I marvel at today’s African-American romance writers who are writing with imagery and a lot of verve, capturing the intimate liaisons that define love and all properties thereof. A few years ago before launching my website www.theromerreview.com, I endeavored to become more involved in the reading and reviewing of these novels. I needed to ensconce myself into the lexicon and vernacular of what was written, and in the process I was fortunate to have met and befriend quite a few of the authors, and I do hope that they’ve welcomed me into the fold. People like Brenda Jackson, Rochelle Alers, Melanie Schuster, Kim Louise, Donna Hill, Gwen Forster, Doris Johnson, Beverly Jenkins, Marcia King Gamble, AC Arthur, Linda Y. Walters, and Sandra Kitt have contributed to my comfort, and I can call upon Brenda, Marcia and Doris at anytime and feel warranted that an engaging conversation is to be, and can be had. I long to meet fellow Floridian Janice Sims, who I’ve come to simply adore because of her warm and sharing spirit. I’ve interacted with them all, either at past Romance Slam Jams, via e-mail, or simply picking up the telephone and saying, “Hello this is Alvin…”

I’m a romantic at heart, and love the addiction to intimacy and the heartfelt moments of love, whether it’s a tender embrace or the anticipation of something more. Though I don’t believe in love at first sight, I honestly feel though that love and its fleeting moments of belonging have a place in our hearts and minds. Love is the universal language; romance is the symptom that embellishes it, and sex one of the entities that insures it. I love when a woman exudes the beauty that God has always wanted to showcase. I love when the game captures hunters, and when sheer innocence fuels the spontaneity of a winsome relationship. Romance is the fruit in my loving cup, righteous apples for intimate appreciation, the spice to my life, and good timing to my sense of place. Yes, I love romance. In my upcoming debut book, the working title is MY MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION, and in it I write about the escapades of a man falling in love for the very first time. This is a romance suspense type from a man’s point of view. It’s truly about finding love in all the right and wrong places. I want to be able to convey characters that find love against all odds, and can triumph when least expected to do so. Romance exists in a complexity of scenarios. I’ve seen it, read about it, and have lived it.

Suffice to say, the heart of romance lies in the hearts of those that can feel the sensitivity and sensuousness of belonging to someone. We as individuals looking for it, and for those married to their heartthrobs, they can readily attest to why romance will always have liaisons and reasons for intimacy. So the genre of romance writing will always be my stopping place and stepping-stone for what in the genre. I will be one of the first to extol its virtues and depicts it as the true definition of everlasting love for all eternity. Believe me, romance is real!