I’ve been reading romances for two thirds of my life, but didn’t pick up one by a Black author until around a decade ago. Sure, they’ve been around a little longer than that, but it wasn’t until recently that they’ve been easily accessible to the average reader. Since then, though, I’ve had the chance to read countless romance novels, published both traditionally and independently, by Black authors, featuring Black couples, interracial couples, and none of the above. I’ve also had the honor of being a member of the book community, writing about books and romance in particular, and talking about it on the When In Romance podcast, for several years. And after reading a great collection of essays about Black readers seeing themselves in literature, I thought—what about romance readers? Where do we come in?

With a concept and a resounding yes from a magical group of 12 Black romance authors, scholars, and resident members of Romancelandia, we amassed Black Love Matters: Real Talk on Romance, Being Seen, and Happily Ever Afters, a collection of essays about our experiences reading, writing, and watching romantic media. Contributors across the gender and sexuality spectrum wrote personal essays and cultural criticism about their own experiences. The range of topics spans from the opening essay about the history of Black romance by a pillar of the genre, to seeking and/or writing Black, queer, and Afrolatinx representation by readers and authors, to the present and future of Indie Black Romance. No essay is the same, and the broadness of perspectives is the best thing about it.

The editorial process for Black Love Matters was like nothing I’ve ever done before. There’s always the push and pull and tears when it comes to work with a cast this size, but there was also that magic of seeing the start of an idea and being able to say “yes! More of this! Take it further!” Of reading words written by people you respect and admire that nobody else has ever seen, and having those people trust you with building out and editing their words. And in the end, we ended up with something pretty awesome, which I hope people will read and reflect on their own experiences, whether they align closely with ours or not.

Successful representation of Black Love in media is something that Black folks in the US and across the Diaspora haven’t always been able to enjoy. But when we do get it, whether we’re the ones creating it or bringing it to others, it’s quite the sight to behold.

From Black Love Matters: Real Talk on Romance, Being Seen, and Happy Ever Afters, edited by Jessica P. Pryde. Used with the permission of the publisher, Berkley. Copyright © 2022 by Jessica P. Pryde.. Available from Amazon and Bookshop.