tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2466296260073068392.post2768057313917831141..comments2023-09-25T08:56:34.366-05:00Comments on Only One keyStroke Away Online Book Club: Author in the MirrorOOSAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15057868088262419973noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2466296260073068392.post-52623726767381559142013-12-20T12:49:22.713-06:002013-12-20T12:49:22.713-06:00I'm always willing to take a stand and help an...I'm always willing to take a stand and help and I agree about the slotting of ALL Black American books into the same category. That is the main problem along with the fact this elimination of our books on mainstream bookshelves in the stores, basically keeps us out of the eyesight of those who are not Black Americans.<br />I also agree we should not look down on the readers who enjoy poorly written, low priced books. After all, they are readers.Ey Wadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04410026742901835948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2466296260073068392.post-25437738139761146772013-12-18T10:05:38.438-06:002013-12-18T10:05:38.438-06:00I think you're absolutely right that lovers of...I think you're absolutely right that lovers of black literature need to help each other.<br /><br />Still, I worry about the respectability politics that are played when it comes to "hood lit". People are buying books with raunchy covers. People are buying books that are poorly edited, simply because they enjoy the story. People are buying 99-cent books because that's what they can afford. We can't ignore those customers. Even if we don't write for them, we can't shake them off as "sinking" Black literature. The raft is big enough for all of us.<br /><br />The problem seems to be that we're considering any book by a black author as the same genre, which is a lazy shortcut that mainstream publishing and book selling has taken for a long time. I can understand wanting your book to be seen for what it is, but that shouldn't have to mean that other genres "stop embarrassing us black folk" by not publishing what there's obviously a market for.Shannon J.https://www.blogger.com/profile/03256636447774274839noreply@blogger.com