DISCRIMINATION IN THE WRITING WORLD

At some point we have all encountered some form of discrimination.

As a writer, sometimes authors of color find themselves fighting discrimination of another kind. 

We have our own section in the book store. We have our own section but why? Some authors think this is a good thing but I don't.

My writing should be listed and shelved with every other book in the store. My book shouldn't be singled out because it was written by a black author. 

Yet, we aren't shelved with other books. We have to have our own section. This is a form of discrimination. Plain and Simple.

Our books are priced higher than books in the same genre as white authors. Our books are marketed to a specific audience but why does this have to be?

If you write romance, why can't your book be listed with the other romance writers? If you write mysteries, I shouldn't have to go to the 'black' section to find a black author's book. It should be under "Mystery" like all other books.

Not only do we face discrimination in the bookstores but we face it when we are asked to be on panels at writing conferences. Why am I on a panel with all black authors instead of on the panel with authors discussing the writing style of mystery or romances. 

Some of us are making great strides in breaking the stereotype. Cerece Renner Murphy, is an african american woman author of Sci-Fi and she is taking that world by storm. In part because there is not a black sci fi section in bookstores and because she puts herself out there as being one of the best woman writers of Sci-Fi. 

Make no mistake about it; there are a lot of black authors making a wave in the author world but not enough of them are getting the recognition that they deserve. 

Why is this? Because mainstream is not seeing them. Why? because they are shelved in the 'black' section of the book store. 

Next time you go into a store; make sure you check out my theory and while you are at it; make sure you check out the price of the books. 

That might also surprise you.

I'M BACK ON THE WAGON!!!

It's been one year...Officially one year since my world was rocked again by a vicious injury. 

One year, 22 days since I broke bones in my foot, my ankle on both sides and my leg. 

Talk about devastating!

But I'm still here...and I'm a little better.

I still limp. I still go to therapy. I still have another surgery coming up and I still wear an ankle brace. 

But I'm a little better. 

Although I was writing up a storm in the beginning; I have slacked off. Not for any reason other than, I just didn't feel like it.

Wait...what...an author not feeling like writing. Yes people it happens. 

I know I got sucked into just sitting and looking into space for so long, that sitting at a computer and actually writing, felt like...well it felt like work.

WTH! I just retired and I surely didn't want to feel like I was working again. 

Then I had to think about why it felt like work. 

Well, I am writing a murder/mystery and I have never done that before. 

I know there are pieces of the puzzle that go in a certain order but I am not a "certain order type of writer". I like to just sit down and write. 

Well writing a mystery is nothing like what I'm used to and I had to use that part of my brain that I don't like to. The thinking part. The part that says, you can't write that; it's not in order. That can't happen first because this already happened" part of my brain.

See, I like writing from the seat of my pants. I HATE outlining or having to think about the next chapter or line. But that is what writing a mystery is like; (for me anyway). So I stopped writing and just gazed at the TV, FB, Instagram and my website (s). 

Since I loved traveling, I've been doing that as well and also helping others realize their travel dreams. 

In short, I've been doing everything else except writing. Well that all ended yesterday. I had a loyal fan come up to me on Friday and said, "I'm almost tired of waiting on you to have another book. But I'm gonna keep waiting cause I love your style." Now THAT's loyalty. 

So I broke out the computer and have been typing my little fingers away. So look for my new novel soon. So hopefully my first murder mystery will be out soon..unless the publisher thinks otherwise. But anyway, I'm back on the wagon...

The writing wagon that is.