BTB: Luxe Noir

Hey there!

I often get the question: “How did you come up with this book?” Or some variation of it.

So, I’m starting a new series called Behind the Book. Here I go a little deeper into the thought process that led up to or have something to do with my fictional universe, which I fondly call the UNU. For the first entry, we’re going to take a look at the new fictional town of Luxe Noir.

The Away to Africa series touches on topics like family pressures & expectations, and fake relationships, so I began to think that this can’t be a thing only African families go through.

Since I write mainly wealthy folks and although I have billionaires Darius, Hakeem and Brice from the Billionaire Pact series, I wanted and created my first elite Black American family…The Westbrooks.

Richard & Naomi Westbrooks have seven children and their wealth is generational. But you know what they say about money… I’ll leave that until you meet them.

Anyway, in alignment with my brand, I needed some connection to African culture. After talking to my plot buddy Rhonda Mcknight (she has a book coming out that you can preorder here), we came up with a fictional town. One I wanted to be built by former enslaved people in South Carolina (who have held on to fractions of their culture) and other freedmen from the north.

Every town has a backstory, so I needed founders. Enter Odell & Eliza Jackson. You can read about how Luxe Noir came to be here.

Luxe Noir and the Westbrooks will first appear in A Suitable Wife, but the town is now a staple in the UNU.

What other BTB do you want me to talk about?

Until next time

Peace & Blessings

Unoma