Okay…maybe it’s just me.
So I’ve started the much buzzed about book Casanegra, I’m enjoying it so far, but I sometime skip to the back or front to read the shout outs usually known as the Acknowledgement page. As I’m reading probably the most politically correct and humble thank yous from Blair Underwood, my eye snag on the line when he thanks Zane as an African American ROMANCE writer.
WTF???
Did I miss something? Okay I’m going to admit that I haven’t read ALL of Ms. Zane’s work, but I have read some and I certainly don’t understand how anyone could confuse an erotic book, basically episodes of hot, freaky sex, as romance. C’mon.
Believe it or not, this really upset me. Mainly because I suspect that Mr. Underwood has never read an African American romance book. Makes me wonder if this how men (and a lot of women) get sex confused for love? C’mon, I’m no prude and many of you out there who read my books can testify to this. But Zane…a romance author?
Again, I’m not hating on Ms. Zane. The woman has kicked some serious butt in the publishing industry and I respect and admire her.
But Zane…a romance author?
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Well Adrianne mabey he hasnt really read her books or he probably read something like Heat Seekers and thought that all her books were like that. Im not upset by his statement. What does upset me is people reading one or two of Zane’s books and thinking shes hardcore. What they need to do is read Making him want it, Sex in da Hood 1&2, or the Black Door. Hell to me Mary B. Morrison’s books are more hardcore than Zane’s. But I still love her though. Sex Chronicles 1 is one of my favorite books!
by Arrielle
on November 26th, 2007 at 5:22 pm
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I read it as a spiritual person trying to excuse his love for erotic fiction under the gise of calling it romance. If you have the book, re-read that. It clearly sounds as if Mr. Underwood is a spiritual person-which I have absolutely no qualms about, but as he explans why he wrote the book that does have graphic sex scenes, he offers ZANE up as a romance author who inspired him to write in this style. My thing is if you like erotic fiction just own it-don’t relabel it.
by adrianne
on November 26th, 2007 at 5:31 pm
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I don’t think her to be a romance writer at all! 
by Jen
on November 27th, 2007 at 9:59 am
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Adrianne,
I don’t think she is romance writter, per se, but she does have a unique gift to get black women, talking about SEX and how much we like it, dare I say NEED it. 
Maybe the books HE read by Zane were romantic to him.?
Anyways does anyone watch Blair on the t.v show. Dirty Sexy Money? also have you notice that the man still looks good? he has not aged at all 
by KIMMI
on November 27th, 2007 at 11:50 am
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I don’t see Zane as a romance writer, but unfortunately most men can’t tell the difference between romance and erotic fiction and he seems to be one of those. I have read several Zane novels, and some of her stories have romantic undertones, and I like her as an author, but I would not consider her a romance author. So adrianne, don’t take it personally, he is a man what does he know 
. Maybe you need to open his eyes a little bit-Hey why don’t you send him “Feel the Fire” so he can get a first hand look or read (as the case maybe) at what a REAL romance novel is all about, and like us he will be hooked also.
by Susan
on November 27th, 2007 at 1:48 pm
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I have to agree with you. I don’t think Zane is a romance author AT ALL. Now, granted, I’ve only read one Zane book (Nervous), so I probably should not even give my opinion. That one book, while it had a couple of situations that I would call romantic…that doesn’t make her a romance writer.
I don’t watch the tv show, but yes, Kimmi, he does still look good 
by Jenny
on November 27th, 2007 at 9:49 pm
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Adrainne
I definitely agree with you. A true romance reader would not recognize Zane as a romance writer. I’ve only read one or two of her book and I’ll give her her props for opening some doors in the industry, but she not a romance writers. Especially when there’s Beverly Jenkins, Rochelle Alers, Brenda Jackson, Niobia Bryant and yourself to name a few, who are trying to get the recognition yall deserve as an AA Romance Writer.
by Melissa
on December 1st, 2007 at 11:51 am
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I agree with you Adriannem
The stuff I have read by Zane is nowhere near Romance. All Iread was nasty sex scene after another. I quit reading her after Addicted. That’s the one book I did enjoy,. It at least had a plot.
by Patsy
on December 7th, 2007 at 11:17 pm
