Beverly Jenkins

Beverly Jenkins (born 1951) is an American author of historical and romance novels.

Quotes

• A lot of times, as I like to say, I was the only chip in the cookie…I chose to embrace who I am and what I do, and keep my head down and keep writing, and hoped that things would change. But it was lonely in the sense that I was the only.
  • On being the sole African American romance novelist at the start of her career in “Romance Novelist Beverly Jenkins Talks Normalizing Diversity in Her Genre” in Shondaland (2017 Oct 12)

• I’m still learning, I’m still finding stuff that fascinates me. I’m still putting people out front who I call the “unsung” — those who once had places in history and made a difference, but who have now been forgotten. Because, you know, you bring them back to life [when you write about them], and they live again.
  • On writing about unsung figures in “Romance Novelist Beverly Jenkins Talks Normalizing Diversity in Her Genre” in Shondaland (2017 Oct 12)

• I enjoy all the different levels of engagement. Whether it’s going to be a slow burn or an instant, raging forest fire depends on the story…
  • On writing about various types of relationships in “Interviews: Beverly Jenkins” in BookPage (2019 May 28)

• There were never any characters that looked like me or my sisters or my girlfriends…Our stories needed to be told.
  • On becoming an unknowing pioneer in the romance genre in “Interviews: Beverly Jenkins” in BookPage (Feb 2016)