Naleighna Kai's Literary Cafe Magazine NK LCM February 2018 Anniversary Issue | Page 36

Cordenia Paige: The main thing that frustrates me reading Historicals (overall) is the low sexual command of women generally. I’m glad to be born in this time ‘cause I know I woulda been considered a harlot. (I may be considered one now, but I don’t care). Off topic Question: will you ever write a historical that acknowledges the sexual experiments imposed on Black People? Beverly Jenkins: No. Nothing romantic in that - at all. Cordenia Paige: True, but sometimes your novels hint at the harshness, Ms. Beverly. Initially, Noah’s story was hard to read. Now, it’s one of my faves! Shannan Harper: What are the other books in this series? Beverly Jenkins Destiny’s Surrender - my fave, and Destiny’s Captive. Surrender is 2 and Captive is 3. Venise Jacobs: Did you have a day job/another before you became an author or were you always a writer? Beverly Jenkins: Worked in libraries most of my adult life. Cordenia Paige: And Wife/Mother... Not to be forgotten. :-) Shannan Harper: Do you have any input into your covers? They are always eye-catching. Beverly Jenkins: I do. It helps to have one of the best art departments in publishing too. LaToya Hopkins-Kimbrough: I love how all of your male characters have sweet little nicknames for their ladies, especially in the historical novels. That’s so sweet. What made you decide to do that? Beverly Jenkins: The characters dictate that a lot of the time. I let them tell the story and I just try and keep up. :) J. D. Mason: For a man like Logan, who made it clear that he was not interested in settling down with any woman, how difficult was it for you to come up with this woman to make him change his mind? Did you have any idea of what qualities that woman would need in order to change him? It couldn’t have just been that she was pretty. That wouldn’t have been enough for him. Beverly Jenkins: I think that kick in the knee sorta got him thinking. He needed a woman who challenged him and his perception of women. Mariah was all that. 36 | NKLC Magazine LaToya Hopkins-Kimbrough: Of all your books in all genres you write in, which was your least favorite and why? Beverly Jenkins: I love all the genres I write in. Would hate to be stuck/forced to write the same thing all the time. LaToya Hopkins-Kimbrough: I meant which was your least favorite book, if there is one. I love your versatility as an author. Beverly Jenkins: Hm. I thought it was Black Lace until we read it again in book club. Decided it was pretty good. I don’t have anything I regret writing. Victoria Adams-Kennedy: So many writers, like me, look up to you. We love and respect both you and your work. I want to thank you for setting a standard that gives us something to aspire to, while never acting like it’s out of reach. You share so well. Beverly Jenkins: Aww. That’s sweet. Thanks for those kind words. J. D. Mason: I am always so happy with what I come away with after reading your books. You set a stage that makes readers believe that you were actually there. You even manage to write dialogue and scenes in tones that I would think were more in keeping with those times instead of ours. How? I mean, movies? You just making it up? Very authentic and I come away smarter. Beverly Jenkins: You immerse yourself in the period by the vocabulary, events of the times, what was expected of both gender and race. I think the vocab is the most important. Words had different meanings back then in some cases. The dialogue rhythms were different as well. Letters from the era help a lot. J. D. Mason: Rhythms. That’s what I keyed in on. It wasn’t just what they said but how they said it, and it is very different. Beverly Jenkins: J. D. Mason, it is. Makes a big difference when you’re writing dialogue. Sam Cherry Erkard: How many books have you written? Beverly Jenkins I think - 35 counting the 8 or 9 novellas. J. D. Mason: Was I the only person who stood up and applauded when they saw that the Latina woman had a white maid? I’m just saying. For that time period, it s eemed so odd, but fascinating. Certainly unexpected. Sheryl Lister: J.D., no you weren’t. I did a fist pump and a YES!