What are people saying?
The Examiner Interviews J. R. Dewesse
"This was an absolutely phenomenal read. When I initially received this book to read, I was a little leery about reading it. I was used to the mainstream African American gay fiction (no need to call the name), but had always walked away a little disappointed at the soap opera style of the story-telling, it always seemed to make an effort to make you wanting the next part in the saga, but not bringing any real depth to the characters. J.R. Dewesse did none of that." - Goodreads Review
"To be loved .." is to this generation what "Invisible Life" was to the last. In this next generation classic J.R. Dewesse talks literally and figuratively about two men that we all know; Jordan and Jericho. You know them so well because to grow up African American and gay is to have a little bit of Jordan and little bit of Jericho inside of you. Dewesse gives you a tour of the maximum security facility of being on the "Down Low" as seen through the eyes of Jericho while the parallel story of the escaped fugitive on the underground railroad to freedom is seen through the eyes of Jordan. In the end just as it was in the beginning their paths will cross but you'll have to read this story to find out if it's too late or if happily ever after is within reach. I can't wait to read Dewesse's next novel. He is sure to be a household name."
-Barnes and Noble Review
"I found myself reading into the AM hours and honestly haven't done that in many, many years. Mr. Dewesse should continue writing, so that I will continue reading!" - Dwayne Jenkins, BASU and Brother's United Nashville, TN
"This is a very good read! I haven't enjoyed an alternate lifestyle drama such as this in a while. The passion that the two men shared during their childhood and early adulthood was amazing. It was especially touching as readers can easily relate to the dynamic. Kudos to the author and thank you for the stimulating edge!" - Barnes and Noble Review
"JRDewesse's debut novel follows the two African American boys Jericho and Jordan as they attempt to come to terms with their homosexuality. Jordan realizes his desires first in an encounter with his eleven year-old cousin Tasha. In this hilarious and quite well envisioned scene she attempts to seduce him in the bunk bed they share, but the act ends prematurely when they are discovered by Jordan's uncle, who in turn deals with it by taking a nap after letting loose a stunned `what the f***' exclamation over the young lovebirds' heads. As they become older, Jericho and Jordan have a clandestine friendship, and when Jericho's father discovers their pubescent epistolary exchange, he forces his son to strip naked and beats him with an extension cord. Written in short, sparse prose the scenes springs to life through its vivid brutality. We follow Jordan and Jericho through their college years where they loose sight of each other until they reunite in the end.
The book addresses a cultural taboo that is swathed in silence: black homoeroticism and desire. One has to recognize the courage of anyone attempting to address this issue whether it is in the realm of fiction or otherwise. Dewesse, who at age 25 stands very far from any scholarly debate that speaks to notions of race, gender, and power has managed to address all of them in his novel. However, the text veers into the erotic genre for the most part. While I found this tedious to read and seemingly tainted by a personal urgency to exhibit, it does account for a specific reality and cannot be dismissed easily. The same holds true for his characters and language. Evading all notions of responsibility we so often like to bestow upon minorities to engage in racial uplift on their on way to the apex, he writes utterly unconcerned in homeboy speak at times. One the one hand he makes the white man shudder in the presence of his characters that exhibit every black stereotype known to man, from Tasha going ghetto during dinner to the ever present pigmentocracy among the men in the club, but on the other hand he poignantly brings to life a daily reality of African American life." - Gabriela Frank, College Professor
Painting a Picture with Stereotypes
I happened to check out a book that was recommended to me over the summer by a new author by the name of JR Dewesse entitled, 'To Be Loved, Because It Was Forbidden', a book which followed the lives of two African American boys who grow into men, and the love that they secretly share for one another. Breaking a major social taboo in the black community, Dewesse addresses issues associated with not only the LGBT community, but issues the black community can relate to, such as AIDS. Upon reaching the end of the novel, I was upset, (no spoilers here), because the book was fantastic, and although I am not a great fan of what book critics have to say on most issues, I decided to go online and read the reviews.
Some of the readers reactions were just like mine. They had, just like me, loved it. Others on the other hand, complained about the wide use of stereotypes throughout the entire story and thought that it brought down the credibility of the story as a whole.
One scene in particular that I can vividly recall is where Jericho, one of the main characters in the story, is in the restaurant with his wife, and catches a man, who also is with his wife, staring at him. Tanya, the typical “ghetto” woman, gets loud in the restaurant, screaming and cussing, asking him who he is staring at, calling him derogatory names, challenging the man and his wife, and not caring about being threatened with the police.
All of us can sit down, be asked about a particular group of people, especially in the areas regarding race and ethnicity, and come up with simple stereotypes. We don’t intend to think this way, but because of the media and other forms of mass communication, these things just happen to be instilled in us. Is short and chunky beautiful according to today’s standard of beauty? When we think of a country club, who do we think of as the people that go there? When we think of the term “ghetto”, who do we think of?
One of the sad things about stereotypes, however is that there is always some individual, or groups of individuals that fit the bill. They make the stereotype come alive and that is what people point to. But why should our authors, the individuals that breathe meaning into the dusty words that are just piled up in a dictionary, be criticized for a natural occurrence? These authors paint a picture of an ugly world, and individuals shouldn’t gloss over what actually exists.
We may not want the world to think that these stereotypes are all that exist, but if we want to start deconstructing and showing the world something new, then I am of the opinion that JR Dewesse showed the world that by breaking that taboo. He showed the world that love and truth stretch farther than any distance you try and put between them.
And I think he did a fantastic job at doing that, stereotypes included. - Jacob Williams cvdrumnews
"This was an absolutely phenomenal read. When I initially received this book to read, I was a little leery about reading it. I was used to the mainstream African American gay fiction (no need to call the name), but had always walked away a little disappointed at the soap opera style of the story-telling, it always seemed to make an effort to make you wanting the next part in the saga, but not bringing any real depth to the characters. J.R. Dewesse did none of that." - Goodreads Review
"To be loved .." is to this generation what "Invisible Life" was to the last. In this next generation classic J.R. Dewesse talks literally and figuratively about two men that we all know; Jordan and Jericho. You know them so well because to grow up African American and gay is to have a little bit of Jordan and little bit of Jericho inside of you. Dewesse gives you a tour of the maximum security facility of being on the "Down Low" as seen through the eyes of Jericho while the parallel story of the escaped fugitive on the underground railroad to freedom is seen through the eyes of Jordan. In the end just as it was in the beginning their paths will cross but you'll have to read this story to find out if it's too late or if happily ever after is within reach. I can't wait to read Dewesse's next novel. He is sure to be a household name."
-Barnes and Noble Review
"I found myself reading into the AM hours and honestly haven't done that in many, many years. Mr. Dewesse should continue writing, so that I will continue reading!" - Dwayne Jenkins, BASU and Brother's United Nashville, TN
"This is a very good read! I haven't enjoyed an alternate lifestyle drama such as this in a while. The passion that the two men shared during their childhood and early adulthood was amazing. It was especially touching as readers can easily relate to the dynamic. Kudos to the author and thank you for the stimulating edge!" - Barnes and Noble Review
"JRDewesse's debut novel follows the two African American boys Jericho and Jordan as they attempt to come to terms with their homosexuality. Jordan realizes his desires first in an encounter with his eleven year-old cousin Tasha. In this hilarious and quite well envisioned scene she attempts to seduce him in the bunk bed they share, but the act ends prematurely when they are discovered by Jordan's uncle, who in turn deals with it by taking a nap after letting loose a stunned `what the f***' exclamation over the young lovebirds' heads. As they become older, Jericho and Jordan have a clandestine friendship, and when Jericho's father discovers their pubescent epistolary exchange, he forces his son to strip naked and beats him with an extension cord. Written in short, sparse prose the scenes springs to life through its vivid brutality. We follow Jordan and Jericho through their college years where they loose sight of each other until they reunite in the end.
The book addresses a cultural taboo that is swathed in silence: black homoeroticism and desire. One has to recognize the courage of anyone attempting to address this issue whether it is in the realm of fiction or otherwise. Dewesse, who at age 25 stands very far from any scholarly debate that speaks to notions of race, gender, and power has managed to address all of them in his novel. However, the text veers into the erotic genre for the most part. While I found this tedious to read and seemingly tainted by a personal urgency to exhibit, it does account for a specific reality and cannot be dismissed easily. The same holds true for his characters and language. Evading all notions of responsibility we so often like to bestow upon minorities to engage in racial uplift on their on way to the apex, he writes utterly unconcerned in homeboy speak at times. One the one hand he makes the white man shudder in the presence of his characters that exhibit every black stereotype known to man, from Tasha going ghetto during dinner to the ever present pigmentocracy among the men in the club, but on the other hand he poignantly brings to life a daily reality of African American life." - Gabriela Frank, College Professor
Painting a Picture with Stereotypes
I happened to check out a book that was recommended to me over the summer by a new author by the name of JR Dewesse entitled, 'To Be Loved, Because It Was Forbidden', a book which followed the lives of two African American boys who grow into men, and the love that they secretly share for one another. Breaking a major social taboo in the black community, Dewesse addresses issues associated with not only the LGBT community, but issues the black community can relate to, such as AIDS. Upon reaching the end of the novel, I was upset, (no spoilers here), because the book was fantastic, and although I am not a great fan of what book critics have to say on most issues, I decided to go online and read the reviews.
Some of the readers reactions were just like mine. They had, just like me, loved it. Others on the other hand, complained about the wide use of stereotypes throughout the entire story and thought that it brought down the credibility of the story as a whole.
One scene in particular that I can vividly recall is where Jericho, one of the main characters in the story, is in the restaurant with his wife, and catches a man, who also is with his wife, staring at him. Tanya, the typical “ghetto” woman, gets loud in the restaurant, screaming and cussing, asking him who he is staring at, calling him derogatory names, challenging the man and his wife, and not caring about being threatened with the police.
All of us can sit down, be asked about a particular group of people, especially in the areas regarding race and ethnicity, and come up with simple stereotypes. We don’t intend to think this way, but because of the media and other forms of mass communication, these things just happen to be instilled in us. Is short and chunky beautiful according to today’s standard of beauty? When we think of a country club, who do we think of as the people that go there? When we think of the term “ghetto”, who do we think of?
One of the sad things about stereotypes, however is that there is always some individual, or groups of individuals that fit the bill. They make the stereotype come alive and that is what people point to. But why should our authors, the individuals that breathe meaning into the dusty words that are just piled up in a dictionary, be criticized for a natural occurrence? These authors paint a picture of an ugly world, and individuals shouldn’t gloss over what actually exists.
We may not want the world to think that these stereotypes are all that exist, but if we want to start deconstructing and showing the world something new, then I am of the opinion that JR Dewesse showed the world that by breaking that taboo. He showed the world that love and truth stretch farther than any distance you try and put between them.
And I think he did a fantastic job at doing that, stereotypes included. - Jacob Williams cvdrumnews
Acclaim for The Kiss of Life
"I started and finished this book in one day. J R Dewesse did his thing in this
sequel to- To Beloved Because It Was Forbidden. If you want a vivid look into
the life of gay men, down low men, and the women who love(and will do anything)
for these men I highly recommend this book. I promise that you won't put it
down until it's finished." - Amazon Review
"J.R. Dewesse’s sophomore book is not only a suspenseful page-turner ... luring me in, keeping me intrigued as the scandal continues to unfold, even up until the final moments of the book. The darkest moments of the novel are so beautifully and artfully portrayed, a quality that many writers have yet to master. The Kiss of Life is indeed controversial." - Jana Hall
sequel to- To Beloved Because It Was Forbidden. If you want a vivid look into
the life of gay men, down low men, and the women who love(and will do anything)
for these men I highly recommend this book. I promise that you won't put it
down until it's finished." - Amazon Review
"J.R. Dewesse’s sophomore book is not only a suspenseful page-turner ... luring me in, keeping me intrigued as the scandal continues to unfold, even up until the final moments of the book. The darkest moments of the novel are so beautifully and artfully portrayed, a quality that many writers have yet to master. The Kiss of Life is indeed controversial." - Jana Hall