When I (Jennifer) received this email in our 5 Minutes for Books mailbox, it was something that I wanted to share with all of you, and I asked if the author if I could share it in full with you.
I hope you’ll share your own thoughts or experiences in the comments after reading her thoughts:
Dear Book Lover:
You may not know me, or my novels, because I am a member of a growing band of African-American writers of literary fiction who are slowly disappearing. And not because I am lacking in talent and credentials; in fact I have already published a number of books with major publishing houses and have been reviewed by national newspapers and well-respected literary journals, and have received critical acclaim and awards for my efforts. My work has been hailed as vivid, thought provoking and brilliant. I have been compared to Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, Zora Neale Hurston and Gloria Naylor.
The fact that my novels may disappear is not due to the downward spiral of the economy or the pound of flesh it has taken from the book-publishing industry. No, my demise began long before the floor of the housing market began to rot away and the stock market crashed through.
Why?
I don’t rightly know why publisher’s market fiction written by African-Americans ONLY TO African-Americans – but it has become common practice. And by doing this, they’ve placed all AA authors in one box forcing them to compete for the attention of ONE audience.
The word that has been coined to describe what is happening to AA writers is: Seg-Book-Gation
Segregation is an abominable practice no matter how you slice it – but when you apply it to art — it becomes a sin. Art of any medium should transcend color, race, class, religion and ethnicity, but alas, that is not the case in the publishing world.
AA literary writers like myself are being pushed out of the industry all together as we are no longer able to secure book deals, because publisher claim that AA readers are only interested in buying books about sex, street-life and drugs. We know that this is not the case. We are a diverse people, interested in a variety of subjects.
On January 9th, 2010, my debut novel, Sugar will celebrate its 10th anniversary. In order to commemorate this occasion, it is my great hope that this moving story of friendship and acceptance will sell 10,000 copies between now and the anniversary date.
It is my dream that the surge in sales for this decade old novel, will send a message to the publishers that we readers desire …crave and DEMAND a variety of literature from our AA writers because their stories are just as riveting, thought-provoking and universally appealing as the stories coming from their non-African-American counterparts.
***STOP PUBLISHING FROM RACIALIZING LITERATURE***
Please purchase at least one copy of Sugar for yourself, a friend or family member and spread the word as far and wide as you can.
Peace & Light,
Bernice L. McFadden
Bernice L. McFadden is the author of six critically acclaimed novels, including the classic Sugar and Nowhere Is a Place, which was a Washington Post best fiction title for 2006. Her long awaited seventh novel, Glorious will be published in May 2010.
Visit Bernice at: www.bernicemcfadden.com
email questions/comments: [email protected]
This is so true Bernice! Actually I love reading literature that is written from a different cultural or experiential upbringing from mine. It adds to the reading.
However, after reading this, it brought to mind that entertainment is the same way (TV and movies), and I’ve heard similar arguments about trying to sell non-violent films — but in thinking about myself, I have to agree (honestly –yet not proudly) that I do shy away from movies with predominately AA casts, for whatever reason (thinking wrongly that I won’t “relate.”)
Maybe my HW for myself is to rent an “AA movie.”
How annoying! And odd, too, because I’ve noticed the sheer number of books coming off the Asian subcontinent, describing India and growing up Indian and the Indian expatriate experience. If we can all enjoy and relate to those, how much more stories from AA writers!
I’ve heard of Bernice McFadden before but have not yet read her. I’m looking forward to picking up one of her books next time I’m in the US.
I’ve never really thought about this, but it’s true.
Jennifer, thank you for sharing this. I will definitely buy a copy of SUGAR, and will pass this information on to my friends. THE WARMEST DECEMBER and THE BITTER TRUTH are also going on my list.
The phone rang and disrupted my brain patterns … THE should be THIS BITTER EARTH.
What a powerful post, Bernice! Living in the Washington, DC metro area, I can most definitely see the differences in marketing toward different groups, and the ideas of what will sell, sell, sell, are clearly different in various cities and counties.
Thanks for this valuable reminder, and I look forward to reading some of your work!
That post made my day! I’m definitely gonna spread the word. If you don’t mind, I’m gonna post the letter on my blog..so that people read it, know and go get the book.
Good luck, Bernice!
It is very interesting to read this today (11/23/09 as I was just thinking the oppostite about the movie Blind Side. I live in the Orlando Fl area and went to see it 2 times this past week end. There were no AA in either viewing. Hopefully it was because Precious was released at the same time and was actually showing in the theatre next door.
I am White and work witha AA staff in a Library in Eatonville… We have a very open and loving relationship. We go to all of Tyler Perry’s movies together.
Actually I should include here that my Manager (AA)went to see Blind Side, but in GA. Good for her and she is raving about it.
Thanks for the post, and hopfully more publishers will eventually see this and start targeting their advertisements to all races.
Penny
Brava to Bernice and to all the readers who “get” the marginalization that is happening, has been happening to us in the marketplace.
Please also check out Carleen Brice’s blog and video- http://welcomewhitefolks.com as well as my Open Letter to Oprah http://twomindsfull.blogspot.com on this very subject.
Thank you again, for believing that books should be windows, not just mirrors.
Virginia