Artist Appreciation: 5 Black Authors to support for BHM

Black History Month is a time to celebrate our great heritage, history, culture, and contributions to society. While Black history is something to celebrate all year long, it's nice to have a month set aside to uplift the achievements of our ancestors and present-day change-makers with love and intention. 

As a creator, I find it important to shine light on other Black artists whose work I appreciate. This means amplifying the names of my favorite films, filmmakers, visual artists, actors, and the focus of this post, my fellow authors. Gatekeepers would disagree, but I believe that we lose nothing by sharing the phenomenal work of our industry peers. I'm a writer who is happy to share the work of other writers because there is room for everybody to eat. 

Before I get started, here's a quick background story on how this list came to be. A former purist who once preferred the smell and feel of physical books (iykyk), I purchased my first e-reader in 2023. I had decided to dive into the world of urban romance, and after breezing through a few titles, I realized that the next book in my series was only available in an e-reader format. A day or two later, I was diving into the next installment on my new device. That simple action reignited my love of reading for pleasure, and since then, I've completed over 20 books annually.

Like my platform, my reading list is unapologetically Black, so it's only right that I share some of my favorite Black authors with you during February. You should also know that most of these recommendations are intended for mature (18+) audiences only. The authors have varied catalogs, but you'll see a steady theme of tales with a lot of love and a little hood (right on time for Valentine's Day). What can I say? Puppies are cute, but The Kultured Queen loves the big dawgs.

Now accepting applications for Big Dawgs. Submit below. What did Meg say? "Ah!"

Grab a pen, some paper, and your pearls. Here are my top 5 favorite Black romance/urban fiction authors:

1. Jahquel J. - I started her popular Delgato Family series in September and I've been HOOKED to her writing ever since! My cousins and I are currently awaiting the drop for our mysterious fave, Menace Caselli. My cousins of the Jah Tribe and I all agree: sis' pen is something SERIOUS! I promise you won't be disappointed when you check her out.

2. Alexandria House - Whewwww Miss Sophia, Miss Sophia, those McClain Brothers sure are good to me!!! I fell in love with Alexandria's family saga centered on five siblings individually finding love over two years ago and their stories remain some of my favorites. Her characters are a mix of the people we all know and the love we all wish to find. I highly recommend her work.

3. Natasha Bishop - I haven't taken a deep dive into all her work, but Mr. Rome from her hit novel Only for the Week ranks high on my list of book boyfriends. A protector?! A provider?! The epitome of a manly man who doesn't play about his woman?! Sign me up every time. If you don't check out anything else by Ms. Bishop, do me a favor and treat yourself to Only for the Week.

4. Miss Jenesequa - I discovered Miss Jenesequa's work through her Evans Family Series, and let me tell you something... Mr. Genesis Washington, a hood prince turned legit, is everything!!! The book that reeled me in was called I Got You, and yes indeed he did! It's a series that I haven't revisited in a while, but definitely one worth checking out.

5. Elle Kayson - Last but certainly not least, I have two words: Demon's Dream...If you're a book or Kindle girlie, then you probably already know this notorious title. Filled with twists, turns, and complicated main characters, this thriller kept me engaged from beginning to end. Shoot, I still revisit my favorite parts from time to time. Don't be intimidated by the length (that's what he said, hehe); once you get started, the pages pretty much flip themselves. In fact, let me go see what Demon and Dream are doing. Somebody tell Ms. Kayson that we need a sequel!

Other Faves/Honorable Mentions

• Kennedy Ryan

• A.E. Valdez 

• Miss J. / Endiya Carter

• Miss Candice

• Nicole Jackson

• A.C. Taylor

That's all, folks! To my fellow book babes, happy reading! Be sure to share your favorites with me in the comments below or on social media. And to the authors listed, thank you for your incredible work. You inspire me and add light to our lives in a very special way.

#KeepReading #KeepWriting #StayKultured