Zane (author)

Zane
BornKristina Laferne Roberts
1966 or 1967 (age 57–58)
Washington, D.C., U.S.
OccupationWriter
Period1997–present
GenreErotic fiction

Zane (born Kristina Laferne Roberts; 1966/1967)[1] is an American author of erotic fiction novels.[2] She is best known for her novel Addicted.[3]

Biography

Kristina Laferne Roberts grew up in Washington DC and Silver Spring Maryland with her brother Deotis, and her two sisters Charmaine Roberts and Carlita Roberts.[4] Her father, J. Deotis Roberts, was an influential theologian and author, and her mother Elizabeth Caldwell Roberts was an elementary school teacher.[5] Roberts attended Spelman College in Atlanta for one year, then moved Howard University to major in chemical engineering (without graduating).[5]

In 1997, Zane began writing erotic stories to pass the time after her children went to bed.[6] She was living in North Carolina and working as a sales representative. The stories developed a following on the Internet and she self-published The Sex Chronicles before landing a deal with Simon & Schuster.[7] Zane is the publisher of Strebor Books (now part of Atria Books at Simon & Schuster), where she publishes 36–60 books a year by other authors.[8]

Her work was the basis for the Cinemax program Zane's Sex Chronicles.[9] A subsequent project, Zane's The Jump Off, premiered March 29, 2013, on Cinemax.[10] The first feature film based on one of her works, Addicted, was released by Lionsgate on October 10, 2014.[11]

In 2014, she was cited by Comptroller of Maryland Peter Franchot as one of Maryland's top tax cheats, owing the state $340,833.58.[1] On June 11, 2014, Zane filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Maryland, claiming total liabilities of more than $3.4 million.[12]

Her work is mentioned in sociologist Shayne Lee's book Erotic Revolutionaries: Black Women, Sexuality, and Popular Culture. In it, Lee discusses Zane's work as an example of "urban erotica [that helps] create safe spaces for black female characters to explore lust and embark upon sexual experimentation."[13]

Bibliography

Zane's publications include:[14]

  • The Sex Chronicles: Shattering the Myth
  • Addicted
  • Shame On It All
  • Gettin’ Buck Wild: Sex Chronicles II
  • The Heat Seekers
  • Nervous
  • The Sisters of APF
  • Skyscraper
  • Afterburn
  • Dear G-Spot: Straight Talk about Sex and Love
  • Zane’s Sex Chronicles
  • Head Bangers: An APF Sexcapade
  • Total Eclipse of the Heart
  • Love Is Never Painless
  • Flava Series: Honey Flava, Caramel Flava, Chocolate Flava
  • Purple Panties
  • Missionary No More
  • The Hot Box
  • Vengeance
  • The Other Side of the Pillow (2018)

References

  1. ^ a b Kunkle, Fredrick (January 27, 2014). "Prince George's author of steamy fiction tops list of Maryland's tax cheats, comptroller says". Washington Post. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
  2. ^ Sachs, Andrea. ""Queen of Erotica" Zane On How Fifty Shades Affects the Sexy-Book Scene". Time. ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved February 24, 2016.
  3. ^ O'Sullivan, Michael (October 10, 2014). "'Addicted' movie review: Zane's bestselling book bares all on the big screen". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved February 24, 2016.
  4. ^ Salisbury Post obituary July 24 to 28, 2019[full citation needed]
  5. ^ a b Moser, Laura (June 21, 2015). "Zane, the Queen of Erotica, Has a Secret". Washingtonian. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  6. ^ "Erotic author Zane is famous but anonymous". The Seattle Times. June 11, 2007. Retrieved February 24, 2016.
  7. ^ "Writer makes name with sex". CNN. June 11, 2007. Archived from the original on June 12, 2007. Retrieved June 12, 2007.
  8. ^ "Black Authors Celebrated At Anguilla's 4th Annual Literary Festival". Essense. Retrieved February 24, 2016.
  9. ^ Weinbach, Jon (May 10, 2010). "Soft-core porn still hot stuff on cable TV". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 21, 2012.
  10. ^ "Zane Jumps Off Into Television [INTERVIEW]". EBONY. March 29, 2013. Retrieved February 24, 2016.
  11. ^ Miska, Brad (June 20, 2014). "Lionsgate Gets 'Addicted' to New Sexy Thriller". Bloody Disgusting!. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  12. ^ Brown, Doreen (October 4, 2014). "Author Zane filed for bankruptcy as her new movie, 'Addicted,' was in production". Washington Post. Retrieved October 4, 2014.
  13. ^ Lee, Shayne. Erotic Revolutionaries: Black Women, Sexuality and Popular Culture. Hamilton Books. 2010.
  14. ^ "Zane Book List." CHUH Library – Home. Web. September 13, 2010. http://heightslibrary.org