Friday, January 11, 2019

A clandestine inter-racial romance -- #Romance #Prejudice #SocialJustice @laylawriteslove

My Way to You cover

Blurb

Lawyer Simon Young is smart, confident, and adept at keeping things with women casual—until he meets his best friend Marcus’s sister, Regina. Immediately intrigued by Regina’s beauty, Simon becomes increasingly enthralled and ultimately risks his friendship to have her for himself.

Social justice writer and activist Regina Kent is usually cautious and savvy. Yet, unable to resist her attraction to the handsome Simon, she plunges into a torrid affair, knowing that she chances angering big brother and her less tolerant followers, many of whom will not accept that one of their most popular pro-Black bloggers is dating an Asian man.

As their clandestine romance evolves, Simon and Regina fall deeper in love. Making sure that things stay between them becomes progressively impossible, and neither knows how much longer they can keep Marcus in the dark and the world at bay.


Excerpt
Chapter 10: Jamaica Station

Coffee ready?” Simon took his jacket off the hook and shrugged it over his wide shoulders.

Just now. You’ve got good timing, Young.” Errant drops fell from the spout and sizzled into evaporation on the hot plate. Regina filled the mug, noticing Simon reading his phone screen out of the corner of her eye. “It just stopped ringing’.” She offered him the morning libation. “I hope it wasn’t urgent.”

Simon’s face remained cheerful. “Nope. Just someone from work.” He grabbed the mug and pulled Regina towards him. “See you tonight?”

I can’t. I’m goin’ out with some girlfriends. Tomorrow night?”

I’m probably gonna be workin’ late preparing for a case.”

If you don’t mind the train ride,” Regina smoothed his tie, “I won’t mind the lateness.” She laced her fingers in his silky hair, drew him into a long, hot kiss, and softly blinked, waiting for a response.

Simon’s eyes smoldered. “I’ll be here.”

Regina kissed his nose. “Good. Now go.” She teasingly pushed him away. Hearing the door close behind Simon, she poured some coffee and perched on a stool, cradling the hot mug in her hands. Only gone for a few minutes, she already yearned for his presence. There was no denying that Simon Young was under her skin, and she was going to make sure he stayed there.

She hopped off the stool and shuffled to her desk. It started to ding a series of notifications as soon as she raised the laptop open. She skimmed through a list of articles, stopping and cringing at a headline:

Can you be Pro-Black and Marry White?

She scanned the article, which contained the usual arguments for and against Black activists and celebrities marrying interracially. Regina focused her attention on the comments section and the plethora of derision, which included words like “internalized racism,” “color struck” and the same “sellout” the guy in the elevator shouted at her.

She pushed in the squishy belly of the kitty-shaped stress reliever stuck on her desk. She couldn’t deny that many of her followers might have the same criticisms about interracial dating and marriage as the ones on the screen. Some may be accepting, but others will eviscerate her and jeopardize her blog. She couldn’t lose everything she worked for—or Simon.

About the Author

Lyndell Williams is an award-winning writer as well as a multifaceted editor, romance scholar and author. She is a managing editor and columnist for various media platforms and serves as a content editor for a select group of clients. She’s had numerous short stories published in collections and enjoys a growing list of subscribers to her Layla Writes Love online short story series.

Lyndell is an adjunct instructor as well as an anti-racism and gender equity advocate. She is committed to the traditional use of literature as social commentary to affect positive social change.

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1 comment:

Lisabet Sarai said...

Hi, Lyndell -- thanks so much for being my guest!

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