28,992

If you haven't already, please

grab your copy of Royal Bride

:

01:16:28,992 --> 01:16:30,792

Demand available everywhere.

:

01:16:30,792 --> 01:16:31,242

Now.

:

01:16:32,022 --> 01:16:33,432

You're gonna love this ride.

:

01:16:34,062 --> 01:16:37,572

Follow Quet online to stay up

to date on her next releases.

:

01:16:37,962 --> 01:16:42,132

And if you love this episode, don't

forget to rate, review, and share

:

01:16:42,132 --> 01:16:44,082

cultural lit with your bookish besties.

:

01:16:44,562 --> 01:16:47,922

Until next time, stay lit,

stay loved, and keep reading.

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Culture Lit
A Black Romance Books Podcast

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Octavia Dosier