Big Girls Don't Cry (His Everything Woman novella) – 2005 (NAL).Let's Get it On (Blind Date novella) – 2004 (St.Whole Lotta Love (That Wright Woman novella) – 2004 (NAL).Living Large (Strictly Business novella) – 2003 (NAL).Getting Merry (The Wish novella) – 2002 (St.Going to the Chapel (Southern Comfort novella) – 2001 (St.Welcome to Leo's (novella) – 2000 (St.Della's House of Style (A Matter of Trust novella) – 2000 (St.Winter Nights (Until Christmas novella) – 1998 reissue 2004 (Kensington/Arabesque).Rosie's Curl and Weave (The Awakening novella) – 1999 (St.Spirit of the Season (Sarah's Miracle novella) – 1994 (Kensington/Arabesque).Rockin' Around That Christmas Tree – 2003 (St.Incognito – 1996 (Arabesque Bet's first made-for-TV movie in 1999).Undeniable – 1995 (Kensington/Arabesque).Fallen Angel – 1992 reissue 2003 (Odyssey Books/St.In 2004, she and other authors were celebrated for their contributions to Arabesque which is now owned by Kimani. She helped make the Arabesque imprint, which was owned by BET and dedicated to African-American romance, a success. In 1999, Ray's novel, Incognito, was adapted by Black Entertainment Television (BET) for broadcast. It was also important to her to include 'accurate realistic portrayals of African Americans' rather than stereotypes. She feels that writing romance is often more emotionally difficult than for other genres because while the characters must have conflict, the resolution needs to be solved in a way that readers know 'that the couple will stay together no matter what'. Ray's stories are character-driven and Ray spent time fleshing out full stories for the characters in her books, including their childhoods. In 1995, she co-founded the Romance Slam Jam, which was an author-reader conference and first launched in Texas. Ray was inspired to write after reading one of Kathleen Woodiwiss's books. She began writing in 1987, while continuing to work as a nurse, and had her first book published in 1992. She was born in Richland, Texas, and studied nursing, receiving a bachelor's degree from Texas Woman's University in 1967. Her literary fiction series – Taggart and Falcon, the Invincible Women, Grayson Family of New Mexico, and Grayson Friends – consistently made bestsellers' lists. Francis Ray (J– July 3, 2013) was a New York Times and USA Today bestselling African-American writer of romance novels.

All That I Desire by Francis Ray