Our final interview for this season is with Nicole Falls, self-published author of more than twenty Black romance novels. Nicole is a Chicago native, podcaster, editor, and a staunch supporter of Black romance. Her most recent release is Excess Baggage and she’s recently soft-launched Black Romance University. In this episode, we talk to Nicole as a life-long reader of Black romance about her favorite authors, the important role of libraries and bookstores as a young reader, the African American fiction section, and the glory of romance anthologies among other juicy topics!  Make sure to follow us on Instagram and subscribe to the podcast on your favorite platform so you don't miss an episode!  Got an idea or question? Email us: blackromancehistory@gmail.com music by Purple Planet Follow the hosts on the interwebs: Steve Ammidown Website: https://romancehistory.com/about/ Socials IG: @romancehistorian Bluesky: @stegan.bsky.social Nicole M. Jackson/Katrina Jackson Websites: https://www.katrinajacksonauthor.com https://www.bgsu.edu/arts-and-sciences/history/faculty-and-staff/nicole-jackson.html Socials IG: @katjacksonbooks Our guest: Nicole Falls Website: https://nicolefalls.com/ X (#PillowTalkWithNic): https://x.com/_nicolefalls?lang=en Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_nicolefalls/ Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@niccytok #TheShop: https://theshopbynicolefalls.com/ Black Romance University Instagram: Latest Release: Excess Baggage (Flights & Feelings, Book 1) Mentioned in the Episode: Carla Fredd, Brenda Jackson, Felicia Mason, A Valentine Kiss, Arabesque A.H. Cunningham, Out of Office Marcus Books Erika Hardison, “Remembering The Black Expressions Book Club,” Book Riot, August 17, 2021. https://bookriot.com/the-black-expressions-book-club/ Mimi Swartz, “Vivian Stephens Helped Turn Romance Writing Into a Billion-Dollar Industru. Then She Got Pushed Out,” Texas Monthly, September 2020, https://www.texasmonthly.com/arts-entertainment/vivian-stephens-helped-turn-romance-writing-into-billion-dollar-industry/ Nicole Falls, We’ve Only Just Begun Rochelle Alers Shirley Hailstock Leslie Esdaile Banks/L.A.Banks Eboni Snoe Robyn Amos Kayla Perrin Eric Jerome Dickey, Friends and Lovers Michael Baisden, Maintenance Man Omar Tyree Colin Channer E. Lynn Harris, Eric Jerome Dickey, Colin Channer, Marcus Major, Got to Be Real: Four Original Love Stories, New American Library, December 2000 Further Reading: Carina Thomas, “For 64 years, the oldest U.S. Black-owned bookstore inspires,” Berkeley High Jacket, November 3, 2023. https://berkeleyhighjacket.com/2023/features/for-82-years-the-oldest-u-s-black-owned-bookstore-inspires/  (This is Nicole Jackson’s high school newspaper. She’s a very proud Yellowjacket.) Hari Sreenivasan, “Why this small, Black-owned bookstore is hallowed ground for some,” PBS, February 28, 2021. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/why-this-small-black-owned-bookstore-is-hallowed-ground-for-some Anna Gooding-Call, “A History of Racism in American Public Libraries,” Book Riot, March 8, 2021. https://bookriot.com/racism-in-american-public-libraries/ Gregory Frost, “In Remembrance of L.A. Banks 1959-2011), Reactor, August 2, 2011, https://reactormag.com/in-remembrance-of-la-banks-1959-2011/