Soft.

Author's Note

Hey everyone 😝

I want to give you all some insight on how I wrote this book. I think this is my best book. Honestly, I didn't like the Malia and Khari series and I almost deleted it. But, I needed to see my growth as a writer.

So, I wrote Soft. Btw, the spinoff to the book is up and is called Strength if you didn't know.

I wanted to touch on many issues that affect the black community, those than I can elaborate on. I touched briefly on Caribbean blacks and Africans, but I'm African American. I stuck with what I knew.

Side note: I add Haitians mostly because I just found out a while back that I'm a 20% Zoe 🇭🇹🇭🇹(😂)

Anywho, I see that you all really enjoyed this book and you all were engaging, which I enjoy. Both for my personal enjoyment and I take some comments to heart to incorporate into the next chapters. It's good to see you all's opinions.

I wanted to use this time to break down the main characters and show you how they came about. Some of these are closer to home than you may think. I use my personal experiences sometimes to write and characteristics of my family members.

Again, if you've been affected by any of the natural disasters in any way, my heart really goes out to all of you. I wish I could do more than just pray. I'm always here if you need anyone to talk to, though. I don't know many of you, but I do love you 💖

Character Analysis:

Naomi Cartier

This is the best lead female character I've ever written thus far. I like her more than I do Malia, and I'll explain why. But, I also wanted her to be different than Malia, of course. In contrast to Naomi, Malia grew up in a middle class home. Her mom was a doctor and her father was a doctor in the military before he was killed. Malia had always been guided by religion up until she reached adulthood. Still, many things stuck with her. I don't know too many women who would have stuck with Khari, but they were married and she was taught to work things out. Now, Khari eventually got his act together, but personally I don't think I could have done it. That's why I made Naomi to be more like me and the woman I'm training myself to be. Malia, as a teen, was who I used to be.

Naomi is no nonsense, and very straight forward. The woman I've become as I've entered adulthood. She is full of black pride and goes hard for black women. I love us, our existence, our being. We're magical and life came from us. I really, and truly, believe that I serve a God who is black and woman. Hence, being created in Her image. But, I also don't ignore the masculine energy either. That's what Naomi believes.

In addition, Naomi has literally built herself and her brand from the ground up. The woman I aspire to be.

For the majority of us, we don't grow into an empire and I just don't want my kids to struggle like my mom and I did. I came from a single parent household just like Naomi. But, my mom is nothing like Caty. However, I have been sexually violated and I have never shared that with my brother or my mother. I don't have a daughter, but if I were to, Naomi is the mother I aspire to be to my daughter. I watch tv shows and read a lot of books and I couldn't relate to many of the main female lead characters. So, I wrote my own. Naomi is me.