Soul Love - Reading Kimani Arabesque

The last good Arabesque book that I read was Feel The Fire by Adrianne Byrd. I loved this book from beginning to end.  I don't know if I have one favorite author but some of them are Brenda Jackson, Adrianne Byrd, Celeste Norfleet, and Janice Sims

Wayne, I have it but I haven't finished it yet and I'm looking forward to discussing the book too.

Ok, Wayne now I have to go out and get Three Wishes by Janice. I picked up the book and put it down twice at the store b/c my husband. When I'm with my husband I have to make sure he's not around so I can by a book. I have so many (books I haven't read yet but I will be getting to them) that he feel that I shouldn't be buy another book. And ya there is some TRU to that, but I can't help it. It's so hard for me to go in a store and not pick up a book.

Okay what can I say, I have so many. Right now I will say Rochelle Alers, Brenda Jackson, Janice Sime.That's just off the top. I love a good book, But we need more Arabesque book by men. I like to know what they are thinking, caues they don't talk to us.That why I like Wayne J. books its so nice to see a man show so feeling and still be a man.Okay that is all for know.I go back to reading and get off this computer.LOL

This was a great read.  Nice mix of sweet and erotic; well written.

Read it! Loved it and the Ambrose family. I just know we have not heard the last from them.

Kim Louise is another one of my favorites though she doesn't write as often as I like.

It's on the way. Part of my order of Friday. I have some good ones coming and it's going to be hard to decide which to read first.

I finally found a copy of Controversy by Adrianne Byrd. I forgot to order it twice and haven't been able to find one until yesterday. It will keep me busy until my order comes in.

Wayne - Waiting?  I don't think I could wait.  

I was shocked to find all three books on bookstore shelves before the end of June.  They were to be released consecutively June, July and August, but it looks as if readers will be able to read all three in June. 

I just completed my first Kimani Romance.  It will be the first of another family trilogy - the Eatons of Pennsylvania.  Look for BITTERSWEET LOVE January 2009.

LONG TIME COMING, THE SWEETEST TEMPTATION and TAKEN BY STORM are a return to the traditional sexy romance novel.  As an author I found it refreshing to return to my romance roots.

Rochelle Alers 

Hello:

I haven't commented on the boards in a while. Mainly because I haven't read anything worthy of commenting about. That is, until I read the Brides Trilogy from Rochelle Alers.

I have had the pleasure of reading all of the books and I must say, it was truly a breath of fresh air to finally read some good, old-fashined, old school romance! These books took me back to the pre-Kimani days when the books were written in the spirit of true romance and the hero and heroine truly made a connection before hoping into the bed. I am the type of person that truly enjoys reading about the courtship. Come on, you must admit, the courtship is the best part of the romance; on page and in real life.

Micah, Ethan and Raphael were men who were true heroes as they did not plot to see how fast they could bed the heroine but got to love these women for the people they were. They constantly thought about them and wanted to make then theirs because they were unique in personality and spiritually beautiful individuals; not because they had the "ill na-na"!

Rochelle, you did a fantastic job bring romance back to center.  I am so glad that Kimani released your books all at one time! The trilogy was a wonderful summer read. But then you always hook us up with terrific summer reads.

I won't spoil the books for anyone by giving details. All I have to say is Rochelle saved the best book for last!

Wait until you meet Raphael! Whoo!

Michelle in NYC

Hey Hosty:

I'm surprised to hear you say that most of the writing has stayed the same. Well, I'm not really surprised but I expect a Kimani writer to endorse  and "big-up" their own. But, I'm sorry, I'm going to have to disagree with you about the writing style.

The writing style has definitely changed and I'm afraid not for the better. the books have in a sense become more "grimey" in terms of the courtship and love scenes. For example, the heroes are more aggressive and sometimes downright rude. Its one thing to have sexual thoughts about how you would like to "do" a heroine and have her scream your name than to have the hero actually say, "I'm gonna do you and make you scream my name." to a heroine who hasn't given him any indication that she is the least bit interested in him.

Furthermore, you have books that have some of the raunchiest love scenes in them. Instead of the hero, "lifting the heroine off her feet while gazing into her eyes as he climbs the stairs to the bedroom", you have the hero "****ing" the woman on the ground or **the motorcycle sex scene (edited for content - J).  Don't tell me that you haven't read of these two instances in the Kimani books.

Now I am by no means a sexual prude or against expressing yourselves in interesting ways as you do the dirty. But, there are genres set aside where this type of behavior is greatly accepted and appreciated. Its called Women's FICTION or EROTICA. Not, classic romance. Harlequin has a special line for this type of heat. Keep it out of my contemporaries!

While it is true that several authors from Arabesque still write for Kimani, I believe that the pressure from Zane, Carl Weber, Eric Jerome Dickey and E. Lynn Harris have made authors get beside themselves and step outside of the realm of romance. The pressure for a HOT book is placed upon the author so they feel to keep the readers interest the couple has to have sex by page 10, Many authors that used to be my favorite writers, are not anymore. 

I was even disappointed when my favorite author, Rochelle Alers succumbed to the pressure and released AFTER HOURS. I know that it was considered women's fiction but I didn't like it. It was shady, underhanded and too "underground" for me. Sorry, Rochelle! But I'm keepin' it real!

Ultimately, I can't really blame the writer. They do what their editor tells them to. I'm just shocked that some of the stuff I read actually made it past the editor desk in the first place! I'll continue to check back with Kimani from time to time to see if anything interests me but all in all, I think I'll stick to the Harlequin:Sillouette Series.

At least those haven't changed.

Michelle in NYC 

Hi Jayne:

First and foremost, I would like to apologize to anyone I may offended by the choice of words used in my original post. I have no problem with your edits and I appreciate the fact that you kept the majority of my post the same.

I have been reading harlequin romances since I was thirteen. Back then, we did not have the technology that we have now and I should have kept in mind that there may be younger readers who log on to this site before posting my comments.

Perhaps the editors need to keep that in mind when they edit these novels. I have observed teenagers reading Kimani books while riding the bus and checking them out of their public and school libraries. I appreciate it if you could pass that information along to the editors as well.

Once again, I thank you for taking the time out to reply to my post and I look forward to seeing a change for the better in Kimani books.

Best regards,

Michelle in NYC

Wow, Louisiana Lady! I couldn't have said it better myself! I get emails from readers saying the loves scenes should have been longer, or that the hero and heroine should have made love sooner...There is no pleasing everyone and I also have never read anything from the Kimani line that I found offensive. I read across the board: biographies, thriller's, mysteries, inspirationals and tender romances. I appreciate and enjoy them all, but my heart is and always will be with romance stories written for us, by us and about us.

That said, I'm going to listen to some Luther and work on my latest book. Have a good one, everybody!

I must admit that this is a very spirited discussion.  I can agree with many of the comments because for years I read Harlequins and Silhouettes where there was no sex or lovemaking on page, and the stories were WONDERFUL!  The plots were formulaic, but it was the characters who pulled me into the novel and did not let go until the last page.  I, then have to ask if a lot of hot and heavy love scenes make a novel a romance novel - and my answer is NO! No amount of steamy sex can save a sagging plot or one-dimensional characters.

Whenever I start a novel I keep in mind that I'm writing for a particular line or audience.  The titles for Sepia are not intended for readers who read only Kimani Romance.  If a reader chooses to crossover and read other lines, then they should be prepared for another type of read.  I love romance and understand what should go into a romance novel, but I'm also attuned to today's social mores.  When the editor insists that the characters practice "safe sex" then as a writer I must adhere to the dictates.

Readers have heard me say for two decades that I will not defend my work, but will attempt to explain what I've written.  As a Kimani author I've been afforded the opportunity to stretch to step out of romance to write for Sepia.  Writing BEST KEPT SECRETS, PLEASURE SEEKERS and AFTER HOURS and the upcoming NAUGHTY is challenge that I can write other than romance with the pat happily ever after ending.  Sepia is apples and Arabesque and Kimani Romance oranges.  Although both are fruit - there are obvious differences.  A hero and heroine sleeping together after meeting for the first time in the first chapter belongs in Sepia. Courtship that culiminates in lovemaking is romance.

Let's not confuse the two.

Rochelle Alers 

I agree with MOST of the comments that were presented since my last post but not all of them.

Yes, I agree that a writer is not going to please every reader. However, when enough people tell you something and you find that these are rational, impartial people whom have been dedicated to buying your books and supporting you over the years, then maybe, its worth the writer taking a second look and their work and trying to see what all the fuss is about.

If enough people tell you that the hairstyle you are wearing doesn't work for your face, then you may be inclined to change it. That's if you were informed about it.

Wayne, you stated that you wished the readers would stop getting the genres confused. Well, I wish the WRITERS would stop getting the genres confused! If I pick up a book and the hero is throwing the heroine down a flight of stairs, I'm gonna look at the cover and say to myself, "It says Kimani Romance... Why is the hero behaving this way?"

What I'm merely saying is, if I walk into a shoes store, I don't expect to find a sack of apples, oranges or  bananas. I expect shoes. If I pick up a book labled romance, Is it too much to ask that the book actually contain ROMANCE and just straight ROMANCE?

Michelle in NYC

I've been on two deadlines and only just chimed in to this discussion.  I agree with Michelle, things have changed.  I have not seen the instances she mentioned in the Kimani Books.  But I write for more than on publishe and with the book I am not working on, the language is a lot different, more gritty.

 This is a request of my editor.  I have never used some of the language she is insisting on.

 When I read Street Lit (which I don't as a rule), this is what I see.  People don't make love, they f***.  It's how they even think of themselves together.  This is not my idea of romance.  And any man I sleep with, date, or begin a relationship with, I wouldn't want to know that this was the way he thought of me.

 If they get married, is this the way he or she will think of the intimate act they share with the other?  In my mind, this is not a romance and not romantic.

 Shirley

I understand exactly what Michelle is saying.  I think now the romance in which she is talking about is the exception and not the rule.

You used to be able to go to the bookstore and pick up any Arabesque and know that you were in for a treat.  You fell in love with the hero right along with the heroine.  You wanted to see them get married and that epilouge to read that they had a new baby or even twins.

I didn't mind walking two miles from my job on my lunch hour to the Barnes and Noble or Borders, Waldenbooks in downtown Chicago.  They even held the books aside for me.  I read all the books by Rochelle Alers, Francis Ray, Jacquelin Thomas, Donna Hill, Brenda Jackson, Janice Sims, Bettye Griffin, Barbara Keaton, Kayla Perrin and many more.  Oh what a pleasure.

It seems that after my first two books were published, I started to see and hear from others how the romance books have changed. 

Just this morning I received an email from a reader who expressed to me her gratitude for writing my story WITH THIS RING about a full-figured heroine.  She loved seeing a woman fall in love that looked just like her.  She didn't see this kind of story often in romance today. 

I'm not sure where we are headed, but I guess as for me, I want the reader to believe once they've read the last page of my book that these two people really love each other.  A man really can treat a woman like a princess instead of a piece of property.  A woman can stand on her own two feet and lean on her man at the same time.

I sure hope we can capture that spirit again.  Of course this is just my opinion. 

First of all, Wayne, I believe that Shirley and Sean are capable of speaking for themselves.

Secondly, when I created my post, I did not once say that I speak for a group of individuals. I SPEAK FOR MYSELF. The fact that you have scoured the Internet to find readers that agree with you regarding their satisfaction with Kimani Romance is pointless and moot.

As for the reference that I pointed out two of the one hundred-fifty novels as examples is of my disdain for Kimani Romance, what would you have me do, list every book I found fault in? What would be the point. But if you need that information, I would be happy to provide you with a sidebar email so that you may research it for yourself since you are obviously in "research mode".

Opening a reviewers website or being a former reviewer doesn't make you any more knowledgeable about romance novels than Mary Jane Doe in Mississippi. So, I really don't know what your point of bringing that up is all about. Whether your books are steamy or not, I wouldn't know,

I've never read them. 

Lastly, your comment: While I want a romance novel that focuses on the emotion, I want my romance to be of the times I live in. --- well, considering now that we are living in a time where very few men open doors for women, wait to get to know a woman before sleeping with her and only touches a woman in tenderness, then I guess the books written nowadays are right on point.

Like you, I have no intention on writing anymore comments, at least to you, on this topic. My opinion stands.

And that's all the validation I need.

Michelle in NYC (A Dedicated Consumer of Quality Products)