Seressia October 31st, 2007
So I’m sitting here, watching NBC’s Phenomenon, and there’s a scrolling message that says, “Due to geographical restrictions, Uri Geller’s mental challenge is not available in Atlanta.”
WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?
Seressia October 28th, 2007
A comment-laden post on Dear Author that started as a dissertation on opinion vs. actual defamation quickly became a discussion on race, veered closely to defamation on someone else’s blog (no, I’m not going to link to the blog, but saying that an author is breaking the law by exchanging sexual favors for money sounds a lot like defamation to me) then finally became a somewhat ordered discussion on racism in romance and racism in general.
So, I’d like to continue that discussion. And I’d like to thank Monica, because if she hadn’t come out guns blazing, and throwing herself on the grenade so to speak we wouldn’t even be having this discussion (and really, I can’t blame her for reacting/responding to the post, especially when a commenter called her out). And thanks to Dear Author for letting the post be hijacked and not closing the comments or moderating them. I learned a lot about a lot of people because of it, and not what many of them wanted to share, I’m sure.
Please note: I’m specifically dealing with romance. I may veer off from time to time, but I do want the focus to be on romance in general and blacks in romance in particular.
Some points of reference:
I’ve made no secret of the fact that I think books should be shelved by genre. In some chains, this is not the case. In some chains, if the author is black and writing fiction, that book will be mixed in with all the other books written by black people. Romance, scifi, fantasy, horror, mystery, poetry, street lit, it’s all jumbled in there together. Sometimes AA romance isn’t represented at all, or it’s represented by one or two “name” authors.
The problem with this is many-fold. First of all, it assumes that black people only read books written by other black people. Second, it assumes that black people will pick up any book, no matter the genre, just because it’s written by a black person. Third, it assumes that only black people want to read books by black authors.
Note that I said authors, not characters. Because the segregation isn’t based on the race of the characters, but instead is determined by the race of the authors. Therefore, lots of fiction featuring black characters written by non black authors or even romances by non-black authors that feature a black heroine are not shelved in the AA section. (I think this kinda put holes in the niche marketing theory some mention.)
I’m sure there will be some people who will say, “See, she’s only doing this because she wants more readers.” Yes I want more readers. I want to be able to be a full-time fiction writer like so many of my counterparts. What is wrong with that? Woo in this business doesn’t want that? But more than that, I completely believe that shelving books based on the race of the author is not only wrong, but a disservice to the author.
Inspired by the comments in the Dear Author post and from other blogs, I’m going to make several other posts on this subject. Among other things I want to discuss/address are:
I don’t know if I can do this, or even should. Maybe I’m killing my New York career as Seressia Glass before it can even start. Still, the important things aren’t easy, are they?
Now I’d like to hear from others. I truly think it is important to talk about this, to build awareness. But more than that, I think we need to reach consensus on what we should do next. If you know anyone, regardless of their color or affiliation, who is a reader or writer of romance, please ask them to stop by and give their two cents.
Seressia October 28th, 2007
Parker Publishing, LLC has been added to RWA’s list of non-subsidy, non vanity-print publishers.
I’m a glutton for punishment, so I’m going to enter the Ritas. Yea me!
Seressia October 24th, 2007
Tomorrow or Friday I’m going to do a post entitled “Are We Different?” that will round up the various comments made about the great Readin’, Racism, and Romance debate. In the meantime, if you’d like to join the discussion or know of someone who does, maybe we can start with the comments section here.
Right now I’m just too freakin tired and I need to take my car to the dealership tomorrow morning. No, I’m not getting spinners.
Seressia October 23rd, 2007
The more that I’m online, the more I like my writing cave.
Spots of note:
Dear Author’s posts on defamation, libel, and examples in the comments section
AJC Book Blog Page has people commenting on Dumbledore’s outing
That doesn’t include Dr. Watson or Doris Lessing or this guy.
On a brighter note, there’s going to be a new Mummy movie.
Seressia October 18th, 2007
One of my local radio stations, Q-100, is trying to gather more than 375,000 thank-you letters to be delivered to overseas military personnel during Thanksgiving. In an effort to hit the target (no pun intended) the mission has been expanded beyond Atlanta. Here’s the details:
Each letter should be heartfelt, handwritten, original, and free of any political statements. The purpose of the letter is to express thanks to the military personnel serving the United States. We reserve the right to eliminate those messages that are political in nature and that do not reflect a positive message in the spirit of Thanksgiving. Those letters will be destroyed.
All letters must be on 8.5 X 11 paper or smaller. Do not use glue, tape, staples, cardboard, glitter or otherwise attach anything to the paper. Decorate using crayons, pencil, etc. Use both side if you like, but use one page per letter only. Do not send cards or photographs. Feel free to include your mailing and email address, if you like and you may get a response. Individual letters should not be sealed in envelopes.
Do not send anything except letters. We cannot accept donations of any kind, and they should not be included or attached to letters..
You can mail your letters (individually or in bundles of 50) to:
The Bert Show’s Big Thank You
3070 Windward Plaza, Suite F 350
Alpharetta, GA 30005
If you’re in Atlanta, you can drop off letters to any Taco Mac location.
Again for more information, check out Q-100’s website here: http://www.allthehitsq100.com/bertshow/BigThankYou/index.asp
Seressia October 15th, 2007
After my signing yesterday, I decided to take my sister, niece, and a friend to see “Why Did I Get Married?!”. I won’t name the theater except to say that it was close to where I signed. I wanted to see it opening weekend because I think it’s important for Hollywood to know that people will go to see good (black) films that aren’t about gangsters or aliens or cops. It was packed, which was nice.
However, before the movie started, an employee came in and did the spiel about cell phones, cameras, talking and babies. Is this a new thing? I don’t recall getting the speech before Transformers. At first, I thought it was good, a nice reinforcement of the reel that plays later. Then I realized what movie I was seeing and what the majority makeup of the audience was, and I got steamed.
I mean, if I go to see “Elizabeth: the Golden Age”, or “We Own the Night” or “Michael Clayton” at this particular theater, will a theater employee come in and give the same speech? Somehow I doubt it.
It felt a little like the salesclerk in the movie telling these four professional women in fur coats that cash isn’t kept in the store.
And yes, I will be writing a letter to the theater company. I’m past the point of just “taking it” when I’m spending my money. Because silence may be golden, but black people know the power of green, and I won’t be going to that theater again.
Seressia October 14th, 2007
Dream of Shadows got FOUR CUPS from Coffee Time Romance! Check it out:
Dream of Shadows is one powerful book. There is always something going on that captures your attention from the budding relationship between Nicole and Carter to the long held secrets of the Legére family. Very entertaining, fast-paced, and suspenseful is a good description of this book. You will not want to put it down until you read the last page. I know I want to read more of Ms. Glass’s books.
Seressia October 14th, 2007
Some random tidbits from around the web today:
Liquid Story Binder XE is available for free today only at http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/
Here’s the blurb from the website:
Liquid Story Binder XE is a uniquely designed word processor for professional and aspiring authors, poets, and novelists. Writing software for those who require the editing ability of a commercial text editor as well as a document tracking system.
It is for those who want the freedom to create, outline and revise but are tired of losing track of their work.
Liquid Story Binder features: Multi-Window Display, Spell Checking, Thesaurus, Reference Notes, Timelines, Story Boards, Plot Outlines, Dossiers, Audio Recorder, Image Gallery, Reader, Manuscript Formatting, Time and Word Count Tracking, Chapter and Book Backups, Paragraph and Punctuation Cleaning, Toolbars, Templates, Portable Drive Install, Universal Search, Repetition Visualizer, External Editing, Project Goals, Playlists.
Also, if you’re interested in winning $1500 to cover your expenses for RWA San Francisco, check this out!
***PERMISSION TO FORWARD GRANTED***
Valley Forge Romance Writers
PresentThe 1st Annual VFRW
Writer’s Rafflemania!
Benefits the
Sheila A. Conway Memorial FundThe Prize
$ 1,500.00
To Defray Your Costs For.
-2008 RWA Nat’l Conference Fee
Held In San Francisco, CA
July 30 - August 2, 2008-4 Nights Hotel Accommodations
-Roundtrip Air To San FranciscoRules and entry information at www.VFRW.com
Seressia October 13th, 2007
I went to your concert at the Fox Theater on Thursday night. It had been almost a decade since your last studio album and at least that long since you toured, so it was my first time seeing you. The Fox, a National Historic Landmark and originally the Yaarab Temple Shrine Mosque, was designed in the late 1920’s as headquarters for the Shriners organization. It looks like a your just outside a Bedouin tent or a Moroccan market at nightfall, complete with twinkling stars, a tent, minarets, everything but camels.
Basically the perfect setting for a composer who mixes Celtic and Middle Eastern influences in her works.
What I’d forgotten is that there are a couple of McKennitt’s songs make me cry. I was just blithely enjoying the hurdy-gurdy, the oud and every other amazing instruments when I realized that if a certain song was performed, I’d be in trouble.
Then it started.
The Highwayman.
The Highwayman is based on a poem by Alfred Noyes, about…a highwayman who visited his sweetheart Bess, the innkeeper’s daughter. Then the redcoats come, tie her up at her bed with a musket beside her, waiting for the highwayman to come back. She warns him away the only way she can–by pulling the trigger. It’s not until morning that he realizes what happened and races back, only to be shot himself. The poem is dramatic all by itself and so’s the recording, but to hear it live–did I mention I was in the fifth row from the orchestra pit?–was an emotional sucker punch.
Yep, I was blubbering by the emotional climax of the story. I hurriedly wiped my eyes and applauded along with everyone else, thinking I’d get a reprieve. But no, she launched into the other song guaranteed to reduce me to tears: Dante’s Prayer.
There were other songs that were just as moving, but really, the whole concert was just amazing. The Old Ways, The Lady of Shalott, I could go on, but at the end–which came much too quickly, I and four thousand other people were just grateful that she’d decided to record and tour again.
It was simply an amazing concert experience. Damn you Loreena, and I have to get the live CD just to experience it again.
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