Fans of Interracial Romance discussion

Hi All,

I've been thinking over something and I need an opinion. I welcome all of course!

I love historical romances in books as well as movies. I love period movies about kings and queens, etc. I like things that take place in the all those older settings. Historical romances and Interracial romances are the only romances I care for. I don't like most modern romances unless it has some suspense in it. Other than that, when it comes to modern, I'm a muystery, thriller gal, LOL!

Okay, my question. Say I wanted to write a historical interracial romance? Can I be completely free of writing about slavery? If I tried to tackle this idea, I want a black heroine who is just like the white heroines in historical romance. I want her to be on the same level, education, upbringing, maybe even money. Is this too unrealistic? Is there a way I could write a historical romance featuring a black woman who falls in love with a white man and I don't have to make her a slave or servant?

And if anyone knows of any IR historical romances with black heriones and white heros, please tell me names so I can check them out. I don't want to write a black heroine that's typical of back then. I know, I know you have to be realistic because it's part of HR, but I want to write something different. Would this be too unrealistic? I think it would be interesting for all audiences.

Also, I don't want her to be biracial. I know that's something I could do that would make it easier for me to put her in certain circumstances at that time. I don't want to write a black woman who is mixed, who has super light skin, passing for white. I want to write a HR with a dark-skinned/chocolate skin, beautiful BLACK woman who falls in love with a white man and she doesn't have to be a slave or servant!

This would be my first attempt at HR, if I decide to do it. Right now I am just thinking it over.

Opinions? Is it possible? All honesty is welcome.

Best Wishes!

http://www.stacy-deanne.net

I think it would depend on when you plan to set your book. Unless there is some credible history that this did occur and a true possibility of a romance novel HEA could really be the result, then I think a book might tend to be viewed with some skepticism.

One thing I tend to note is that when romance writers write something out of the norm or that isn't general knowledge they usually cite historical reference.

You might look at the black families that lived and summered on Martha's Vineyard. These families go back to late 1800s and they were well to do -- bankers, pharmacists, doctors etc. You could easily create a plotline where a daughter of one of these families would be in the sphere of a white man but not as a servant or a slave, subordinate in no way. There's still be a racial taboo, but she'd be on his level financial and class wise. I am sure somebody has to have written a book about them. Or you can look at Our Kind of People: Inside America's Black Upper Class to see if he has any bibliographic references.

One book that I really enjoyed was The Wedding: A Novel by Dorothy West which is the story of an affluent black family in the 50s and their daughter who is planning her wedding to a white musician.Our Kind of People: Inside America's Black Upper Class

I think that if Beverly Jenkins can write historical books about black people. I hope I have the right author. Then, surely an interracial historical book can be written. I have never read Mrs. Jenkins book, but I don't think they are slaves, not according to the book covers.

Interracial romance has been going on for years. It's nothing new under the sun.

I couldn't write a historical romance book, unless I can write the story that I want to write. Historical romance books aren't 100% accurate. If they were, then surely today generation of women, wouldn't be falling for the historical heroes. Because, in historical truth. A man would go days without taking a bath. That's just an example.

I know some people have gotten upset with me, because I don't read historical books for accuracy. I don't even read contemporary books for accuracy. Yes, a contemporary must walk in accuracy shoes as well.

Fiction books aren't suppose to be 100% real. Some things can be real and some can be make believe.

There's a book by Crystal Hubbard, I think it's e-book only, called Paradise Found. You can find more info on it on her website.

This is all good info and a very informative thread. I have two suggestions to add. With the disclaimer that I haven't researched either of these fully. I've read some things I've found interesting, but never dug deeper into the history.

What about Haiti/Saint Domingue? I think relations between the French and the Africans there were somewhat different from the relationships between the Europeans and the Africans in America even though there was still slavery. I don't know as much about it as I'd like to yet, but I think blacks had more equality there than they did in America. At least in certain ways. This is also true in Brazil of old I believe. And other parts of South America, probably, but Brazil for sure.

Also, in America, there was a very small class of the well-to-do as has already been mentioned. Pre-18th century (and maybe to some extent after? I'm not sure), some blacks even owned slaves.

A very interesting non-fiction book discussing some of this: Race In North America, Audrey Smedley.

Thanks, ladies! I've never attempted to write a book that was just a straight romance. I mainly write mysteries and thrillers with elements of romance. I rarely read romance and when I do, it tends to be historical. I have a big interest in historical romance and right now, just playing with the idea of it all you know? Sometimes writers get interested in tons of different ideas and some ideas see the light, some don't. But if I do decide to pursue a HR, I'll try to be as realistic and entertaining as possible. And I of course will do as much research as I can.

Nicole you brought up some wonderful points and good ideas! All of you helped a lot and I appreciate you chiming in.

Best Wishes!

http://www.stacy-deanne.net

Stacy-Deanne, you might look at France and some other parts of Continental Europe. If you wanted to go for an Early 20th Century setting, Black was adored in Paris. Many American soldiers who got shipped over there, never came home because they were treated so much better over there.

Like you, Stacy-Deanne, I love historical romance and romantic suspense. I started writing a historical interracial for November, but I chose to make my heroine biracial. I applaud your decision to tackle this story. Do your research, but like Arch said, write the story that your heart tells you to write. Knowing your work ethic and dedication, I can't see it not being a good story in the end.

Black people have a very long history outside of slavery. If you get the books African Presence in Early Europe, there's a whole set of them. There were black people living in Europe all the way back in the Renaissance Period and they weren't slaves.

You can also write fantasy where you can use alternate universes and other dimensions like the Golden Compass.

Hi Danielle and Chaeya,

You guys hit the nail on the head with something I was leanding toward. I was thinking I might make the heroine be from Europe or France because I do know that blacks were in many social circles overseas. I'd been pondering that issue, and with what you two have said, seems it would make the most sense. It would also be interesting. I have always loved England, by the way. I've always loved anything British. So I might set it in England, not sure yet. Right now, just getting ideas and thinking about it.

Danielle, I feel you on the historical romances. It's very hard to pull off when the author gets their facts right. I've read a lot of HR books where I had to look up historical events because things didn't sound right. I LOVE history, but I admit, I'm not the smartest at history. So whenever something is historic and I might have forgotten it happened, or is just curious, I look it up. I love to read up on historical things.

I've caught a lot of HR writers messing up this way, LOL! I've read novels where the facts were completely fabricated or just off somehow. I don't know if it was ignorance on the author's part or if they really just wrote things how they wanted and didn't care about it being true. I know some readers who are avid HR readers really take offense to it when authors have a bunch of facts wrong. Some get livid, LOL! I hear them all the time saying,"They didn't do that back then!" LOL!

One thing about me is I love feisty females and there are a lot in HR romances. But the truth is, this isn't how things were. Most women back in those days didn't talk to their husbands or any man the way they do in these books. That's just how it was then. Women had less rights than almost anyone and so some of the things the heroine's do becomes so unbelievable. But I know the feisty part is entertainment.

For me, I can overlook facts that weren't accurate IF the author is writing a story that gets my mind off it. I'm not concentrating on facts, just entertainment. But if it's unbelievable stuff, it will make me want to chuck the book, LOL! I can take some stuff from the author's imagination and give them some freedom, but I can't excuse someone just rewriting history for their novel. I feel like that's disrespectful to history and the people who had a big part in events and other things that changed the world back then. That's one reason I was debating how to write this type of woman. I didn't want to just act like slavery never happened if the story took place here. That's not only an insult to history, but an insult to me and my people. I can imagine black folks reading that going, "This sista's outta her mind! She act like slavery didn't exist!" LOL! I definitely didn't want to just write something that we know couldn't possibly happen.

So I would do my best to write a HR that's realistic. I don't want someone reading my story and going, "Now you know this didn't happen!" I know one lady I read a while back wrote a book where she made up an entire war!! LOL! It didn't bother me but some of her readers were grumbling.

Best Wishes!

http://www.stacy-deanne.net

A lot of people who loves history and hates to see inaccuracy or what they believe to be inaccuracy in historical books, will say, "this didn't happen" in this time period.

Well, to me and this is true. There's nothing new under the sun. One historical woman can't speak for all historical women. One historical man can't speak for all historical men.

It would be like saying, "this race" don't drink milk. Well, just because John Doe is from "that race" and he doesn't drink milk, doesn't mean everyone from "that race" doesn't drink milk.

I think the best thing a writer can do is make up a city, even if they use a real state.

True Blood is in Bon Temps, Louisiana.

I am from Louisiana. Which I know that people know this. Bon Temps is a fictional city in Louisiana. I don't believe in vampires, shapeshifters, etc. I know that they don't exist. lol, none live in my neck of the woods in Louisiana.

A historical romance book is fictional, so therefore some unreal things can happen in them.

I had a lot of people get mad at me, because I didn't care if a fictional historical book wasn't accurate.

The question is, why should it be? If the book has to be accurate, then it shouldn't be fictional. It should be non-fiction.

To follow up on Arch, there are so many inaccuracies in movies, it's unbelievable. I don't mind, although if I'm interested I will go and find out the real story. I like to be accurate, but I'm not against changing things within reason. Now if you write a book portraying Hitler as a humanitarian, that's a bit much. If I see a biography, I do like it to follow what is known of their life. If you create a fictional character, I feel you have lots of room to play, even if you include famous characters. It's all about how well written it is.

Here's my case. You have two movies, Tombstone with Kurt Russell / Val Kilmer as Doc Holiday. Then you have Wyatt Earp with Kevin Costner and Dennis Quaid as Doc Holiday. Personally, Tombstone was too Hollywood, but it was a hit and everyone loves that version. I like Kevin Costner's version because I know a lot about Wyatt Earp's life and Costner and his writers obviously did too. It was more real and more believable to me. Dennis Quaid looked, behaved and was pretty crude as a man dying of tuberculosis. I think I heard Val Kilmer cough a couple of times.

For me, it's all about believability and consistency for the time period you're writing in.

Chaeya

Chaeya,

I love Val Kilmer as Doc Holiday. I like Tombstone.

Chaeya wrote:

Now if you write a book portraying Hitler as a humanitarian, that's a bit much.

LOL! That would definitely cause an uproar. LOL! I also doubt there would be a publisher brave enough to publish it. But who knows for sure what a pub would do if they started fantasizing about dollar signs. It sure would be popular because it would stir up so much controversy. I don't think it would sell and the author's career would go kaput with it.

Best Wishes!

http://www.stacy-deanne.net

Great points, Eugenia! Thanks!

http://www.stacy-deanne.net

I think that the writer should have an understanding of that period in which she writes. She can make up her own story, but it should be plausible. If it's way out there, I'm really distracted, and I'm less likely to enjoy the story. I'm not saying I want to read a history book, but I want to be able to believe I'm in the period. I think I'm a little more demanding in that sense, because I love history, very much. I agree that it is fiction, but the best fiction has enough real in it to resonate. That even goes with fantasy, IMHO. That's why I love urban fantasy. It could be real, although we know it isn't.

In my story I'm writing, the heroine's mother is from the States. Her father was not a slave. He was a free man, but they had to deal with prejudice, despite the fact that he was an educated scholar. In England, she does face some prejudice, but the fact that her father is an earl's son does protect her somewhat.

I'm friends in with an African-Norwegian historian who has dedicated his entire career to the genealogy of Blacks in Northern Europe. He focuses mainly on Norway, but his work and those of his colleagues cover much of continental Europe as well.

Have a look at this site:

http://www.best.uni-mainz.de/modules/...

The information on the site itself is a bit dated, but the empirical studies that were presented by conference participants are still quite valid and informative.

The last time I spoke to Yacoub (my friend), he was in the process of editing his book on this topic. I don't know if the book was actually released. I haven't been in touch with him for ages, but if after you've done your preliminary research and you decide you want to focus on this general region, let me know and I'm sure I can put you in touch with Yacoub and others who can help you further. Yacoub is a very knowledgeable guy and he's particularly passionate about the journey of blacks in the North.

Also, many of these historical figures were not slaves. In fact, slavery never reached this region considering the poverty that was rampant at that time. They were discriminated against, surely, but they enjoyed plenty or pretty much the same freedoms whites did.

I too love history. I only wish I had the patience to carry out thorough enough research in order to write a book. This should be very exciting for you indeed.

I think that the average American has not be well-educated on history, particularly about the contributions of non-Whites to America. I have to include myself in that. I have embarked on my own self-education as an adult about Black history, and it's been very rewarding. I feel that Black Americans should embrace our ownership of this country, because we helped build it. Knowledge of that is crucial to help us feel a sense of pride in this country, instead of feeling like strangers in a strange land.

I actually prefer ancient World History, as bizarre as that sounds. I love it.

I think that all histories should be taught or at least parents should teach their children all histories. I plan to teach my child all histories. Especially black history.

I've worked with a woman, who wasn't taught black history. She was surprised to find out that a lot of things were invented by black people. She didn't go to schools that taught black history.

The schools that I have gone to, only taught a little about black history, for black history month. But, another school had a black history class.

I have history books about different races and I do like learning things about other people and cultures, but history wasn't my favorite subject in school. Math and English were.

I had a math block when I was a kid, because of a bad experience. But once I got past that, I realized I love math, because I love solving problems. I wish I could retake calculus and spend more time on it, and not get a C the second time around. I made As and Bs in Physics, which is harder than calculus. I could have done it, if I applied myself.

I love English and Literature, as much as Science. Although I freely admit to being a science nerd, I do love the liberal arts. I love art bunches. As I said above, I rarely bored in history class. My favorite was World History. I wanted to read the book from cover to cover.

Stacy-Deanne wrote: "Hi All,

I've been thinking over something and I need an opinion. I welcome all of course!

I love historical romances in books as well as movies. I love period movies about kings and queens, e..."

How about setting it in Nova Scotia. There are black people who are descendants of soldiers who fought for the British during the American Revolution. I would LOVE to read something like this. Also, there is an apocryphal story about one of William Shakespeare's sonnets being about a woman called "Lucy Negro" that he may have been involved with. I don't know the particulars however.

Talk about interesting, read this article about Alessandro di Medici who was one of the most powerful black men in Europe:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontli...

Wow you guys are coming up with great ideas! And thanks to those posting links and who have given titles to books and things. I'll check out the info!

Best Wishes!

http://www.stacy-deanne.net

KINDRED by PJ Dean interracial historian
black woman/oneida indian
http://www.newconceptspublishing.com/...

Her family could be builder furniture makers own land or white family could have adopt her(sibling). Anything is possible its your world go for it.

This is pretty awesome. I'd love to see what you come up with, Stacy Deanne. I would love to see more IR historicals. The last one I really enjoyed and loved was Zoe by T.A. Ford which took place in 18th century France. She didn't shy away from the details nor from making her characters flawed yet complex.

I'm working on a historical myself (a memoir of a real life person splashed with fictional facts) and it can get pretty taxing. At times I feel apprehensive of the detail and how accurate I want to be even though the historical details are pretty heart wrenching. But the story just continues to crawl out.

If you ever want to trade history chat or writing support or anything, we should chat!

Best wishes on coming up with your MS! :-)

I think it's beneficial for anyone to self-educate, and for writers in particular, it's also practical. ;) I love to research myself.

SD, since you're thinking about writing in a European setting, you might try a Moor from North African. There were plenty trading in Europe. Vixenne's comment on Shakespeare reminded me, LOL.