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.

FURLOUGH FOOLISHNESS

I wasn't going to discuss it here but I can't keep my fingers from typing about it. At the risk of losing some of you as my followers, I write this blog. Angry and disgusted by what is going on right now.

The president wants five billion dollars to build a wall so that "terrorists'' don't come into America. That's not the only reason. He also wants the wall to "help the women and children that are dying on their way over here." But that isn't the only reason. He also wants it to stop illegal activity from crossing the borders.

He wants the wall because that is what he wants. Terrorists live here already. They aren't coming from Mexico; they are flying over here. The women and children that he speaks of; are already here; being exploited. However, we do need more secure borders but at the risk of sounding like I'm taking his side....BECAUSE I AM NOT...what we need is to come to some sort of resolution so that the millions of people that are already here, don't starve to death or worse, start committing crimes to just put food on their tables because he is withholding their money.

See, he wants to build a wall to stop illegal activity. What about the illegal activities that happen every day, done by AMERICANS?

What about the exploitation of women and children everyday, by AMERICANS? What about the terrorists who are living here, every day?

What about those people?

We teach our children not to bully people and we teach our children to stand up against bullies. 

What do you do when the bully RUNS the country? What do you do when a bully is taking your job and holding it just out of reach? What do you do when the bully lives in the White House?

You suffer the Furlough Foolishness!

People are "hoping" that they can pay their bills this month and next month". People are hoping that they get back to work soon. People are hoping that they don't have to start selling off things just to put food on the table. 

What about those people Mr. President? Oh, but no matter because you are already rich and could care less that the 'average' American doesn't have your money.

The Furlough Foolishness needs to end and maybe instead of acting like a 3 year old...wait...make that a 5 year old bully on the playground. Maybe you could use your big words and speak like a real adult and stop throwing tantrums to get what you want. You say that the 800 thousand people stand with you. Well how many have you asked?

Because every one of the people I see on FB, Instagram, Twitter and other social media outlets; want to go to work and NEED their money. 

So, I suggest that instead of posting on FB, Instagram, Twitter and other social media outlets that the Furloughed employees get out there and MARCH ON WASHINGTON.

Show him just how many don't support this Furlough Foolishness . Maybe then he will see how many really stand with him.