The Nubian Barnstormer novel series is literary historical romance.
The books cover the time-frame of World War I through World War II. Many African-American historians have considered those years a low point in Black history, with the exception of the Harlem Renaissance.
I chose to narrate this period through the life journey of Ava Odell, a black woman who champions equality by pursuing an unconventional career. Most black people, iconic figures and regular folks alike, challenged discrimination by striving to live their best lives. During a time that I think has been mistakenly called “the nadir of black history,” they overcame obstacles, setbacks and sought justice with determination and grit.
I view human progress as a stairway. Each victory provides a step that the next person and/or the next generation can climb to reach new heights. Those who fought the good fight like Ava, her friends and her family provided the steps that led to the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s, which has led to Black Lives Matter.
Romance is not only the fun and frills before marriage. True romance–true love–is what happens after the vows. Learning and dealing with your partner’s and your own faults and strengths. Under normal and extraordinary circumstances–what most African Americans experience in this society. Do you fall apart or fight to stay together? Does your love transcend it all?
Black love, not only romantic but familial and community fellowship, is too rarely explored in literature. The power of black love to sustain and propel individuals and the African American community as a whole is a garden full of stories waiting to be picked. The Nubian Barnstormer Volume 1: Persistence and Volume 2: Crossroads are my first fruits to share this Valentine’s Day, during Black History Month and all year long.