Black Romance Podcast
The Black Romance Podcast features weekly conversations with Black writers, editors, and scholars of historical and contemporary popular romance fiction. Julie Moody-Freeman and guests talk about a range of experiences: their difficulties trying to publish love stories with Black characters; their favorite books; writing and teaching about black romance fiction; traditional vs self-publishing; publishing queer romance fiction; and their recently released books.
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Bolu Babalola and Dr. Carole Bell
06/27/2023
Bolu Babalola and Dr. Carole Bell
Julie E Moody-Freeman and co-host Dr. Carole Bell interview best-selling writer of Love in Colour and Honey & Spice Bolu Babalola. Bolu Babalola is a British-Nigerian journalist, writer, and lover of love. In 2016, she was shortlisted in 4th Estate’s B4ME competition for her short story “Netflix & Chill,” a hilarious tale of teen romance. Bolu has worked as a writer for books, TV, press and as a cultural commentator. Dr. Carole Bell is a Jamaican-born communication researcher, writer, and critic with two decades of experience working at the intersection of media, culture, and politics. A lover of books, TV, film and democracy, her writing has appeared in print and digital media outlets including NPR, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and theGrio and she is a contributor to the recent Black Love Matters essay anthology. She earned her PhD at UNC-Chapel Hill’s School of Media and Journalism concentrating in political communication, public opinion, and public policy and communication effects. She also holds an MS in Television and Radio from Brooklyn College, and a BA in English and American Literature from Harvard College. Thanks to the Center for Black Diaspora at DePaul University for sponsoring this podcast. Creator, producer, and host of the Black Romance Podcast: Julie E Moody-Freeman Marketing and Promotions: Jennifer Gardner @jpgm.a Sound Editor: Randall Spriggs with @rsvideophoto_media. Website is Black Romance Artwork: Kyle Gabb @Marciano_arts
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Bette Ford
06/06/2023
Bette Ford
Julie E Moody-Freeman interviews award winning romance writer Bette Ford. Ford is the author of fourteen books including, For Always, Forever After, All the Love, The Prescott Series, and Mrs. Green Girls Series. Thanks to the Center for Black Diaspora at DePaul University for sponsoring this podcast. Creator, producer, and host of the Black Romance Podcast: Julie E Moody-Freeman Marketing and Promotions: Jennifer Gardner @jpgm.a Sound Editor: Randall Spriggs with @rsvideophoto_media. Website is Black Romance Artwork: Kyle Gabb @Marciano_arts
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Francis Ray and Anna Larence with Michelle Ray, Ann Fields and Margo Hendricks (Elysabeth Grace)
05/23/2023
Francis Ray and Anna Larence with Michelle Ray, Ann Fields and Margo Hendricks (Elysabeth Grace)
Julie E Moody-Freeman is joined by Race and Romance: Coloring the Past writer Margo Hendricks, by Michelle Ray, and by Ann Fields to discuss Black romance writers Francis Ray and Anna Larence. Francis Ray’s books can be found at: One can find Fields online at: , , , Thanks to the Center for Black Diaspora at DePaul University for sponsoring this podcast. Creator, producer, and host of the Black Romance Podcast: Julie E Moody-Freeman Marketing and Promotions: Jennifer Gardner @jpgm.a Sound Editor: Randall Spriggs with @rsvideophoto_media. Website is Black Romance Artwork: Kyle Gabb @Marciano_arts
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Christina C. Jones and Jessica P. Pryde
04/18/2023
Christina C. Jones and Jessica P. Pryde
In this episode, Julie E Moody-Freeman is joined by Black Love Matters writer and When In Romance podcast co-host Jessica P. Pryde to interview Christina C. Jones, a best-selling romance novelist and digital media creator. They discuss Jones’ self-published romance novels as well as her experiences publishing and marketing romance novels through her self-built online platform. Christina C. Jones’ audio and eBooks can be purchased at . Thanks to the Center for Black Diaspora at DePaul University for sponsoring this podcast. Creator, producer, and host of the Black Romance Podcast: Julie E Moody-Freeman Marketing and Promotions: Jennifer Gardner @jpgm.a Sound Editor: Randall Spriggs with @rsvideophoto_media. Website is Black Romance Artwork: Kyle Gabb @Marciano_arts
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Jacquelin Thomas with Rochelle Alers
04/04/2023
Jacquelin Thomas with Rochelle Alers
Julie E Moody-Freeman is joined this episode by two best-selling and award-winning romance writers: Rochelle Alers and Jacquelin Thomas. In Season 1 episode 10 of the Black Romance Podcast, Rochelle Alers joined Julie to talk about Alers’ experiences in the romance industry. In this episode, Alers joins as co-host of the show to talk with Jacquelin Thomas about her experiences publishing romance, romantic suspense, mainstream fiction and young adult fiction. In this conversation, Thomas recounts her history of publishing with Kensington Books, Genesis Press, Hachette, Harlequin, Simon & Schuster, and Penguin Putnam. Thanks to the Center for Black Diaspora for sponsoring this podcast. Creator, producer, and host of the Black Romance Podcast: Julie E Moody-Freeman Marketing and Promotions: Jennifer Gardner @jpgm.a Sound Editor: Randall Spriggs with @rsvideophoto_media. Website is www.rsvideophoto.media Black Romance Artwork: Kyle Gabb @Marciano_arts
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DL White
03/28/2023
DL White
DL White joins Julie E Moody-Freeman to talk about White’s experiences writing, publishing, and marketing romance novels through her self-built online platform. DL White’s eBooks, print, and audio books can be purchased at booksbydlwhite.com/books. Thanks to the Center for Black Diaspora for sponsoring this podcast. Creator, producer, and host of the Black Romance Podcast: Julie E Moody-Freeman Marketing and Promotions: Jennifer Gardner @jpgm.a Sound Editor: Randall Spriggs with @rsvideophoto_media. Website is www.rsvideophoto.media Black Romance Artwork: Kyle Gabb @Marciano_arts
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Natalie Dunbar with Barbara Keaton
03/21/2023
Natalie Dunbar with Barbara Keaton
In this episode, Julie E Moody-Freeman and her co-host romance writer Barbara Keaton speak with award-winning romance writer Natalie Dunbar. They discuss Dunbar’s experiences publishing with Genesis Press, Parker Publishing, Silhouette, and Kimani Arabesque. Thanks to the Center for Black Diaspora at DePaul for sponsoring this podcast. Creator, producer, and host of the Black Romance Podcast: Julie E Moody-Freeman Marketing and Promotions: Jennifer Gardner @jpgm.a Sound Editor: Randall Spriggs with @rsvideophoto_media. Website is www.rsvideophoto.media Black Romance Artwork: Kyle Gabb @Marciano_arts
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Seressia Glass
12/09/2022
Seressia Glass
In this episode, Julie E Moody-Freeman speaks with award-winning romance writer Seressia Glass about her experiences publishing with Genesis Press, Parker Publishing, Simon & Schuster, and Berkley. They also discuss Glass's Shadowchasers series and The Love Con. Thanks to the Center for Black Diaspora at DePaul for sponsoring this podcast and to Jennifer Gardner for media promotion. Creator, producer, and host of the Black Romance Podcast: Julie E Moody-Freeman Sound Editor: Randall Spriggs with @rsvideophoto_media. Website is www.rsvideophoto.media Black Romance Artwork: Kyle Gabb @Marciano_arts
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Black Romance and Historical Spaces
12/01/2022
Black Romance and Historical Spaces
Join Black Romance authors Katrina Jackson and Elysabeth Grace as they discuss writing Black historical romance. The authors engage the question of readerly and publishing perceptions about the place of African/African diaspora love in historical spaces. For Black romance authors, what does it entail to represent Black love within historical romance? Questions of colorism, sexuality, class, and gender affect perceptions of historical romance fiction. Is historical fiction or women’s fiction the only way to write Black love? Can a genealogy and reading practice for Black historical romance emerge? A genealogy that encourages writers and readers (including agents, publishers, reviewers) to consider different frames of reading the idea of authenticity? The conversation attempts to move beyond the Eurocentric/American focus to look at the role of Black subjectivity (not individualism) as integral to Black historical romance. Finally, the authors seek to encourage Black romance authors and readers, and the wider romance community to re-imagine their relationship to historical romance in general, and Black historical romance in particular. Thanks to @cbddepaul for sponsoring this podcast and to Jennifer Gardner for media promotion. Creator, producer, and host of the Black Romance Podcast: Julie E Moody-Freeman Sound Editor: Randall Spriggs with @rsvideophoto_media. Website is www.rsvideophoto.media Black Romance Artwork: Kyle Gabb @Marciano_arts
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Patricia Vaughn
08/31/2021
Patricia Vaughn
This week historical novelist Patricia Vaughn talks about her experiences writing and publishing her first two historical novels in the 1990’s. She discusses how her agent Vivian Stephens helped her to publish her first historical novel Murmur of Rain with Pocket Books in 1996 and talk about her second Shadows on the Bayou.
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Frederick Smith and Chaz L Cruz
08/24/2021
Frederick Smith and Chaz L Cruz
Co-authors Frederick Smith and Chaz Lamar Cruz discuss In Case You Forgot and their recent release Busy Ain’t The Half Of It. They also discuss the importance of publishing love stories between Black queer characters, how Frederick Smith’s romance novels were inspirational to Chaz, their path to becoming co-authors, and how Chaz’s career as a poet shapes both language and style in their novels.
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Farrah Rochon
08/17/2021
Farrah Rochon
Best-selling writer Farrah Rochon and I talk about her new release The Dating Playbook and also deep dive into several topics: how she wrote and published her 2007 debut novel, Deliver Me, the first in her Holmes Brothers Series; we talk about her New York Sabers Football Series; Bayou Dream Series; Moments in Maplesville Series; and The Boyfriend Project.
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Barbara Keaton
08/03/2021
Barbara Keaton
Barbara Keaton’s first romance novel, All I Ask, was published in 2000. Since then she has gone on to write thirteen romance novels, which celebrate black love. In this episode, we discuss: her experiences publishing with Genesis Press, working with Romance Slam Jam, the mentorship a community of Black writers have provided her, and we deep dive into her novels Nights Over Egypt, Heat at First Sight, and Show Me!.
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Chilufiya Safaa
07/27/2021
Chilufiya Safaa
Chilufiya Safaa is a romance novelist whose books put a fresh twist on African and African American love themes and allow readers to examine what they thought they knew about African and African American people. In this episode, we talk about Safaa’s first novel, A Foreign Affair, published by Kensington Publishing, and Stolen Dreams, self-published. Safaa also talks about her relationship with Vivian Stephens, the writing coach for her first three books.
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Veronica Mixon
07/20/2021
Veronica Mixon
Veronica Mixon, my guest today, was an editor at Doubleday for fourteen years from 1974 to 1988. She recounts her experiences during these years: creating Doubleday’s Starlight Romances, working with many writers, including Barbara Stephens, Millie Ragosta, and Rochelle Alers, building relationships with other Black editors at the time like Marie Brown at Anchor and Vivian Stephens at Dell.
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Eboni Snoe
07/13/2021
Eboni Snoe
Eboni Snoe is the best-selling author of seventeen books. In this episode, we discuss her experiences publishing her first romance novel A Shiek’s Spell with Odyssey Books in 1992 as well as her experiences publishing with Arabesque and Avon Book. We deep dive into her novels Beguiled, Tell Me I'm Dreamin’, her forthcoming autobiography The Altar, and her publishing company Beyond Maya Press.
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Celeste Norfleet
07/06/2021
Celeste Norfleet
Celeste Norfleet, a best-selling writer of over twenty-five novels, joins me this week. We talk about her 2002 debut novel Priceless Gift and its curious ending, which became the inspiration for the novels in her well-loved Mama Lou Matchmaker Series. She discusses her experiences at the beginning of her career, the supportive environment of Romance Slam Jam, and her current release One Night in Georgia.
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Adriana Herrera
06/29/2021
Adriana Herrera
Adriana Herrera, a USA Today bestselling author, talks about her experiences as an immigrant, the dissonance she felt between her Black Feminist studies and the colonial images she read in romance, her need to affirm the existence of immigrants during the 2016 elections, and her need to create romance novels that center Black and LGBTQ characters, her Dreamer series, Finding Joy, Mangoes and Mistletoe, Here to Stay, “The Duke Makes Me Feel,” and her newest release One Week to Claim it All.
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Katrina Jackson
06/22/2021
Katrina Jackson
Today’s guest is Katrina Jackson, best-selling writer of over twenty novels. Katrina discusses some of her early reading practices, writing her first romance, and why she publishes affirming images of Black women. She also recounts how her life as a pre and post tenured historian in the Academy informs some of her novels’ themes. She and I also discuss several of her books: From Scratch, Office Hours, The Hitman, Encore, Grand Theft New Year’s Eve, and her current release Back in the Day.
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Piper Huguley
06/15/2021
Piper Huguley
Best-selling writer Piper Huguley joins Julie to talks about her experiences writing, publishing, and marketing historical novels with African American Christian characters. She talks about developing her online platform to self-publish her novels, including her first The Lawyer’s Luck and the books in her “Home to Millford College Series.” In addition, she talks about A Virtuous Ruby and forthcoming books, Sweet Tea, and By design: The Story of Ann Lowe, Society’s Best Kept Secret.
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Kennedy Ryan
06/08/2021
Kennedy Ryan
Best-selling writer Kennedy discusses how she developed her writing craft, which led to the 2014 publication of her first book, When You Are Mine. She talks about her experiences self-publishing, starting a foundation serving Atlanta families living with Autism, and she recounts her experiences at the 2019 RWA award ceremony when she won the Rita award for her self-published novel Long Shot. She also talks about her books series All the King’s Men, Queen Move, and her latest release Reel.
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LaQuette
06/02/2021
LaQuette
Best-selling writer LaQuette joins Julie to discuss her successful writing career, which began with the 2013 publication of her first book, My Beginning. They discuss how she came to write and publish romance, her role as the current President of the Romance Writers of America, her publishing company Brooklyn Girl Ink, and her books Jackson and Bedding the Enemy. LaQuette is a 2021 Vivian award finalist for her book titled Under His Protection.
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Reese Ryan
05/25/2021
Reese Ryan
Best-selling writer Reese Ryan joins Julie to talk about her successful writing career, which began with the 2013 publication of her first book, Making the First Move. They discuss Ryan’s recent nomination for the Vivian Award in the Contemporary Romance Short area as well as her experiences writing and publishing romance. They also deep dive into three of her novels: Making the First Move, Second Chance on Cypress Lane, and Waking up Married.
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Shirley Hailstock
05/18/2021
Shirley Hailstock
Best-selling and award-winning novelist Shirley Hailstock joins Julie to talk about her successful writing career, and they deep dive into her novels Whispers of Love (Under the Sheets) and Love in Logan Beach. Hailstock is the author of over 40 novels and novellas. She writes contemporary romantic suspense, paranormal, historical romance, and mainstream women's fiction.
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Donna Hill
05/11/2021
Donna Hill
Best-selling writer Donna Hill joins Julie for the first episode of Season two of the Black Romance Podcast. They discuss Hill’s experiences writing and publishing romance, and they deep dive into three of her novels: Rooms of the Heart, Chances Are, and Confessions in B Flat.
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Elysabeth Grace/Margo Hendricks
10/20/2020
Elysabeth Grace/Margo Hendricks
Margo Hendricks who writes romance novels as Elysabeth Grace joins me to close out Season one of the Black Romance Podcast. We discuss her contemporary and paranormal romance novels as well as our forthcoming editorial collaboration on a special issue of the Journal of Popular Romance Studies, which will focus on Black Romance.
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Rochelle Alers
10/13/2020
Rochelle Alers
Rochelle Alers and I talked about a number of topics: her experiences writing and publishing romance in the 1980’s; and we talked about books and characters from her Hideaway, Cavanaugh Island, and The Innkeepers series. She also discussed her work with Vivian Stephens on the Women Writers of Color group, her experiences with RWA, and with Black women editors and writers who she believes have contributed to her success.
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Gwendolyn Pough/Gwyneth Bolton
10/06/2020
Gwendolyn Pough/Gwyneth Bolton
This week Gwendolyn Pough (writing as Gwyneth Bolton) and I discuss her popular romance fiction Make It Last Forever and Sweet Sensation. We also discuss whether her academic publications on Black feminism and Hip-Hop culture influence her romance fiction.
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Rebekah Weatherspoon
09/29/2020
Rebekah Weatherspoon
Rebekah Weatherspoon discusses the importance of depicting Black women in her books, writing inclusive novels that feature queer love stories with Black characters, and her experiences self-publishing and publishing with Dafina, a traditional press.
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Alyssa Cole
09/22/2020
Alyssa Cole
This week Alyssa Cole and I discuss how her precocious childhood reading habits may have influenced her current romance publications. Cole also reveals how her historical and contemporary romance like Let it Shine, An Extraordinary Union, An Unconditional Freedom, A Princess in Theory, and A Duke by Default work through, try to understand, and trouble particular aspects of U.S. culture, history, and politics.
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