What Diversity Means to Me - Featuring Dia Reeves

Hi everyone! Thank you all for reading this diversity series! I hope you've enjoyed the different perspectives that have been given - not only from authors but even a YA librarian and my very own wonderful agent. So today we continue the series with one of my favorite authors, Dia Reeves.

I've known Dia online for a few years now and it's been amazing to see her come out with two fantastic books during that time! I was so blown away when I first read Bleeding Violet. Dark and disturbing and violent. This is not for the faint at heart. It was unlike any book I'd ever read. But then Dia wrote Slice of Cherry and completely solidified why I love her so much. Slice of Cherry is even stranger and scarier and gorier. Seriously, if you are a fan of Dexter, you will love SOC. So I'm very happy to have Dia on the blog today.

Ello - Hi Dia! Thanks so much for being here! So can you please let us know how you came to write your book?

Dia - When I was a kid, I never read books about black kids. When I wrote my own short stories, all the characters were white. No one told me they had to be; that was a conclusion I drew based on the evidence at hand, namely, none of my favorite books had anything but white characters. When I got to high school, however, I started reading Octavia E. Butler who not only was black but wrote sf/horror novels about black people. That blew me away. Not long after that, I wrote a story starring a black girl, and I remember feeling guilty, like I was doing something really naughty. Then I realized how much fun being naughty is. I haven't looked back since.

Ello - I'm so glad you were naughty! Although naught is so tame a word to use for an author who writes weird and darkly disturbing horror stories! So why do you think books like yours with POC characters are important to our kids?

Dia - I don't know that what I write is important. Finding a cure for AIDS is important--what I do is all about entertainment. That said, I get a lot of fan mail. Some thanking me for writing about POC characters, but the majority are from weird and crazy fans who can't believe I write about weird and crazy people. Being weird and crazy myself, those are the letters that strike the deepest chord with me, because weird and crazy doesn't recognize racial boundaries. Many people feel different. Even seemingly normal people can feel like they're just faking it. I think the reason I get so much mail of that kind is because people understand what it is not to fit in. Since I write about a town where being weird is normal, all the weirdos tend to relate. It's nice to have your feelings and experiences validated, if not in the real world, at least in a fictional one.

Ello - I love your answer because it is a great reminder that diversity isn't just about race. So here's the last and final question - What does diversity mean to you?

Dia - If you say to a deaf kid, "Hey, kid, you matter," but then the kid can't find books/magazines/movies/TV shows/video games about other deaf kids, then in what way are you demonstrating his importance? The kid looks around at other people being represented and not only does he not feel important--he feels like he doesn't exist. So diversity means being able to see yourself, no matter how out of the mainstream you are, reflected in society. I don't think we're even close to being truly diverse, but I try to do my part as a writer--maybe one day I'll succeed.

Ello - Dia, you're doing a great job and I hope you continue writing your weird and crazy characters for years to come! Thanks so much for being here!

What Diversity Means to Me - Featuring Joe Monti

Today I'm very very happy to bring you an agent's perspective on diversity. My amazing agent, Joe Monti, took time out of his crazy busy schedule to talk about what diversity means to him and give us his perspective as an industry insider. I'm so excited and pleased to turn over the blog to Joe today!

Please welcome Joe Monti of BG Literary Agency!

Why diversity in YA is important -

Back in 1998 when I became the buyer in charge of young adult fiction at Barnes and Noble, Inc. YA the category was kinda pathetic, filled with series fiction with little veins of gold here or there in Blume, Cormier, and the like. This is back in the stone ages where a protagonist over twelve years of age, one that kisses, or any mention of puberty will place you in the realm of a work for a mature reader. I wanted to change that because that wasn’t the world I grew up in, and it certainly wasn’t the world teens were living in then, or now. I bought books with gay protagonists, one of the first was a little gem titled PETER by Kate Walker. Then when that worked, Francesca Lia Block’s Weetzie Bat compilation, DANGEROUS ANGELS, then BOY MEETS BOY by David Levithan, EMPRESS OF THE WORLD by Sara Ryan, LUNA by Julie Anne Peters and others. No one thought these books would sell, or reach an audience outside of pockets on the coasts. Yet they sold best in the midwest before the higher density coastal areas overtook those stores.

In summer 2009 incidents of whitewashing within YA literature were brought to light and discussed much online.

But look at this book cover for Angela Johnson’s FIRST PART LAST:

Here’s a book that breaks two perceived guidelines of sales and marketing: That books with a person of color will largely only sell to that ethnicity, and that books for boys don’t sell, so placing a boy on the cover of a YA is a sales blocker.

This adds the taboo of an African-American guy holding a baby. Sales wisdom will tell you that this book could not sell.  It blew off the shelves. It was awarded The Michael L. Printz award and The Coretta Scott King award.

It worked, primarily because, let’s face it, that guy is hot. Like Lenny Kravitz in The Hunger Games hot. And he’s strong. It’s striking. Also, and in no small part, Johnson’s a wonderful writer.

There is only one thing that will hurt sales of a book: A bad cover. You can have a PoC on the cover and not sell because it’s a weak cover, not because of the ethnicity of the people on the cover. Ditto if you’re blonde or red haired girl.

Speaking of boys, who “don’t read past a certain age” dontchyaknow, they were the initial audience for Christopher Paolini’s ERAGON, which propelled it to #1. The girls started reading it later. The Alex Rider series of books by Anthony Horowitz are tremendous bestsellers, and they are largely read by boys.

Strong female protagonists are ubiquitous now in YA. Just fourteen years ago works like Laurie Halse Anderson’s SPEAK and Tamora Pierce’s LADY KNIGHT were showcasing strong girls who knew how to fight back and find their voices. Where would Katniss or Katsa or Gemma or Tally or Clary be without them? Likely looking for boys to save them or make them whole.

Diversity in YA is important because all of these books above and the books to come are on a continuum. If you narrow the opportunity to allow one of these to succeed as they have, you whittle away the possibility of greatness and we are all diminished. As an agent, I hope to increase diversity with whom I represent and champion.

What diversity means to me?

It means I can say Lenny Kravitz is a beautiful man and not feel at all awkward about being a breeder. It means I can be a New York Yankees fan, yet dislike many Yankees fans for their attitude. It means I can look at the shelves of this teen literary category and see reflections of the people I know and love represented there. It means most of the other men in my family have green or hazel eyes and I don’t. (I’m not bitter!) It means that I can grow up the lower middle class son of a Latina immigrant from Argentina and an Italian immigrant in (still) racially segregated Yonkers, N.Y., a place I thought I could not escape, and meet a Chinese-American girl in high school whom I’ll, eventually, marry. It means my son is Quichua/Argentinian/Italian/Chinese and could actually find enough boxes to fill out on a form, or choose not to.

It means I’m Joe Monti.

Hi.

What Diversity Means to Me - Featuring Mindy McGinnis

Today I have something a little different for the diversity series. I have my fellow Friday the Thirteener, Mindy McGinnis on the blog today. And it's special because even though she is a YA author debuting in 2013 with Not A Drop to Drink from Katherine Tegen Books, HarperCollins, she is also a YA librarian. So I asked Mindy if she wouldn't mind talking a little bit about diversity from her perspective as a librarian.

Ello - Hey Mindy! Thanks so much for being willing to talk about diversity. As a librarian, do you think there is enough diverse books in YA?

Mindy - They're out there! But you do have to search sometimes. Matt de la Pena writes some excellent books like Mexican White Boy and a fellow Ohioan, Sharon Draper, writes excellent books about minority teens. Angela Johnson is another example. Also the Bluford series, which is written by multiple authors and written for lower level readers is always popular. These are just examples off the top of my head, so yes, the titles are out there - you just need to grab a knowledgeable librarian ;) 

 

Ello - How important do you feel diversity is to our youth?

Mindy - It's important. We live in a shrinking world, and while students in many rural areas live in a "white bubble," that won't always be the case. Especially my kids who are going to college, it's important for them to at least be aware of other cultures and have experienced them through reading, if they don't have any other exposure.

 

Ello - Do you think kids would read books with diversity if there were more of it or more prominently displayed?

Mindy - Kids go for a good cover, period. Anna Banks new title Of Poseidon is a great example of a gorgeous cover where many readers don't blink at the fact that the MC is black - I'm not sure they even notice.

We do have a wonderful non-fiction title "They Called Themselves The KKK" which has a striking cover. I had a student check it out who makes no bones about his racist leanings. When he returned it, he warned me against giving it to younger readers. He was shocked at the content, and it had an impact on him - no doubt. Unfortunately I think a lot of my male students adopt racist leanings because of their home environment, without realizing what they are embracing. That book opened his eyes about what he was promoting, and his actions have changed. 

 

Ello - So my final question. What does diversity mean to you?

Mindy - Diversity to me isn't just about having choices and options available. Diversity is about actually celebrating the differences, not just accepting them. 

Ello - Thanks Mindy for stopping by the blog! It's great to get a perspective from the "front lines!"

We interrupt this program...

First of all, I'm happy to announce that the winner of the random number generated drawing for Living Violet is ........ Ani Louise!!! Yay!

Since today's scheduled post has been delayed, I have decided to use today to announce that my short story is coming out this fall in the Tu Anthology called Diverse Energies!  The press release is here.

Ellen Oh's "The Last Day" takes a second look at history and considers what might have happened had Nagasaki and Hiroshima not ended the Pacific Theater of World War II.

If you follow Stacy Whitman, Editorial Director of Tu, on twitter, then you may have caught her tweeting about reading my short story and how it made her cry...again.  I also made my 12 year old sob loudly when I read it to her. Yes, it is clearly a comedy.

So the anthology comes out in the fall and I'm very, very excited to be in such stellar company! Especially because my idol, Ursula LeGuin has a story in there also. Yes, my short story is in an anthology with Ursula's. I am verklempt! There's one more exciting piece of news I have but I'm not sure if I'm allowed to reveal it yet, so you will have to wait and see. But please keep an eye out later this year for Diverse Energies and let me know if it makes you cry also!

What Diversity Means to Me - Featuring Zoe Marriott

Thanks to everyone who has been reading and promoting this blog series. I truly believe that if we continue to spread the word about the need for more diversity in YA, that we will see more change. The winner of Karen Sandler's fabulous book Tankborn is Mary Ellen! Congratulations Mary Ellen! Please email me at helloello@ellenoh.com so I can send you off the copy.

I am so very excited to bring to you today's interview. It doesn't come with a giveaway, because the book isn't available here yet, but those of you who live in the UK, have probably already seen and read her wonderful book. Today, I am so excited and honored to have Zoe Marriott on my blog. 

 I am really excited to get my own hands on Shadows on the Moon. It releases on April 24th in the US. Both of the covers are beautiful and diverse! The UK cover is on the left and the US on the right. Quite frankly, I love both of them! So I'm very happy to have Zoe here with us at the blog today.

Ello -  Hi Zoe! Thanks so much for being here today!

Zoe - First of all - thank you so much for inviting me onto your blog to talk about this subject! I'm overjoyed at the frank, productive dialogue that's taking place on the internet about diversity, and I feel especially pleased that so much of it is happening within the YA community. We rock!
 
Ello - How did your book come to you or why did you write your book?

Zoe - Shadows on the Moon was the result of a collision of several ideas that had been floating around in my head for a long time without going anywhere. None of them were quite strong enough on their own, but together, they became something special, and the setting of The Moonlit Lands, a fantasy version of Japan, was crucial to that.

I teach a lot of creative writing workshops in schools, and because my first book (The Swan Kingdom) is a fairytale retelling, one of the exercises I have the children do is to try and retell a fairytale of their own. I show them how by asking for suggestions of a common story, and then dissecting it and reassembling it with their help. Whenever I asked 'What fairytale shall we use?' Cinderella was nearly always the first suggestion, which made me groan, as it's one of my least favourites - I find the heroine far too weak and passive. So, to amuse myself, I would turn the thing on its head and say 'What if this isn't a romance? What if Cinderella doesn't really want the prince at all? What if she's just pretending to be sweet and weak because actually she's after revenge on her stepfamily, and she wants to use the prince to get it?'

The more I thought about that idea, the more I liked it and wanted to tackle it for real. But I still had a problem, because the idea of using the traditional Cinderella setting of Northern Europe in the 18th-19th century made me feel suffocated. I did not want to go to that place of powdered wigs and petticoats - there was nothing new to show a reader there. But it seemed important, in a story that was so much about illusions of beauty and control, that the setting be a society that was equally rigid, equally obsessed with appearances, equally ready to reject anything new and different.

I've been fascinated by Japanese culture for years and years. I read Manga like it's going out of style and have shelves of Anime DVDs. I'd been longing to set a story in some version of Japan for nearly as long as I could remember, but I could never find a story that fitted. One lazy Sunday afternoon as I was watching Memoirs of Geisha (one of my favourite films) that 'Cinderella as The Count of Monte Cristo' idea floated into my brain and bumped up against the Japanese images I was seeing and it all just fit. I was so excited that I jumped up and did a victory lap around my living room. I still have the scribbled page of notes that I wrote that day - at the top it says 'WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THIS BEFORE???' because it seemed so obvious once I'd gotten there.

Ello - OMG I love that pitch line! Fabulous! So why did you choose to write POC characters?

Zoe - Well, given that I was so ecstatic to have finally hit on a way to write a story set in fairytale Japan, a matching heroine and main cast was inevitable. I found it really freeing, actually, to know that the setting would be doing a lot of the work for me there. Once I'd made it clear as crystal in the first chapters that this story was taking place in The Moonlit Lands, I didn't have to worry about reinforcing the characters as Japanese (the way I felt I needed to introduce each character by differing ethnicity in Daughter of the Flames, my first multicultural book). It was a given. And this then allowed me to focus on their really interesting, individual features - untidy hair, muscular arms, cat-like eyes, musical voice - rather than describing hair, skin and eye colour over and over.

Once I'd decided for once and for all that my Cinderella wasn't really interested in the Prince (who, of course, would be a native of The Moonlit Lands) I started to think about what kind of person she would fall in love with. Who would be the perfect foil for Suzume, a heroine who was so driven and ruthless, a heroine who was convinced she was unaffected by illusions while at the same time being hopelessly trapped by them? I decided that he needed to be someone from outside that appearance obsessed society, who could see the heroine for what she truly was. I suppose at that point I could have brought in a blue-eyed blonde or something - but I had already decided that one of my heroine's self-destructive behaviours was self-harming, and this made me think about cultures where self-cutting and scarring are not seen as shameful, but as a right of passage. And so I imagined Otieno, a young scholar from a country a little bit like Africa, whose family connections, history and achievements would all be written on his body in the form of scars and tattoos that were worn as a mark of honour and courage. I knew that Suzume's own people would be frightened and repelled by his appearance, but that Suzume herself would see through his skin to his inner beauty, just as he would see hers.

It didn't really occur to me until later on that putting a pseudo-Japanese heroine with a black hero might be controversial. But when it did, I shrugged and thought 'Bring it on'. Thankfully, the response has generally been very positive, which convinces me once again that getting worried about possible backlash before it happens is a waste of time.

Ello - I think your reaction is perfect. You can't be afraid to be controversial. That's what is so great about books! And I'm proud of you for that. Why do you think books like yours are important to our kids?

Zoe - Aside from wanting to write cracking good books that turn children into lifelong readers, I really want to create stories that enable kids to LOOK at the world around them. To see it for what it is, with wide open, wondering eyes. Our mass media is so horribly skewed. It presents this idea of 'normalcy' which excludes and marginalises so many for an idea of commercial viability which is really nothing but blinkered prejudice. People who are black and Asian and Middle Eastern and Hispanic, people who are gay or transgendered or genderqueer, people who have disabilities, disfigurements or illnesses - all have this vision of a world which does not include them shoved down their throats almost 24-7, and they're told 'No one wants to see stories about people like you. Films and TV shows about people like you won't make money. Stories about straight, white, cisgendered, able-bodied people are universal and everyone likes them. You are small and useless and unattractive and you don't matter.'

How can anyone justify that? It's not only cruel and utterly miserable - it's narrow, tasteless and bland. It's like forcing the consumers of media to live on nothing but plain oatmeal when all the world's rich, spicy, varied gastronomic delights could be available to them.

My worry is that this warped version of 'normal' eventually forms those very same blinkers on children's eyes, depriving them of their ability to see anyone who isn't the same as them, preventing them from developing the ability to empathise with and appreciate and take joy in the lives and experiences of people who are different from them. If Shadows on the Moon - or anything I write - causes a young person to look at their own life, or the life of another, and think, 'Maybe being different is cool' I will die a happy writer.
 
Ello - I am shouting AMEN! I so worry about the same exact thing. It is this reason that makes me so concerned about sending this message out to all writers that it's ok to include diversity in their books and that they shouldn't be afraid to do so. Just like you are doing!   What does diversity mean to you?

Zoe - To me, it means embracing reality. The world is diverse. People are diverse. That's just the way it is. And that is a wonderful thing. Opening your eyes and arms to the world as it really is and all the amazing possibilities created by that crazy, colourful, beautiful diversity...how can that not make you a better person, a better writer? I read books all the time which have all-white, all straight, all able-bodied casts, presented by the author without (apparently) a second thought. They're still trapped in that sterile version of 'reality' which has nothing to do with reality at all. No matter how good such books are, I always wonder how much better, how much richer and more REAL they could have been if the author had freed themselves from the constraints of the fake, media constructed 'normal'.

Ello - Ok, my last question, and it is a doozy. As a white woman writing about POC characters, what was your greatest challenge? How did you overcome them to write your book?

Zoe - Ooh, this is going to be a long answer. Bear with me :)

I had an argument with a writer on the internet last year. She said that her characters 'just came to her', fully formed, with skin colour, race, gender, sexual orientation and physical status in place. She couldn't possibly dictate to her creative brain what characters would come. The fact that all the characters that 'came to' her this way were exactly like her - straight, white, able-bodied, cisgendered - was a complete coincidence. And of course there was nothing she could do about it. 'Writing about minorities just for the sake of it would be wrong', she said.

I think a lot of writers use this argument, either to excuse themselves when others point out the lack of diversity in their work, or in their own heads to ease the vague, guilty gnawings of their conscience. But I call bull. I used to say exactly the same thing about my characters, and this resulted in my first book, The Swan Kingdom - which had a cast of characters all heavily swathed in the thick comfort blanket of my own white, straight, cisgendered, able-bodied privilege. Don't get me wrong. I still feel proud of many things about that book. But I know it could have been so much better if I'd tried to reflect something more of reality within the pages, and that I didn't is a source of strong regret to me.

It's stunning how quickly the kind of characters that 'just come to you' change when you struggle out of that comfort blanket of privilege and look at the world as it really is. So that's the first challenge overcome.

Of course, once you've got a headful of characters with all kinds of different cultural backgrounds, sexualities and physical statuses, you've got to have the courage to actually put them in a story. And I'm not going to lie: it does take courage to do that. If you care about getting things right (which I do) and if you seriously don't want to hurt or offend people by accidentally spilling your privilege all over them (which I don't) it can sometimes seem an overwhelming responsibility to depict characters who are so different from you in fiction. If I write white, straight, able-bodied characters, no one assumes I'm trying to make some kind of significant point about all white, straight, able-bodied people. There are so many stories about such people out there. But the second I put a transgendered Japanese woman in my story, the lack of other narratives featuring such characters means everyone assumes mine is intended to represent every Japanese transgendered person in the world. And if I get it wrong, I'm hurting every Japanese transgendered person in the world (or at least, it feels like it).

I think there are two key things you need to do to get over the fear. The first is to make sure that your characters truly are characters, complex and flawed, living in your story in order to serve it in some essential way. If you do that, you're not going to be writing offensive cyphers who only exist to Make A Point. The second is to admit to yourself (and remind yourself frequently) that you, like the rest of the human race, are not perfect, and that you will make mistakes. Inevitably. That's a hard one. You want to get it right SO MUCH, and the realisation that you probably won't 100% of the time can paralyse you if you let it. But once you've accepted it, you can deal with whatever comes.

So far, no one has ever written to me to say 'Your depiction of a Japanese/transgendered/black/disabled/depressed/facially disfigured/mixed race person has offended me, and you suck'. But one day, someone will, and when that happens, I'll be hurt and upset. But I won't turn around and try to whitesplain (or straightsplain, or whatever) to that person just how very wrong they are, and make them take it back so that I can feel good about myself again. I won't throw a tantrum and crawl back into my little privilege comfort blankie and start writing all white, all straight, all-able bodied casts again and say 'So there!'. I won't even try and get them to educate me on how I messed up. Because frankly, after a lifetime of putting up with other people's privilege, the last thing they're going to want is to have to try and fix mine.

I'll tell them that I'm sorry, and I'll promise to keep on educating myself and trying to do better. And I'll thank them for trying my work in the first place, and caring enough to let me know what they think. Because my job is to be the best writer I can be, and that means putting on my big girl panties and doing stuff that scares the ever-loving crap out of me, for no other reason than that it's the right thing to do, without expecting to get a standing ovation from the world in return.

Ello - I'd like to give you a standing ovation right now! Thank you for sharing your words with us here. I truly believe in what you have said here and I hope other writers take it to heart. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you.

What Diversity Means to Me - Featuring Jaime Reed

There's still time to get in on the giveaway for Karen's book, Tankborn so don't forget to comment on that post.

Today I am excited to bring you Jaime Reed, author of Living Violet, the first in the Cambion Chronicles and a paranormal book with a very different twist. And more importantly for me, it has a smart, funny, sarcastic female lead who just happens to also be biracial. I love this book!

The other great thing about having Jaime here today is because she is an author who cares deeply about diversity and who blogs about it at her own blog Write or Die. 

So I'm very happy to turn over my blog to Jaime today and also to give you guys a chance to win Living Violet. All you have to do is leave a comment and we'll pick a winner by next Friday. Take it away Jaime!

Ellen has asked me to talk about why diversity is important to me and honestly, I don’t know where to start.  I’ve written a few blog posts on this topic, and I’m glad that I’m not alone in feeling that there could be more variety and ethnicity represented in the YA genre.

I wrote Living Violet about a cynical teenager named Samara who juggles the duality of being of two different races. It’s not the main plot of the book, but it adds a new dimension to her character and helps her understand the inner struggle that her love interest, Caleb, has to deal with.

Growing up, I used to read teen books and watch teen shows and wondered why there weren’t any Hispanic, Asian or black characters. There were never any black super heroes, or shy Mexican girl that gets asked to the big dance. There was no (vampires/were-animal/fallen angel/ insert supernatural creature here) fighting for the love of a poor Indian girl. I was under the impression that girls like me were the helpful sidekick with little else to offer outside of comic relief. 

Whenever I did see a minority character, they were the most hackneyed and offensive stereotypes possible or just in the background to fill some politically correct quota. It became clear that in order for you to be desired by the hot mysterious guy you had to look a certain way. And if you didn’t, odds were the bad guy would kill you off, because hay, you were just there to make the lead character look good by comparison anyway.

Samara is biracial and her best friend is Filipino and their ethnicity doesn’t deter from the plot in the slightest. So it is possible. The story takes place in the suburbs in an upper-middle class area, which removes most of the inner-city “hood mentality” that is normally depicted. This is a different side that very few have seen.

I wasn’t trying to make a political statement or raise social issues. I just wrote a cool story where the lead saves the day, and oh by the way, she’s mixed. I like to read about a character I can identify with on a cultural level. Identity is a delicate thread with young girls. I should know, I was one. When reading—if it’s good—you’re automatically sucked into the world and become the character. Most kids feel different and don’t fit in and they shouldn’t have to feel that way while escaping the real world.

I wanted young girls to be able to pick up a book and enjoy a character who doesn’t have long flowing hair, or is thin with ivory skin and still get swept away into the supernatural. I felt it was time to have minorities take center stage for a change. That’s what diversity means to me. To have a good number of books on the shelves representing real characters from different cultures and have as much attention and press as other books in its genre. We have a long way to go, but I and other authors mentioned in this blog hope to get the ball rolling.

Thank you Jaime! And I wanted to link to Jaime's great posts here so that if any of you want to read more of Jaime's thoughts on diversity, you can:

Diversity In YA

Color Outside the Lines:

Life Imitating Art Imitating Everything Else

What Diversity Means to Me - Featuring Karen Sandler

Thanks to everyone tuning into this blog series on diversity. I wanted to share with you the winner, by random number generator, of Danette's beautiful book is Christy Farley! Congrats Christy!!

Today I have another wonderful guest post by Karen Sandler the author of Tankborn, a truly excellent sci fi/dystopian novel released by Tu Books.

It's another cover that wowed me when I first saw it and has a fantastic premise (genetically engineered non-humans) in a lush and detailed world with a scary caste system. It's a crazy good read! So after you've read her wonderful post, please leave Karen a comment for a chance to win Tankborn.

And now I gratefully turn the blog over to Karen:

I like to say that Tankborn is a book that took me 25 years to write. That statement is a bit misleading; I wasn’t actually working on Tankborn for 25 years. But the book was adapted from a science fiction screenplay, Icer, that I wrote back in the mid-80s. Yes, I plagiarized myself (authors are allowed to do that). I picked and chose what I lifted from the script: the genetically engineered slaves, Kayla’s name and her “sket” (skill set). But what was originally an action-adventure story for adults (movie-Kayla was in her mid-20s and pretty kick-ass), became a young adult book in which life was much more complex for GENs like Kayla, and much more perilous.

A screenwriter writing on spec isn’t supposed to “cast” the movie in their screenplay. For example, unless it’s key to the story that a particular character be black (as in this script for The Help: http://www.dreamworkspicturesawards.com/_pdf/the_help.pdf), we’re not supposed to specify the ethnicity of a character. So I wouldn’t have the license to identify Kayla as of mixed race since in Icer the story isn’t about her being mixed race. It would be up to the director to decide how to cast the movie. This pretty much sucks, but that was the reality of Hollywood then (and still is in large part today).

What I was able to do was to include this line in describing my genetically engineered slaves:

Their skin color varies as well, from deep black to white, with every shade in between.

I learned this trick of slipping in diversity while attending the Hollywood Networking Breakfasts put on by Changing Images in America (http://www.changingimagesinamerica.org/). The organization seeks to develop, produce, and support programs that promote and embrace diversity in American culture. Their focus is specifically on the entertainment industry. They got me thinking about how I could promote more multi-ethnicity in Hollywood via my screenwriting.

Later, as a novelist, I made it a point to include POC in my books. I was writing romances and due to the restrictions of that genre, my hero and heroine were always white, but I would mix in African, Hispanic, and Asian characters as minor characters. Would Harlequin have accepted a book proposal from me with a non-white hero and heroine? I honestly don’t know if they would have let me, a white author, write non-white characters (although my second to last book for Harlequin did feature an Hispanic hero).

I admit that part of my hesitation in writing main characters who were POC had nothing to do with the strictures of the romance genre. I kept thinking, well, that isn’t my story. I should leave that to someone else to write. I also worried about offending someone of another culture who might think I’m “co-opting” their culture. I think that objection is fair, and I still haven’t completely shaken those feelings.

But I also felt it was time for me to step outside my comfort zone. I wanted to write the characters of Kayla and Devak as ethnically diverse, to explore their worlds, and do my best to portray their culture accurately (which was helped by the cultural expert Lee and Low brought in to vet the book before publication).

With all the freedom that comes from writing a science fiction book like Tankborn, I could make the world any way I wanted. Finally I had a canvas that could be filled with as much ethnic diversity as I wanted. It was exactly that diversity that helped me to write Tankborn’s story.

Why is diversity so important to me in the first place? Partly, it’s for selfish reasons. I am a busybody, endlessly fascinated with where people come from, what their lives were like growing up, what they’re like now, every detail from food to dress. I’m that rude lady who will ask you, So, where are you from? And I’ll soak up everything you say.

But also, particularly since I’m now writing young adult, I’m completely behind the mission of my publisher, Lee and Low: “to meet the need for stories that all children can identify with and enjoy.” Not only should children of color be able to see themselves in the main characters of books, all kids should see that diversity. We can become too easily accustomed to things “being the way they are” (as I mentioned above regarding Hollywood). If children see diversity in the stories they read right from the start, diversity will become the norm for them.

What does diversity mean to me, anyway? It’s inclusion, it’s variety, it’s learning about each other because we all have something to offer that’s unique and valuable. It’s being grateful to have the opportunity to taste a new food, to hear about a new custom, to share what delights us and what moves us. There is so much world out there. There are so many people. Why would we not want to get to know them all?

What Diversity Means to Me - Featuring Mike Jung

First of all, thanks to all the wonderful comments on my first Diversity series post. There is still time to win a copy of Danette's book. Please leave a comment on Danette's post to win a copy.

When I started this blog series, I knew I would have to ask Mike to guest post for me for a few reasons. First of all, he is one of my ninja critique buddies. Second, my daughters began the first chapter of the Mike Jung fan club last year and at times seem more excited about his book release than mine (ahem!). Lastly, he has a fabulous middle grade book coming out this fall. And right on the cover of his debut book is his main character, Vincent Wu, an Asian American character. I remember cheering loudly with my three daughters when we first got a peek at Mike's cover.

As much as I wish I could offer a copy of his book at this time as a giveaway, Mike's book is not out yet. Which means you'll have to wait until October when I will be having a giveaway. But in the meantime, I can tell you his book (which I've read) is laugh out loud in hysterics funny and touching and sweet and just wonderful. So I take great pleasure in letting Mike take over the blog today.

Mike Jung

I've wanted to write a children's book since my days as a preschool teacher - my first love was actually picture books, although I write middle grade novels now. One of my favorites back then was Peggy Rathmann's OFFICER BUCKLE AND GLORIA, and it still amazes me to think that years later the editor of that book, Arthur Levine, is now my editor.

I later took a class in picture book illustration at UC Berkeley that was taught by Julie Downing, which was when I discovered that picture books are REALLY HARD. I was easily discouraged back then, so I spent the next 10 years daydreaming about writing children’s books while pursuing other things.

It was only when my daughter was born in 2006 that I realized I was at a crossroads. I could succumb to the notion that raising a family meant surrendering my long-held dream, or I could choose to test my mettle and truly commit to pursuing my dream. Thankfully, I chose the latter.

I mined a lot of my own childhood interests in doing so - my comic-book geek past, my feelings of alienation and disenfranchisement during my school years, and the bonds of friendship between early teenage boys. But I was also strongly influenced by my present reality as a husband and new father, and that's largely why a girl turns out to be the alter ego of Captain Stupendous.

It's also why my characters represent a variety of ethnicities, because thinking about the reality that my daughter had just entered made it impossible to do otherwise. During my teen years I was almost exclusively surrounded by people of white European descent, and that left its mark on me, but my daughter is growing up in a far more diverse and challenging slice of society than I did. I wanted to write a book that reflects her reality, which is now my reality. I'm honestly not sure if I made that choice for her benefit, or for mine, but it felt like the only valid choice I could make.

Ellen asked me why I think books like mine are important to our kids. I have some trouble thinking about my book in terms of importance. I hope kids will think my book is entertaining and funny, and that it'll provide a way for kids to temporarily escape from whatever struggles they're going through, as books so often did for me. I hope reluctant readers will give it a chance, have a good time reading it, and use it as a gateway to other, different books. 

I do also hope that kids of mixed ancestry and post-immigrant backgrounds will look at my book and recognize something of themselves in it, even if my book isn't a piercing examination of those aspects of their lives. In fact, I hope that readers will find value in the fact that GEEKS isn't about being a mixed kid or the child of second-generation parents, because I strongly believe that those kids can (and should) have stories that are as goofy, adventurous, lighthearted, and superpowered as anyone else.

What does diversity mean to me?

To me, diversity means complexity. Acknowledging diversity, comprehending it, and incorporating it into our worldviews is challenging. We have to be self-aware, so we can perceive own shortcomings. We must have strength, because without it we'll be unable to contain and manage the anger that an unjust world so often provokes. It's vital to continually learn from the people around us, because the alternative is to live in a destructive state of societal isolation. And we must be vulnerable in our hearts and generous in spirit, because it's only then that we can love and trust each other in the face of such constant exertion.

It doesn’t make things any easier that the definition of ethnicity has expanded beyond ethnicity to include sexuality, gender, socioeconomic level, education, and more. The world can feel like an increasingly complex place, and the effort required to engage with it in a truly inclusive way is not insignificant.

That can be very discouraging, and some people clearly view it as a reason to entirely dismiss the concepts of diversity and inclusion, but they're wrong. It’s vital that our individual mentalities evolve to match the increasing complexity of the world, because I believe a simplistic understanding of it is dangerous. An unwillingness to grapple with that complexity can directly contribute to the horrors of racism, religious hatred, misogyny, and homophobia.

What does this mean for me as a writer? Well, it means being vigilant about my creative choices, happenings in the industry, and the stellar example being set by other authors like Matt de la Pena, Mitali Perkins, and Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich, who are champions of diversity as well as champion authors. It means   engaging in meaningful dialogue whenever possible, and taking meaningful action whenever necessary.

It probably means my books will evolve over time, and that my current interest in writing books that are silly and entertaining will expand to include topics that are more explicitly concerned with diversity, at least in terms of my own life experiences. I have a book in me, somewhere below the surface, that will explore brotherhood, multigenerational families, life as the child of immigrants, and the shifting nature of adolescent identity. I need to grow into this idea, but one day I'll have both the chops and the fortitude to write it.

That's not to belittle the books I'm currently occupied with, however. GEEKS is chock-full of superheroes, giant robots, and slam-bang action scenes. It's not heavily focused on my protagonist's ethnic identity, and that's good too. As I said earlier, I think every kid on the planet could use a few laughs and a few daredevil adventures once in a while.

My protagonist is named Vincent Wu. He’s half-Korean, as is Polly Winnicott-Lee, the girl he has a mammoth crush on. My own children will always be able to look at my book and find characters with an ancestry similar to theirs, and I’m grateful that Arthur A. Levine Books put that half-Korean boy right there on the cover for everyone to see. GEEKS, GIRLS, AND SECRET IDENTITIES won’t change the world for anyone, but it might introduce a hint of needed complexity for someone.

It could even provide a note of affirmation for a kid who’s struggling to find his or her place in the world, and that might be a legitimate way to illustrate the shift from a simplistic worldview to one that's more complex and complete. An isolated and alienated boy explores the world through books, and over time he starts to understand that the world is more vast and multifaceted than he previously suspected. As a result, this terribly lonely boy, who's always believed that the world has no place for him, starts to believe that maybe it does have a place for him after all.

Wouldn't that be glorious? Wouldn't that alone justify all the effort we expend in the name of diversity?

What Diversity Means to Me - Featuring Danette Vigilante

I've found the discussions and blog posts, comments, tweets, and facebook updates that have been generated in response to my previous post to be heartwarming. What I've always sought is open discussion on topics, no matter how difficult. And I think that is happening. What we want is not to blame anyone or any group. That helps no one. Instead, we ask for change.

So in keeping with an excellent question from Michelle Witte as to what can we do in the short term to help this issue, I've decided to showcase a new series by a variety of authors who write diverse main characters. Some are minorities and some are not. But all of them have one thing in common - they believe in diversity in publishing. The series will go on until April 24th when I will have an interview on the Enchanted Inkpot with Stacy Whitman, Editorial Director of Tu Books and one of her new authors, Kimberly Pauley.

My first guest author is Danette Vigilante who's beautiful book The Trouble With Half a Moon was one of my favorite books of 2011. And look at her beautiful cover.

Ever since her brother's death, Dellie's life has been quiet and sad. Her mother cries all the time and Dellie lives with the horrible guilt that the accident that killed her brother may have been all her fault.

But Dellie's world begins to change when new neighbors move into her housing project building. Suddenly men are fighting on the stoop and gunfire is sounding off in the night. In the middle of all that trouble is Corey, an abused five-year-old boy, who's often left home alone and hungry. Dellie strikes up a dangerous friendship with this little boy who reminds her so much of her brother. She wonders if she can do for Corey what she couldn't do for her brother-save him.

I loved this book. It's the type of book that makes your heart hurt. And I loved how it brought NYC to life for me. It felt so much like how it was for me, growing up in a rough part of Brooklyn. This was what it felt like, sounded like, smelled like. The Trouble with Half a Moon is beautifully written and emotionally satisfying. And it gives me great pleasure to offer it in my first Diversity book giveaway.

I asked Danette if she could share with us what diversity means to her. Here's what she said:

Ellen has asked me to talk about why diversity is important to me and I’m honored to do so. I only hope I can get it out and still have it make sense.

Growing up in a housing project had a huge stigma attached to it, only I didn’t realize it until junior high school when my friends—who were either Puerto Rican, like me, or African American— and I were frequently chased home to the other side of the highway. This along with two other incidents stand out in my mind.

Once, my family and I were out to dinner (in the same neighborhood as my junior high) where we watched everyone around us being waited on while we never were. It was quite obvious why we weren’t. The second was more traumatizing. My best friend (who was African American) and I were walking near school when a group of young adult white males started yelling foul things at us. We linked arms and ran all the way home. I remember not being able to hold my head up or look their way, I just wanted to get home where nothing like this took place. That’s not saying that things were perfect in my neighborhood, but I never had to think twice about something so simple as my olive complexion or my father’s crazy afro.

Incidents like these plant seeds deep inside the tender hearts and minds of young people. It’s not always visible, but rest assured it’s there and sometimes it leaves a nagging quiet question: why am I not good enough? How can a young person grow to his or her potential with that festering inside? And who are those people to plant these things there? This is at the heart of why diversity is important to me.

I wrote the TROUBLE WITH HALF A MOON for many reasons. Though there are two that are the most important to me.

The first reason had grown deep roots while I was a young teen. I knew a little boy just like Corey, the boy in Trouble who never has enough to eat. This boy would knock on some of the neighbor’s doors asking for food.  Can you imagine a child having to take on that kind of responsibility? This boy stayed in my heart until I had enough courage to write his story and give him all the love and food he needed and deserved.

The second reason why I wrote Trouble was to show that we all have the same hopes, dreams and fears no matter where we live or what we look like. This is a seed we need to start planting in our young ones now and that’s why I think books like mine are so very important.

 Recently, I was at a party where I struck up a conversation with a four year old boy. He was smart, funny and very engaging. When I asked him about school and whether or not he had friends there, he happily named two people then, with a wrinkled nose and a knotted brow, he added a third. “But, he’s Chinese.”

Gulp!

Alarms exploded in my head and the word lesson rang in my ears.

“Really?” I asked.

He nodded in quick agreement.

“Well, does he have two ears?”

Again, he nodded.

“What about two eyes?”

He began to see the silliness of the game but played along anyway.

“How about two stinky feet? Does he have those too?”

His laughter was encouraging.

“What about a head, I’m sure he must have that, right?”

“Of course,” was his reply.

“Well, you know what all of this means, don’t you?”

He stared blankly.

“He’s just like YOU!”

He smiled then gave a big grin.

I went home happy to think that when the little boy returned to school on Monday, maybe, just maybe, he’d remember the nutty conversation he had with a crazy lady. Maybe he’d start to see the sameness and not the differences in everyone. A tall order I know, but perhaps I succeeded in planting a seed that day.

*****

Thank you Danette for this beautiful reminder of what diversity in books does. 

To be a part of "What diversity means to me" please tweet or FB or post about it and link it back to here. Leave me a comment on the blog and you'll get a chance to win Danette's beautiful book. Be a part of this movement and spread the word on why diversity is important. Change can happen. We can make it happen. All you have to do is spread the word. Thank you for being a part of this change.

Why The Pretty White Girl YA Book Cover Trend Needs to End

Recently, there has been more Asians on TV than usual. This makes me happy because it is such a rare event. Spotting an Asian on TV always feels like trying to find Waldo. And when I do spot an Asian on TV or in the movies, I jump up and down and get overly excited, like I've spotted some rare species or mythical creature, like a unicorn, or Big Foot.

So you can imagine my exuberance over watching the Knicks and Jeremy Lin. What's not been so cool has been the media response to him. Lots of people have lots of opinions on him and race plays a huge factor in it all. Why? Because, like Asians on television shows and movies, Asian pro-athletes are few and far between. Jeremy Lin's performance is irrevocably linked to his race. He is considered an Asian anomaly. Let's focus on that word "Anomaly." Meaning to deviate from the expected - an irregularity. It is in this way that the media lifts up one man and backhands an entire race.

Asians have long been the silent minority in this country. It's gotten so bad that when someone makes a racist remark toward Asians, they just shrug it off and make it seem like you're the one making a big deal about nothing. Or they think it's funny. Like a couple of white guys who think they are being clever by opening up a restaurant called "Roundeye Noodle shop" in Philadelphia. And then they are surprised when people get offended? The roots of that racist remark stem from Asians being called slanty-eyed chinks.  If anyone thinks "Roundeye" is not racist, you should come explain that to my youngest daughter who had the singular pleasure of being told by two boys in her class that her "small Chinese eyes" were ugly compared to her friend's "blue round-eyes." She was in kindergarten and only 5 years old. She cried for days. Words can scar you for life.

Later on, after I got involved and all the participants were made to apologize, a mother of one of the boys contacted me and told me that her son had acted the way he did because they had moved to the area from a small town in the midwest and they had never seen an "oriental" person before. I decided not to go into why I object to the word "oriental" and instead focused on what she was saying to me, this excuse she was feeding me. She was trying to laugh it off instead of taking it seriously. To be honest, it really bothered me, but it also gave me food for thought. It brings me back to my original point. We are still the silent, unseen minority. And sometimes we have to fight that overwhelming feeling of not belonging. Of feeling unwanted in a country we love and are proud citizens of. I know as a child, books were always my refuge from that horrid sense of being different and hated. But when I look at publishing today, I wonder if my kids will feel the same way.

As a YA author, I've found the lack of diversity in publishing profoundly sad. I've been particularly disturbed by what I find in the YA sections. Bookshelves filled with cover after cover of pretty white girls.

(See Goodreads Best YA Book Covers List)

The difference between the Middle Grade section and the YA section couldn't be more divergent. Picture books and middle grade books don't have the uniformity that YA does. They are bright and bold and diverse.

I love this cover so very much. And it's a great book.  But it feels like only in the middle grade section would you find a gem like this. It makes me wish my children would stay in the middle grade section for as long as possible. Because it is safe and welcoming for them.

Putting pretty white girls on all your book covers is the book equivalent of what all our fashion magazines do. An idealization of beauty that is unrealistic and dangerous to our youth. And it isn't the right thing to do. Seeing a minority grace the cover of a YA book is like spotting the Lochness monster, you wonder if you've truly seen it and if you'll ever see it again. How sad is that? To say that only pretty white girls can sell YA books is not a business model that publishers should approve of. And it's not true. We need look no further than the gender neutral and iconic covers for the Hunger Games and Twilight series to see the truth.

The feminists have been after the fashion industry for years and yet nothing's really changed, even with all the research that shows a correlation between teenage self-esteem and these magazines. But let's face it, there's a big difference between fashion magazines and books. We see fashion magazines as light entertainment. But books are an important part of our school curriculum. We teach our children about the importance of reading. And we send them out to the library and bookstore to look for books to foster their love of reading. But then they get there and the majority of the book covers resemble the covers of our fashion magazines.

We need for publishing to break this trend. Stop idealizing white beauty. I would rather there were no models gracing YA book covers rather than see wall after wall of only white ones. It's time for publishers and booksellers to act more responsibly. They have the ability to influence entire generations of young people. Tu Books is already paving the way with multi-cultural YA titles and covers. They have seen the need in the market and they are answering it. It is up to booksellers and readers to support them and make it clear that their endeavor is important and help it become a success. Then maybe more publishers will follow in their footsteps and help change the current landscape of YA book covers.

We need to teach our youth the beauty of diversity. Beauty does not come in only one color. It does not come in only one size and one shape. And maybe when our teens grow up exposed to diversity, then they will grow into adults who embrace it.

And then maybe their children will never call another child ugly simply because they do not match the ideal of white beauty.

Born Wicked Book Contest

CONGRATULATIONS! THE WINNER IS PETRA@SAFARIPOET!!!

As a local DC author, I get to have lunch with Jessica Spotswood whenever we can find time to do so. In fact, there are quite a few authors in the DC area and meeting up with them is always a pleasure. So it was awesome to be at last week's Breathless tour where Jessica was one of 4 amazing YA authors on tour! And there were a lot of local writers who made it out for the event.

After years of internet chatting, I got to meet Beth Revis and Marie Lu in person! And they are as lovely and as smart and as marvelous online as they are in person. I saw and listened in awe to Andrea Cremer but missed actually talking to her because everytime I thought to do so, another fan was there. And Jessica was great, as usual!

So whenever I'm at the events, I always purchase books in order to support the independent bookstore that is partnered with the event. In this case, it is the fabulous Politics & Prose who were at the wonderful Bethesda library. I really applaud both of them for the great job they do hosting these events. The turnout was great and the panel of authors were smart and funny and so very likeable. It was a great event!

The only thing is, I was less prepared getting to the event and I ran out without my own copies of the books I wanted signed. So while I bought a bunch of books, I only got one additional copy to give away. Sorry about that as I'm unwilling to give up my personally signed copies. So today's book contest is for one signed copy of Jessica's Born Wicked.

All you gotta do is leave me a comment or tweet me with the #BornWicked hashtag. And you'll have a chance to win. This contest is open internationally until Friday, February 24th, 2012.

The Batman Cliffhangers...

When I was little, I would love to watch reruns of the old Batman and Robin show. It was on every day at 4:30 pm.  One of the hallmarks of the show was the cliffhanger. If you ever watched the show you could probably recite along with the narrator "Same bat time, same bat channel." And as a kid, it would drive me wild that I had to wait one whole day to find out what happened to Batman! I actually never cared about Robin as I found him terribly annoying. I kept hoping one day Batman would forget to rescue Robin and he would go into a wood chipper or something. 

Ok so why am I bringing this up? Well, lately I've been reading quite a lot of books that seem to love to pull the Batman cliffhanger out at the end of the book. And I don't like it. Why? Cause I am no more patient now than I was at 6. But instead of waiting a whole day, I have to wait a whole year for the next book. This makes me so furious at times that I actually veer between two responses. One response is to obsessively internet search the author and book 2 for any hint of what is to come. The second response is to absolutely not care at all. And that's not such a good thing.

Now there are different levels of cliffhangers. I tend to like ones that provides some semblance of a conclusion while leaving it open ended for a sequel. But that's not the type of cliffhanger I'm talking about. I mean the type that leaves the MCs hanging over an active volcano with cannibals shooting darts from the sidelines. I mean the Batman cliffhanger.

So I wanted to ask the greater blogging community what are your thoughts on the Batman cliffhanger. Do you:

1. Love it

2. Hate it

3. Indifferent

Let me know what you think.