Roslyn Holcomb just posted over at Goodreads about why she’ll be going to Romantic Times Convention, but not the Romance Slam Jam convention (aimed at African American writers) this year.

Apparently, if a book hasn’t got a black hero, it wont qualify for an Emma (their version of the Ritas I guess).

God willing and the creek don’t rise, I’ll be at the Romantic Times conference in April. Much as it pains mrpe to say this, I won’t be at Slam Jam. Why? Because they practice book bigotry. Yeah, I know the mainstream cons do as well. When was the last time a book with a blCk heroine won a Rita? Try never. But at least they have enough sense to not put it in writing. Amazing as some might find it, Slam Jam has disqualified any book that doesn’t have a black hero from winning an Emma. I’ve suspected for some time that there was some hostility toward those of us who write IR. This simply confirms it.

Seriously, can you imagine if RWA actually put something like that in writing? The uproar would be never ending…

I’ve noticed an annoying trend. It seems to me that every multicultural/IR romance book that I pick up these days has a black heroine who is either ‘Rubenesque’ or “curvaceous”. Not sure why this is?

Is it because the writers themselves are on the larger side, and are telling the story from the heroine’s perspective, or are they simply trying to promote plus sized heroines?

Or are they perhaps trying to sell the dream that no matter how big you are, you can get THE guy? You know THAT guy, the one who is hotter than hot. The guy that every girl wants.

I understand that there are books out there featuring plus size white women, but it feels like EVERY book that I pick up where the heroine is a black woman, also goes to great lengths to describes her as curvaceous or Rubenesque which is basically the PC way of saying they’re fat. I don’t know what my beef is, but The Big Black Woman is a stereo-type that I’m not fond of. In fact, I daresay, it gets right on my tits.

Mind you, look at this book cover, does the heroine look “curvaceous” to you?

That’s another rant for another day.

Apparently Romantic Times has created an award category for ‘Best African American romance’. Yep, it was a big WTF? for me too.

So basically, regardless of whether one’s book is a contemporary, a paranormal, or a regency, if said book has black characters in them, then it automatically goes into the black pot? Hmmm…

I get what RT are trying to do, but for me, this just otherfies AA romance even more.

Mrs Giggles was also bemused by the development, and had this to say: (more…)

Aint that the truth.

There’s a great column over at Dear Author about cultural appropriation in romance, go read and learn.

By the way, if anybody can figure out what the third commenter is talking about, I’ll give you an effing medal. Jesus H, that was some gobbledygook speak right there.

Anyway, I thought I’d highlight some of the more noteworthy comments: (more…)

One of the most painfully ignorant comments that I’ve come across in a while comes from a girl called Shannon, over at the SB’s site, where Sarah has a racism in romance post up.

Shannon writes:

OK, I might just be pulling this all out of my ass, and sorry if I offend anyone, but I’m just throwing down some of the random thoughts I’ve been having as I read comments.

Does anyone think that the reason only 20% of black women get married is a cultural thing? Because from what I’ve seen of “hop hop” culture (admittedly not a whole lot), it seems that promiscuity in men is glorified a great deal, and women who are willing to wear skimpy clothing and shake their ass, etc etc are the ideal. So those two things together there, if its a widespread cultural thing (and it seems to be in my school, which is possible Whitest School Ever yet still manages to bring that over), then could that be part of the issue? All those bad standards and behaviors that arent conductive toward happy monogamous relationships keep getting reinforced as positive?

Oh dear. What are these schools teaching their students?

Marriage is a cultural phenomenon?

Promiscuity in black men is glorified?

Black women who shake their asses and can dance are the ideal, yet the aforementioned behaviours are considered negative as far as marriage is concerned?

Hip-hop is to blame for the lack of monagomous, happy marriages amongst black people?

Sigh. There was more:

Also, I found the comment about romances with black characters reinforcing negative black female stereotypes interesting. Historically, IIRC, it was always black male sexuality that was feared (with good reason, there be some damn good looking black men) by white men. So could this be a case now of white women fearing black female sexuality? There is always this idea in people I’ve talked to and media I’ve seen that black women are just more sensual and sexual (not in a bad way), better dancers, better lovers, and yeah, more wild in bed…but is that necessarily a bad thing? To me it seems like black women got a reputation for things that arent necessarily bad, and maybe white women felt threatened by that.

To be fair, I think she feels as if she’s being politically correct, and saying the ‘right’ things, but she exposes her ignorance with her words.

She continues:

And just wondering here, but why is there this idea that it is mostly black men who are gay, adulterous, felons, etc etc? Seems to me that it isnt race that makes you any of those things, its personal choice.

Not only has she suggested that being gay is a personal choice, but that it’s on par with being a criminal. I have to say, I really didn’t realise that it’s mostly black men who are gay. That shit’s news to me.

I have a feeling she’s very young, and just doesn’t know any better, but still…

Tomorrow, I’m going to highlight one of the most clear-cut examples of ignorance that I’ve come across in a while, but today, I want to highlight a comment from the SB’s racism in romance thread, that really made me think, and depressed me at the same time.

This is an excerpt from Trumystique’s thought-provoking post:

…However, I am heartsick by the silence around this issue. Granted its been talked about for many years without a lot of action. Maybe its all invisible action and what we see is the tip of the iceberg. I hope so but I dont think so. I have been really sick about this Marcotte issue (just this horrible nauseau in my stomach– Hilary’s comments last week just sent me over the top) and I have felt this at many times. Its like someone you think is your friend and is working with you reveals she’s a backstabber and doesnt care about you– she’s working for herself. Its a profound sense of betrayal.

Compound that with the fact that you are invisible in everyday life from the internet, on the bus, at work and in popular media. And I am invisible for so many reasons. People dont see me they see the stereotype. I am invisible because when people finally do see me they are like “Oh well I dont see color and you arent like other X people”.

That is what I am talking about- I need allies. I need someone who is willing to work with me and not pay lip service to working with me. Dont pat me on the head and say that sucks and keep doing what you are doing. If I tell you that this genre makes me invisible then please listen to what I am saying.

The inequality of it being possible for a white author to write about black characters and have that book shelved as “romance”, but when a black author does exactly the same the book tends to end up being marketed as “AA romance” means that to create real equality, white readers would need to support not just books written by white authors which include black characters, but also books written by black authors about black characters.

So I hear that you get what I am saying. And you are willing to be an ally. But frankly I think there needs to be a change in terminology. Romance is not Romance. For the most part I dont see myself or anyone like me in most of the romance novels on the shelves. There is nothing that is universal about Romance if it continues to silence, marginalize whole groups of people and their intimate relationships. If LaNora is a Romance author and Beverly Jenkins is a Black Romance author- there is a BIG FAT PROBLEM. Clearly is says that Jenkins is writing something different from Romance.

So we need to use different words and call it what it is. LaNora writes White Romance and so does Crusie, SEP, Laura Kinsale and most of the rest of those published in NY houses. And all the taglines on most blogs should change too. So the tagline for the SBs should change “all of the white romance and none of the bullshit”.

But I dont think anyone is going to like that proposition. So another suggestion would be to come up with an acronym to replace AA Romance. Because the term AA romance reinforces the idea that there is something essentially different about the love stories of black people. So maybe to acknowledge that it should be RwPOC. So that would be Romances with
People of Color. But again kinda lets the whitewashing of Romance off the hook. And of course my acronym doesnt speak to the fact that if romances are written by Asian women or Latina women they are shelved in the White Romance section. Hmm actually doesnt that reproduce what happens in this country when immigrants enter the US and they have been asked “Do you want to be with us or you want to be Negroes/colored/black folk?” We all know the answer to that question…

Very thought-provoking indeed.

SB Sarah posted this comment in the same thread:

One article cited featured a quote from an unnamed magazine publisher who stated that romance covers featuring Black characters in “Afrocentric styles” might make white readers uncomfortable. This same publisher said that covers without people would be preferable.

(White reader Sarah says: “What a bunch of unmitigated poppycock.”)

I think that Sarah’s dismissal of the above statement is wrong, and I said so:

I’m not sure if that statement is poppycock though Sarah. I think that a lot of white romance readers would be put off by a black couple on the cover. There are obviously exceptions, but I’m willing to bet that a high percentage of the white romance readers here have sub-consciously by-passed books that have featured black protagonists on the cover.

I still believe that one of the reasons Dorothy Koomson’s My Best Friend’s Girl sold so well, was because of the clever/subtle cover (UK version that is, the US version sucks arseholes). A lot of white readers confessed that they hadn’t realised that the heroine was black, until halfway through the book…

I think I’ve said it before, but I truly believe that even if the AA authored books were shelved in the same place as ‘regular’ romance, I still think the majority of white romance readers would not take a second look, if the cover featured black people.

I believe this to be true, and I’d really appreciate it if nobody brings up the fact that Suzanne Brockmann featured black protags or that Anne Stuart wrote an IR romance featuring an Asian hero, because they are really weak arguments.

Another argument which makes me cringe is the ‘But I’ve got nothing in common with these characters, plus they speak funny’.

It’s good to discuss the issue of racism within romance, but it saddens me that nothing ever changes.

You know one thing I’ve noticed? Everytime a black author talks about feeling marginalised, (Monica doesn’t count) nobody ever comments, also whenever a black author is interviewed, people just don’t seem to respond, or show any interest whatsoever.

The silence is often deafening.

Just sayin’.

When did you first get published?

2000

What genre do you write in?

Romance/ Women’s Fiction

What race/colour are the majority of your characters?

African-American

How is your work marketed?

I believe my work is primarily marketed to African-American romance readers. But the publisher purchases ads in Romantic Times magazine. I’ve wondered how effective these ads are.

I’ve heard only a small fraction of RT’s readership is interested in A-A fiction. I have no idea if this is true, but that’s the perception.

Where are your books generally shelved?

My first few novels were shelved in the romance section. The latest releases were shelved in the A-A section if the store has such a section.

Where would you prefer your books to be shelved?

This is a tough question. If books are going to be separated, make copies available in the general fiction or romance sections, too. Something about the segregation feels wrong, but as a reader I must admit I like the convenience of the African-American section for browsing.

I have discovered many new authors of color that I would have missed if they were shelved among the thousands of non-black or mainstream books. As an author trying to build a brand or following, that accessibility to readers most likely to buy my books is attractive.

If black books were only shelved among the mainstream books it would make it harder for black readers to find me. A few white readers might sample black books shelved in the mainstream sections, but I’m not so sure there would be enough to make up the lost sales.

If stores were to do away with all A-A book sections I believe more new black authors or black authors who have yet to make a name for themselves would ultimately suffer.

Have you been subjected to direct/indirect racism from editors, publishers etc in your publishing career?

I haven’t experienced anything blatant. It’s not as if the publisher is going to say, “Hey, we’re getting behind Sally Sue because she’s white and we’re not getting behind you because you’re not white.”

Sally Sue is probably getting certain things because her sales numbers are better and warrant an extra push. Is Sally Sue selling better because she’s white and her potential audience is larger? That’s probably true. But that can’t explain why Sally Sue is also selling better than another white author who has the same potential audience and publisher support.

Who really knows why one author catches on and another doesn’t? I think it’s common knowledge that it’s not all about writing talent or even promotion. Publishers have thrown money behind lots of books that have flopped.

Promotion helps, of course, but it’s not a guarantee of anything. A lot of luck is involved. But with all that said, it’s still much harder for a black author to hitch a ride on the luck-mobile.

How do you feel about Oprah Winfrey’s book club- Do you think she could do more to promote AA authors?

Oprah has done her part by selecting books written by black authors. It would be nice if she selected more, but it’s not as if she’s completely ignored writers of color.

Do you believe that publishers are more ambivalent when it comes to marketing AA books?

Publishers are into making money. There’s a trend toward more niche marketing to do this. If publishers believed they could make lots and lots of money pushing more A-A books to the mainstream audience they would.

But in the romance genre in particular, I don’t think the average white romance reader is interested in reading love stories featuring African-American characters. However, I’m not sure it’s always about racism.

Maybe it’s just about familiarity or comfort zone. Blacks might do better crossing over in mystery, suspense/thrillers, non-fiction/memoir etc. Romance and relationship novels are too intimate and personal-fantasy driven.

There are so many white romances from which to choose. They can’t whittle down their towering TBR piles. Why would a white reader meander out of her comfort zone if she doesn’t have to?

It would take thousands of white readers regularly and steadily supporting black authors for any substantial spike in black authors’ numbers to show.

Which race groups would you say bought the majority of your books?

I believe 99.9 percent of my readers are African-American females.

What do you think needs to change in order for more white people to read African American books?

Oprah would have to recommend a new African-American novel every chance she got and even that wouldn’t be enough. Crossover magic happens in the literary fiction world (ex. Zadie Smith, Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, Colson Whitehead, Edward P. Jones) but not so much with commercial fiction.

That’s why I finally stopped caring about luring white readers to my novels with black characters. Hoping and wishing for things to change is akin to hoping and wishing to win the lottery. It’s a cool dream, but then you wake up.

When I’m ready to target white readers I’ll try to write and sell a book featuring white characters, then hope I can get away with it. I hear even that’s not so simple. (Note: See stories about Millennia Black.)

Have you ever been snubbed by white readers/white authors during a signing?

Yes, I have been snubbed by white readers. Some white readers will get the book, then let me know it’s for their black friend or co-worker, as if the book couldn’t possibly be something they would enjoy themselves. I’ve been snubbed by black readers, too.

Have you ever been overlooked by an editor in favour of a white author?

I’m not sure if anything like this has happened.

Have you ever been asked to tone down, or increase the ethnicity within your books?

No.

Are you familiar with Millennia Black’s lawsuit against Penguin? If so, what do you think her chances of winning are?

I’m not sure what her chances are, but I hope she wins. I think she should have the opportunity write any type of characters she chooses. The only way a black commercial author has a prayer of breaking out of the “Negro niche” is to write for the mainstream.

And if you want to a better shot at hooking the mainstream reader, you have to write mainstream or white characters. (See Tess Gerritsen as an example.) It also can’t hurt for the black author to use a pen name and wait a book or two before slapping his or her photo on the cover.

How do you think her victory will affect the way AA authors are treated within the industry?

Millennia’s case is about the freedom to write the type of characters she chooses. I would like to have the opportunity to write white characters, too, at some point. But most black authors I know are perfectly happy writing about other blacks. However, those black authors writing about black people would like the same opportunity for big success that white authors enjoy.

What are your thoughts on niche marketing? What do you think the limitations are if any?

It’s a way to zoom in on the people most likely to buy a particular product. The niche is a much smaller slice of the pie.

The limitation is obvious for the black authors fighting for a bite of that same sliver of pie. The potential rewards are greater if you can go for the rest of the pie.

Have you been personally involved in trying to bring about changes within the publishing industry, with regards to how African American authors are treated? If so can you tell me about your efforts?

No. I see it as pointless. Why? Because the whole race thing is too deeply ingrained. Who has the time and energy when most people have day jobs, families and a zillion other responsibilities?

Writing is something most of us squeeze in on the side. Most of us are not even close to making a living at it. So who has the energy to wage a fruitless campaign against publishers? Who has the time to try to enlighten white people in their bubble? It takes all our “book time” writing the book and promoting it to the people who are most likely to embrace what we’re selling.

If you whine and rant too much in this business it’s easy for publishers to get rid of you, particularly if you’re not a big money-making star.

There’s always someone eager to step in and take your place to maintain the status quo. Also, I’ve seen how people who are vocal on this issue are treated and often attacked for trying to raise awareness. I just don’t need the headaches that come along with trying to “raise awareness.”

Do you think this will still be a controversial subject in five years time, or do you think major changes would have been made by then?

That’s an easy one. It’s a big ol’ fat NOPE.

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions.

I know many of my answers sound negative. I did not enter the business feeling this way. This is what experience has taught me.

That’s ok, it was honest, which is the important thing.

Coming up next, Mystery Author Number 2!