Kayona Ebony Brown: Love2You?

“This is not an autobiography. It is in no way how I’ve lived, nor do I plan to start.” Disclaimer aside, Kayona Ebony Brown is no love doctor, however she does know a bit or two about documenting the unexpectedness of love. After five years of writing and rewriting, The Tenth Letter, her debut novel touches on more than your average he loves me, he loves me not book. She presents a focused yet inquisitive approach to whether or not women are the new men.

This is not a love story. How mundane would it be for me to write a review on a book that would only end up in the back of your book self? I wouldn’t. I’m no fan of sappy love stories. I’d rather be inspired. I’d rather inspire you! Upon picking up this book, the press kit read; Are women the new men? Of course immediately I pondered this. It’s crazy to think about it actually. I’d rather not reference myself becoming my counterpart; however my approach to life just might be leaving ancient roles of being a woman behind. But, let’s explore this….

Brown purposely leaves her main question unanswered. It’s been her experience that women have had to step in and fulfill the role of men. Not exclusively as the role of a father-figure, but simply the element of letting go of the emotional and focusing on the tangible. “I believe 80% will answer yes to that question. It’s the undertone in my book. My main character has a 21st century mentality. She feels as though she can be physical without emotions. She works hard and plays hard.” So, I ask you. Is this our new approach to each other? Though society has its way of presenting a friendly competitive atmosphere, this cat and mouse game seems like we are creating our own demons. In essence, Brown would agree. “Today’s woman doesn’t have much time for BS or for overly emotional situations. We just want to have a good time and we don’t have the time to commit to emotions other than our own.” Yet, we want to be loved?

She equates these actions, regarding the role of women mostly, as conscious. It would be easy to justify these actions with the absence of males being in our lives, unaware of how to interact. Yet, that’s not always the case. We settle in other words. “Most women want love and a man that will only love them and for whatever reason, they don’t get that. So, they find themselves dealing with men on a level that men deal with them. It’s about getting to a point where you are secure within yourself on many realms. I’m not saying wait until you are perfect, but I do believe that most of us screw that up because we are not ready. You get lonely and most people just want the security. When you are afraid to be alone, you will enjoy the company from anything and I do mean anything and not just anybody.”

In The Tenth Letter, Brown’s main female character, J is the exact image of today’s woman. Confident, beautiful, career driven and doesn’t focus too much on her personal life; just the physical side of it. Her story unfolds with the introduction of the main male character Jaye and her quest to understand what it means to takes risks begins. Jaye is the complete opposite. He’s compassionate, unafraid to cry and yearns to be the rock for the woman he loves. Unlike J; he likes the one on one attention and longs for longevity. He’s a serial monogamist and doesn’t agree with the statutes in benefiting yourself first. “Most people don’t know what a serial monogamist is; but that type of person goes from one relationship to another because it hurts too much to sit alone after a break-up. Jaye wants to protect, but it just so happens that the woman he meets up with doesn’t need to be needed.” Without attacking the character or those who may resemble that behavior, Brown paints her image of Jaye as delicate as possible. It’s natural for one to feel security with another human being consistently around, yet the risk is to feel secure alone as well. Her image of J however is completely reverse. She’s just as raw and rigid as she seems. Focused on what works for her first and leaves the rest to collect dust. “This story is told in the perspective of a woman well versed with this type of lifestyle. I wanted to get across several clear cut messages. I definitely wanted my readers to live vicariously through the characters. It’s inevitable to get hurt when you live like that, but on the flipside you have to want to become something different for yourself.”

This reaction is why Brown thinks STDs have risen. “Most women find themselves dealing with men in situations they can’t handle. This is why we have a rise in STDs because monogamy is not a priority in a persons mind. You have to play dirty because if you are on the traditional side, you’ll loose and eventually begin to play dirty.” Statistically, this thesis could be one of the major reasons why STDs and AIDS run rapid in the Black community. We are being slipshod of how we treat our bodies and with whom we share intimate moments with. But don’t misunderstand; The Tenth Letter isn’t a preachy novel. You could look at this book as a pictorial reference to experiencing something new. Many times the most memorable and exciting moments in life happen when we least expect them to, with people we took chances on.

Brown has published what could be the blueprint to understanding exactly what it means to take a risk; not only with love, but to life….period. Aspirations, goals and personal motives often sit and we wonder why steps were never taken. “The underline theme is growth. The importance of really growing and looking at who you are and saying this is where I want to be and who I want to be, means you have to try and get to that point no matter what. I had to rewrite the entire book to make sure that my mission had come out through the pages properly. The book flows with possibilities. I don’t think we need happily ever after endings, those tell us nothing.”