tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255886452367019317.post7610909846032415288..comments2024-03-24T02:23:19.870-05:00Comments on Reading In Color: Latinos Don't Fall in Love, Asians Don't Tell JokesMissAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11042352415616854651noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255886452367019317.post-81986464713995467822014-08-15T20:51:46.204-05:002014-08-15T20:51:46.204-05:00I just read through your blog on the hunt for more...I just read through your blog on the hunt for more books to read and just recently finished a book that I bet you and your sister will LOVE. It's the perfect IR YA book with a strong black female lead that is snarky, sarcastic, funny, and level headed. Her best friend is a Filipino and her love interest is a white guy. I highly suggest checking out the series. It's called The Cambion Chronicles by Jaime Reed. The first book in the series is "Living Violet." I would love to hear your thoughts! :) Heart Osihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17608940614503259069noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255886452367019317.post-72333011031604529612012-08-12T21:01:41.714-05:002012-08-12T21:01:41.714-05:00What about "Flygirl" by Sherri Smith (no...What about "Flygirl" by Sherri Smith (not a "romance" per se, but has romantic elements between a Black young woman and white man, and deals with gender, race, poverty, war, loss, etc.) And, "Standing Against The Wind" by Traci L Jones. The "romance" is part of the story, not the sole focus, but it is also another powerful book. Both are very well written and have become favorites of mine.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255886452367019317.post-37794864180016269052011-08-02T20:34:10.753-05:002011-08-02T20:34:10.753-05:00"Personally I'm still waiting for my Blac..."Personally I'm still waiting for my Black-Latino/a relationship"<br /><br />Check out Romiette and Julio by Sharon Draper :)Erinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255886452367019317.post-72618993211412084072011-02-18T06:13:56.795-06:002011-02-18T06:13:56.795-06:00Ari, thanks, your enthusiasm is very encouraging! ...Ari, thanks, your enthusiasm is very encouraging! I shall keep your advice in mind while working on my WIP. Later today I’ll answer your poetry question over at my blog. I’ve gotten behind in replying to comments after just finishing up a draft of NOT CRICKET. It’s being fact checked in England over vacation and then will go through more drafts and tests on teen readers before I show it to my agent. <br /><br />There is a large Somalian immigrant population in Maine, and Maria went to their community to do research. My son has a couple of Somalian friends at his high school. I can’t wait to read it too. <br /><br />The 2 MC’s in TOMATOES are white: a ballerina and a tennis player. The Cuban American is a new friend at tennis camp. There is quite a bit about Cuban culture, food, dancing and body image, but it’s a secondary plot string. The tennis coach is also described as brown like an otter. I do think you’d like this book.Sarah Laurencehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00423008641739156182noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255886452367019317.post-56278573474160928142011-02-17T23:13:52.913-06:002011-02-17T23:13:52.913-06:00@Erin-Leave as many comments as you like they are ...@Erin-Leave as many comments as you like they are much appreciated :) I have heard of Maxine Banks and I've reviewed the first book in the Hotlanta series as well as Played by Dana Davidson. You are so right they both fit chick lit with diverse casts and I love that. I'm also a big fan of the It Chicks series.<br /><br />I read Tutored by Allison Whittenberg and I wasn't a fan. Have you read Tutored? If so, would you recommend trying her works again? I feel like every author deserves another chance and Life is Fine does sound intriguing (a crush on a 70 year old, what??)<br /><br />This is why I love teen librarians, so helpful :) And I must read A La Carte, I love the new paperback cover so that should push me to pick it up soon.<br /><br />@Helen-Push up When the Stars Go Blue! haha it's that good. Girls of Ridiyah sounds excellent, I can't believe the author is going to return to Saudi Arabia after writing that book :o More power to her. wouldn't it be considered adult though since it sounds like the girls are in the 20s? Regardless I'm so glad you put it on my radar because I definitely want to read it now.<br /><br />@Trisha-Right?! I was just typing this post out when that thought occured me. The only book I can think of is one by Virginia Hamitlon I think and I'd count Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame since subplots are fine but it'd be nice to see it as the main focus of a YA centered around romance.<br /><br />@Nic-How oculd I forget Toads & Diamonds? It does have a sweet romance, such a gorgeous cover too! Oooo I'm not familar with manga at all, I'll add it to this list.<br /><br />@Juju-Thank you for stopping by anyway and hey, that just shows that we are not a monotholic group :) Perhaps I feel this way in part because I'm so mixed up? :p<br /><br />@Sarah-It's slighltly depressing for Valentine's Day though. haha. You can't comment and talk about your WiPs! I just want editors to hurry up and read them and start a bidding war so I can then read them...=D<br /><br />Friendly warning: do watch the sassy friends of color thing though. It can be super tricky to naviage.<br /><br />Ooo a book feturing an interracial romance with white guy, Somalian girl set in Maine? Does Maine have a significant immigrant population? Interesting.<br /><br />I'm adding Jersey Tomatoes to my TBR, that's exactly what i'm talking about! A YA about friendship with one of the girls being Cuban but dealing with the universal issue of hating her body. And she's a ballerina, I love dance novels so double yay!!MissAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11042352415616854651noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255886452367019317.post-50239608686594305882011-02-16T18:45:36.065-06:002011-02-16T18:45:36.065-06:00Now I feel like a dork--I just noticed Jason &...Now I feel like a dork--I just noticed Jason & Kyra is actually in your list!<br /><br />That'll teach me to read more carefully!<br /><br />--Erin (who is going away now!)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255886452367019317.post-58485492187550154692011-02-16T18:43:37.927-06:002011-02-16T18:43:37.927-06:00Oop, I just double-checked in my library's cat...Oop, I just double-checked in my library's catalog, and it's Alison Whittenberg, not Whittemore. Sorry about that!<br /><br />Also, I just learned about a new title by Lori Aurelia Williams called _Maxine Banks is Getting Married_, that sounds like the kind of fun romance your sister might like.<br /><br />--Erin (again)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255886452367019317.post-21546420375529477902011-02-16T17:03:27.427-06:002011-02-16T17:03:27.427-06:00Hi Ari!
I totally agree with you on the larger is...Hi Ari!<br /><br />I totally agree with you on the larger issue, but I did want to pipe up with some romance and/or Gossip Girl type stories for your sister--apologies if y'all have seen these already:<br /><br />Played and Jason and Kyra by Dana Davidson are almost totally romance.<br /><br /> _Jason & Kyra_ especially is a really sweet romance with the classic 'geek-girl-and-jock-fall-for-each other' plot. Played has kind of an urban fiction-y cover, but it's really more of a straight-up romance.<br /><br />In the "Where is the black _Gossip Girl_ category?", she might want to try the Hotlanta series by Denene Milner and Mitzi Miller (rich twin sisters at a fancy private school), or the It Girl series (set in a performing arts school) by Tia Williams. Some of the Kimani Tru books might fit as well, although I think some are more romance-y than others. <br /><br />Tanita Davis's book _A La Carte_ has a romance component too, if I recall correctly. <br /><br />And _you_ might be interested in Alison Whittemore. Her books Sweet Thang and Hollywood and Maine are sweet, somewhat humorous family stories set in the 70s, while Life is Fine has a quirky, literary heroine who talks to animals at the zoo and has a crush on her 70-year-old English teacher. <br /><br />--Erin (a teen librarian)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255886452367019317.post-38603986235341047672011-02-16T14:23:16.440-06:002011-02-16T14:23:16.440-06:00Also, She's So Money by Cherry Chiva has a cut...Also, She's So Money by Cherry Chiva has a cute romance component.Liz Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17298411303984181624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255886452367019317.post-89597604972316676112011-02-15T13:42:32.576-06:002011-02-15T13:42:32.576-06:00I also wanted to add--I was breezing through Twitt...I also wanted to add--I was breezing through Twitter conversations and saw one between--I think it was between people who were NOT of color, and they were saying things like (and don't quote me on this, I'm paraphrasing) "I want a book where the color of the skin is only as important as the color of the character's hair." <br /><br />I had to sit back and think about why that bothered me. I thought about it for days. And then it hit me. Of COURSE, if all the books are representing the majority, and you are a part of the majority, then the color of a character's skin WOULDN'T matter as much, right? But when you're a a minority, your race is at the forefront of your mind almost all the time--at least that is MY experience--so why SHOULDN'T it be a big deal for a character of color?<br /><br />I wouldn't want to read a book where a person was blaming his/her race for all the problems in his or her life, but the reality for people of color is that their race/skin color/etc. is a big part of who they are. I think it should definitely weigh more than the color of a character's hair.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07928614895111353202noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255886452367019317.post-3769873009995256692011-02-15T09:41:59.009-06:002011-02-15T09:41:59.009-06:00Million Dollar Girl by Anne WildeMillion Dollar Girl by Anne WildeKelly SELhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06739446697158856732noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255886452367019317.post-3740576998871319832011-02-14T18:59:53.368-06:002011-02-14T18:59:53.368-06:00@LunaMoth-Oh is Butterfly Swords YA?? That would b...@LunaMoth-Oh is Butterfly Swords YA?? That would be marvelous. I shall investigate. I assure you, you will enjoy Silver Phoenix! And yes more AUTHENTIC Native American protagonists are needed.<br /><br />@Ronni-This has been bouncing around in my head for awhile and I agree, these stories are being written. They jsut aren't being bought, in the never ending cycle of publishers not buying them because bookstores won't stock them or vice versa. *sigh*<br /><br />@Maggie-The list is not long enough yet for me to point out my favorites but yes Wait For Me was just ok. I felt that even the romance was rather fast.<br /><br />And YES we don't always need issues books. I could just as easily fall in love with a guy whose deaf, so why not <br />show that in YA? ugh<br /><br />@Summer-I feel as though I write conversationally, which is not always good. I didn't know Belle and Belle and the Beau were different. I thought I'd heard that they were same? But I guess not since Belle and the beau is not set in Kentucky. The cover is really cute, I'm not familar with Mill and Boon, lol.MissAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11042352415616854651noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255886452367019317.post-50174274471517254422011-02-14T14:17:06.299-06:002011-02-14T14:17:06.299-06:00But you are VERY eloquent!
I know you've blog...But you are VERY eloquent!<br /><br />I know you've blogged often about the lack of well-written romance books featuring POC. I know you've read 'Belle' by Beverly Jenkins but have you read her other book, 'Belle and the Beau'? It's a love story set in antebellum Kentucky during the slavery era. I really like the purity of the cover image...reminds me of the old Mills and Boon books, lol.<br /><br />http://www.amazon.com/Belle-Beau-Beverly-Jenkins/dp/0064473422Summer Edwardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11584502486619830476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255886452367019317.post-90525576537085931892011-02-14T13:32:57.690-06:002011-02-14T13:32:57.690-06:00Hear, hear! Publishers, listen to this wise teen,...Hear, hear! Publishers, listen to this wise teen, would you?Shveta Thakrarhttp://shvetufae.livejournal.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255886452367019317.post-51240737353087919072011-02-14T13:30:54.262-06:002011-02-14T13:30:54.262-06:00I don't write YA contemporary, I write lower Y...I don't write YA contemporary, I write lower YA fantasy, but there is a white guy/brown girl romance in ARROW, my latest. (And the girl is a faery. And she's from a wealthy and powerful family. And her mother, who has dark brown skin and hair, is considered the most beautiful woman in their homeland, despite the majority of the population being pale-skinned and pale-haired.)<br /><br />My other favorite white-guy/brown-girl romance? Arthur and Gwen on MERLIN. But that's TV, of course, not books...R.J. Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04503519800068573393noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255886452367019317.post-68540109181306897962011-02-14T13:16:29.276-06:002011-02-14T13:16:29.276-06:00I've been looking for a POC version of Sarah D...I've been looking for a POC version of Sarah Dessen for years to no avail. It's probably why my characters are POC who are from the suburbs(like I am) who dealt with familial,friendship, and academic issues. That's what I was exposed to so that's the kind of contemporary YA I write.I rarely dealt with race issues and def no drug/abuse stuff either.<br />Also, I love interracial relationships and this post rocks.NiaRaiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13245742876021926812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255886452367019317.post-42471869148714211502011-02-14T12:49:07.097-06:002011-02-14T12:49:07.097-06:00This is a fantastic post, thanks for opening my ey...This is a fantastic post, thanks for opening my eyes to yet another thing I should have been able to see before now.Jodiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11462660276240016464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255886452367019317.post-66805223918113876102011-02-14T11:40:46.878-06:002011-02-14T11:40:46.878-06:00Okay, seriously... How much do I love you and this...Okay, seriously... How much do I love you and this post? :)<br /><br />Happy Valentine's to you, Ari! <3<br /><br />1) Brilliant title!<br /><br />2) I enjoyed reading all your points. You've given me some more food for thought, as usual - I agree on pretty much everything, and there are some new things for me to chew over too. Although this:<br /><br />"I get why it's such a tough issue when it's a white person and another culture, but I think Black-White relationships have been talked about enough on TV that we should all be able to move. Feature the relationships, but race shouldn't be a huge issue anymore. There will of course still be subtle incidents, but it shouldn't be the main focus, in my opinion."<br /><br />Much as I agree that we SHOULD all be able to move on, I'm afraid I don't see that reflected in society around me - even in a city like London. Interracial relationships (white/black or white/asian for example) are STILL causing problems. I've experienced it personally myself, so I'd still like to see more of this in fiction until the change in attitudes (on all sides) really starts to become more widespread. But, yeah, it's good to think about and I totally agree that there should be OTHER types of romances portrayed in YA books too. So I guess I'm not disagreeing with you - just continuing the discussion. :)<br /><br />3) I know we're talking about mostly contemporary here, but I have to tell you that Navin (in The Iron Witch) is both Asian AND funny. heh. *tries not to look like she is plugging her own book*<br /><br />KazKaren Mahoneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02358606301398259487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255886452367019317.post-66904855890649016152011-02-14T11:15:57.777-06:002011-02-14T11:15:57.777-06:00Girl V. Boy by Yvonne Collins has a latina protago...Girl V. Boy by Yvonne Collins has a latina protagonist who falls in love.Liz Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17298411303984181624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255886452367019317.post-62946272343641097462011-02-14T09:13:38.678-06:002011-02-14T09:13:38.678-06:00Interesting Thoughts Ari!
(could you email me plz...Interesting Thoughts Ari!<br /><br />(could you email me plz... your email from me is bouncing)Bettinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05159932292509935363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255886452367019317.post-37137350827813235292011-02-14T08:51:20.181-06:002011-02-14T08:51:20.181-06:00Brava! I believe YA authors are trying to include...Brava! I believe YA authors are trying to include a more diverse cast but may not be aware (until they read this post) that they’re employing racial stereotypes. I enjoyed Perfect Chemistry, and The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian is one of my favorites. This is the perfect Valentine’s Day post. I love it!<br /><br />As for more romances of color books, The Notebook series by Laura Resau features a relationship between a biracial girl and a boy adopted from Ecuador. I reviewed it here: http://blog.sarahlaurence.com/2010/09/indigo-notebook-and-ruby-notebook-by.html<br /><br />My friend and YA author Maria Padian’s WIP is about a white boy who falls for a Somalian immigrant girl in Maine. It won’t be out for another year and will be published by Knopf. Her soon to be released Jersey Tomatoes are the Best has a Cuban American friend. I’ll be reviewing it on March 2nd.<br /><br />I have a YA manuscript on submission (“as u like it”) in which the love interest is African-Japanese-American and his sister is also a secondary character. Their family is middle class and untroubled. It’s the white MC’s (sorry) family that’s caught in a scandal. Fingers crossed that my agent will find a home for it. My current WIP features a half Chinese female MC with white love interests and funny/sassy friends of color.Sarah Laurencehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00423008641739156182noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255886452367019317.post-82413729773945427202011-02-14T08:44:09.917-06:002011-02-14T08:44:09.917-06:00While I commend your super cool post, I had to say...While I commend your super cool post, I had to say: I'm Latina and I don't feel that.<br /><br />Happy Valentine's Day :DTales of Whimsyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10938494589922620170noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255886452367019317.post-63791008612038755672011-02-14T07:44:24.407-06:002011-02-14T07:44:24.407-06:00I agree! People should be able to find themselves...I agree! People should be able to find themselves in whatever books they like to read - romance, humor, fantasy, mystery, whatever - and the published stories of people of color should come in a great range, just like people's real experiences. I also love Neesha Meminger's post.<br /><br />As far as books, <i>Toads and Diamonds</i> has some sweet romance in it. Lots of manga has romance, and often centers on Japanese characters - I love <i>Ouran High School Host Club</i>, which is also hilarious, and has neat stuff about Japanese culture, too!Nichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05528295250960592050noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255886452367019317.post-64857739596327133842011-02-14T02:16:53.202-06:002011-02-14T02:16:53.202-06:00Speaking of interracial relationships, can anyone ...<i>Speaking of interracial relationships, can anyone think of a YA book where the guy is white and the girl is Black?</i><br /><br /><i>A Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame</i> by Brenda Woods? It's just one of the subplots, but it's the only YA book I can think of. You're right; I hadn't thought of this before, but white guy/Black girl is probably the rarest romance in YA fiction. Some adult romance titles come to mind, but not YA.Trishahttp://theyayayas.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5255886452367019317.post-33726319213384582742011-02-13T22:53:46.511-06:002011-02-13T22:53:46.511-06:00I just remembered that the book I finished today w...I just remembered that the book I finished today would count: Girls of Riyadh by Rajaa Alsanea. Basically, it's Sex in the City taking place in Saudi Arabia, except there isn't any sex because it's Saudi Arabia. That sounds odd, but it's all about romance and relationships, modern Saudi styleHelen's Book Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01404788769349792460noreply@blogger.com