One Day I Saw a Black King: A Novel [Paperback]

J. D. Mason (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 12, 2004

Ever since he was fifteen, John King has been on the run from the ghosts of his past. Drifting from place to place, John never settles down in one place or with one woman. That is, until he rolls into Denver, Colorado, grooving to Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On" and meets Connie Rogers. Having grown up on the mean streets, Connie has pain and battle scars of her own. Yet, it is her beautiful and lonely face that inspires John to think, "If indeed there was a home for the perfect kiss, it would be on her lips." Though he's reluctant to admit it, John soon realizes that Connie is the only woman who just may understand his very soul. Now, they both must face their pasts if they ever hope to build a future together.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Mason tells an engaging story about a couple who are drawn to one another because of their pain and the need to share with someone who understands. John King left his grandmother's house as a teenager. She was never able to show him love and kindness because he was a constant reminder of her daughter's death. Connie Rogers' mother abandoned her daughters and left town. She lived on the streets after she ran away from the couple that took her in. They both learned techniques to survive: John stays on the move and drifts from town to town, and Connie can't seem to move out of her childhood neighborhood. When they confront their demons, John learns the truth about his family and finally lays his anger and disappointment to rest, and Connie can stop blaming herself for all of the bad things that have happened in her life. When they face their pasts they find that they can be free to love one another. Lillian Lewis
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

"An engaging story."
- Booklist

"An absorbing novel...J.D. Mason aptly captures the pain and isolation of her two lonely characters."
- Rocky Mountain News

"If you're looking for a heart-wrenching tale, this story will not disappoint."
- Romantic Times

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (August 12, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312306199
• ISBN-13: 978-0312306199
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (54 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #907,550 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I started writing seriously in 1995 beginning with my first novel "Resurrecting Ruth" which eventually turned into "And on the Eighth Day She Rested", which was finally published in 2003 by St. Martin's Press. Since then, I've written several novels and short story contributions to anthologies. I'm currently working on my 6th novel, while waiting impatiently for the 4th and 5th books to hit the stands in 2007.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Will the Black King find happiness?, October 4, 2003

By 

"misslove" - See all my reviews

This review is from: One Day I Saw a Black King: A Novel (Hardcover)

One Day I Saw A Black King is a wonderful story about how love and time softened two battered hearts. John King and Connie Rodgers share similar history. They were both abandoned and learned through trial and error how to survive. John lives by running from town to town extinguishing any ties he made while there. Connie runs from man to man leaving a piece of herself with each one. Now these two are slowing down. They know how to survive, but not how to live. Being with one another showed them that they do actually want some stability and maybe even love in their lives; however, for them to move forward, they must confront their pasts and deal with the pains that catapulted their flights and trauma.

J.D. Mason takes her time and unfolds this story. She sagaciously threads cadence, characters, and plot together and creates a searing tale of repentance, deliverance, and acceptance. I was mesmerized from the first page. The characters and story lingered in my mind long after I finished reading the book. You've got to read this book. You'll love it.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Night In Shining Armor, September 7, 2003

By 

Dawn R Reeves "tamardi" (Harrisburg, PA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: One Day I Saw a Black King: A Novel (Hardcover)

Life was never kind to John King or Connie Rogers. John, a drifter by circumstance, claims his home is his car and the road is his paradise. Marvin Gaye's "Lets Get It On" is his mantra. Connie is a child of the streets. Forced to live on the streets of Denver, Colorado as child, Connie had and continues to have a hard road to toll.

One Day I Saw A Black King by J. D. Mason is her second novel of individuals down on their luck and living with the hand they are dealt. Mason opens the door to John's car and out steps a black king. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language defines a king as a male sovereign; one that is supreme or preeminent in a particular group, category, or sphere. Is this the same king that Connie comes into contact with? Both characters are running from their pasts. John's past is rooted in Texas and haunts him daily. With a little mysticism, Mason has captured John's spirit and desires. Hauntingly, Connie's past is right there in Denver, never allowing her to forget or to move on. When these two lost souls come together is it out of need, lust or is it pure romance? Is Connie the woman that finally grabs a hold of John never to let go?

Mason has incorporated excellent secondary characters with exciting dialogue that add depth to the story line for a better understanding of how and why John and Connie came to be. The novel opens with an atrocious event and ends with a satisfying conclusion. The story is heart wrenching, touching and the characters are fully developed. This is an excellent novel of individuals attempting to overcome their past and live for today and for the future.

Reviewed by Dawn R. Reeves
APOOO BookClub

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good sophomore novel by JD Mason....., November 2, 2003

By 

DENIECE SANDERS (Dalton, Georgia United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: One Day I Saw a Black King: A Novel (Hardcover)

The story begins wonderfully, and will have you captivated from the beginning. Connie and Reesy are two sisters whose mother, Charlotte, walks out on them in pursuit of a man, never to be seen again. The girls enter the foster care system, and are separated, only to find each other years later. Reesy, the youngest, is adopted by well-to-do parents while Connie is given to unfit foster parents, being molested by Earl. She is forced to live on the streets, doing what she can to survive, i.e. prostituting, after the repeated molestaton. Connie is discovered by Eddie, a restaurant owner, while digging through the dunpsters out back for food. The two develop a beautiful mother-daughter relationship and Eddie becomes the mother and guidance that Connie needs. As she matures, Eddie moves away and Connie is forced to fend for herself and grow into a woman. Along the way and through trying times, Connie is faced with herpes, the birth of a daughter, and finally finds a man, John, who is struggling with his own demons. This is just a taste of what the book is about, it is indeed a must read. Read the book to find out about John's demons, its worth the purchase.