Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Diversity

di·ver·si·ty
: the state of having people who are different races or who have different cultures in a group or organization


If you've spent any time here recently on any of the social networks, specifically Twitter, you've noticed an increase of chatter (or Tweets #WeNeedDiverseBooks) concerning diversity. My response, YAY! :)

I'm all for diversity in books. I've always love libraries, and I've spent whole lot of time in them. However, when I was very young, a very long time ago, I couldn't help but notice the lack of diversity in books (...it's getting better, but we need more...)

There was a very limited supply of books for African Americans. Well, there were books, but they were about Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King, Sojourner Truth. I remember at one point, the only fiction book that I could find was Sounder! Remember that one, about the dog and poor black sharecropper's family? There were plenty of books like that, poor little black children or chirren as they were called, playing happily on the plantation? Unfortunately, the only books that I remember for Hispanics had them all wearing Sombreros and sleeping. Asians, not much better, they all wore big hats and the only job they had was working on rice paddy farms. WHAT?!?!?


Don't get me wrong books that tell various cultural experiences are necessary. However, at that time, it seemed as if that was the end all and summary of the entire culture.

In the books that I saw, I did not see any little black kids playing in the suburbs and living in nice homes. Hmmm where were they hiding?

My books are diverse. Why? Because that is the world that we live in. If you put a bunch of kids from different cultures in a room, they will find a way to play and have a great time. It's only when close-minded adults get involved and tell them why they should not like someone, or be around someone who is different from them. 

There is a great website that showcases diverse authors & books, and they were kind enough to showcase my book SEVEN SHADES OF LUMINOSITY.  A Fantasy middle-grade book with an African-American male protagonist.

Check it out here...






Saturday, May 10, 2014

Happy Mother's Day!




Happy Mother's Day!!!


A Mother’s Love by Helen Steiner Rice

A Mother’s love is something
that no one can explain,
It is made of deep devotion
and of sacrifice and pain,
It is endless and unselfish
and enduring come what may
For nothing can destroy it
or take that love away . . .
It is patient and forgiving
when all others are forsaking,
And it never fails or falters
even though the heart is breaking . . .
It believes beyond believing
when the world around condemns,
And it glows with all the beauty
of the rarest, brightest gems . . .
It is far beyond defining,
it defies all explanation,
And it still remains a secret
like the mysteries of creation . . .
A many splendored miracle
man cannot understand
And another wondrous evidence
of God’s tender guiding hand.