In response to the latest edition of Race Fail I made this post over at Goodreads. I know it will be taken down, because even though nobody gives a damn about us or our feelings and don’t care if “martians” write multicultural books, we are oh so careful of their feelings. Antway here’s the post:
Well, the funny thing is, they aren’t in the least bit shy about showing their hands. They’ve told us straight up; they want multicultural books written by white authors. And that’s precisely what they’ll get. Question is, what are we going to do about it? While black women are foolishly running around playing that Kumbayah crap they’ve been sharpening their elbows for a takeover. And it’ll work too, because black readers will buy their books, sometimes before they’ll buy ours. Because we all know the white man’s ice is colder. And they’ll get the big contracts and the rewards for being so “diverse” and “inclusive,” and cutting edge like that culture appropriating bitch, J.R. ward. Meanwhile we use the few resources we have to include them because it would be “wrong not to.” We even include them in spaces that are supposed to be ours, but is there any reciprocity? Hell no, and there never will be. They have enough sense to protect their turf while we’re so desperate for inclusion we give away the keys to the kingdom. That’s why I haven’t bought a book by a white author since Race Fail 2008 and never will again. I might not be able to kerp them from cutting my throat, but I’ll be damned if they’ll use my money to do it. It’s time and past time for black women to get strategic with our resources. Let publishers know that if they want our money they have to contract and promote black writers. There is no multicultural romance without multicultural authors. Write about it. Tweet about it. Blog about it. Start review blogs. Show them we don’t need them, and we’re not willing to beg them to kick us in the teeth. If nothing else, for the love of visible panty lines get over to Amazon and review the bloody books!
And unlike them I won’t throw a rock and hide my hand: I’m calling for a total and absolute boycott of books by white authors. Further, I’m saying they should be excluded from any and all promotional opportunities in our spaces. We should act as though they don’t exist, the same way they do us. Unless and until there is true reciprocity they get nothing from us, period. Make no mistake about it, unless we do this within ten years multicultural romance will cease to exist. We have history to show us what they mean by multicultural, our stories being told by white authors. They’re going to “help” us right out the door in a genre we built with our own blood sweat and tears. Now they’re circling like vultures to pluck our eyeballs out. If that’s not what you want, now is the time to speak out about it and most importantly DO something about it.
