FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
K. MURRY JOHNSON NAVIGATES UNCHARTED WATERS IN HIS BREAKOUT NOVEL, IMAGE OF EMERALDS AND CHOCOLATE, BY FUSING TWO NEVER BEFORE PAIRED GENRES: BLACK GAY AND VAMPIRE FICTION.
CONTACT: Khadish O. Franklin Johnson & Franklin, LLC 850-284-4593 info@kmurryjohnson.com
January 15, 2012 –Atlanta, GEORGIA. Image of Emeralds and Chocolate speaks to all who have ever dreamed of finding romance, and captures the national obsession with vampires. The novel is available in paperback for $17.95 (Amazon.COM, Barnes and Nobles.COM, and Books a Million.COM) and six e-book formats for $9.99 (Kindle, Nook, iBook, Sony, Google, & Kobo).
Set in Louisiana, Image of Emeralds and Chocolate masterfully explores sexuality, race, and the supernatural. James Earl Hardy, author of the B-Boy Blues series, heralds the book “…an epic, emotionally wrenching, groundbreaking story that will have you shedding both tears of joy and horror. An engrossing, impressive debut.”
The story follows Eric Peterson, a talented high school senior enrolled in a creative writing course at Loyola University. Insecure and inexperienced, he often daydreams about finding love. His fantasies quickly become reality when a strikingly attractive new student, Marquis LeBlanc, is assigned as his writing partner. But the man of Eric’s dreams is hiding something.
Marquis is a very powerful vampire, who was born into slavery over two centuries ago. He uses his extraordinary abilities to aid the plight of black people from slavery to civil rights to present day. If Marquis reveals his secret, will Eric accept him…or even believe him?
K. Murry Johnson, a sought-after speaker and emerging author, skillfully tackles issues on race and sexuality. “The sexual exploitation of black women under despotic masters is a common theme in slave narratives…The fact that black men were also raped and coerced into satisfying slaveholders twisted desires remains shrouded in silence…Image of Emeralds and Chocolate courageously shatters this silence,” said Dr. Paulette Richards, University Professor of Creative Writing.
K. Murry Johnson holds masters degrees from Rollins College and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He earned his undergraduate degree from Loyola University New Orleans. “This novel represents the culmination of a thirteen-year journey: to create a unique and meaningful black gay love story that also brings to life the seductive, elusive world of vampires,” the author said. K. Murry Johnson lives with his boyfriend in Atlanta, Georgia. You can visit him at www.kmurryjohnson.com.
