Searching For Our Jeremy Lin

Jeremy Lin is a Taiwanese-American, Los Angeles born, Harvard educated, undrafted NBA point guard who rose to unexpected stardom on the New York Knicks (he’s now a member of the Houston Rockets). A little over a year ago, in February 2012, Lin had a moment in history that transcended sports and race and became a worldwide phenomenon affectionately referred to as “Linsanity.” This meteoric rise is best encapsulated in the CBS “60 Minutes” special that recently aired. In a nutshell: Lin went from bench-warming obscurity to international sensation as he led the New York Knicks on a winning streak that defied all odds. In his 12 starts before the All-Star break, Lin averaged 22.5 points and 8.7 assists, and New York had a 9–3 record. Jeremy Lin is one of the few Asian Americans in NBA history, and the first American of Chinese or Taiwanese descent to play in the NBA. 

Separate, Not Equal

An It's Complicated! — Book Covers guest post by author Coe Booth.

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Coe Booth

Like most writers I’m always a little — okay, a lot! — nervous about what my book covers will look like. After spending so much time writing the books, the fact that the cover image is out of my control leads to a great deal of anxiety. However, I was pleasantly surprised and happy when I saw the cover of my first novel Tyrell.

I really thought the photo of a teenage boy looking out onto his neighborhood would attract the attention of the audience I had in mind when I was writing the book — teenagers, especially boys, who don’t usually find a book that speaks to them. And I’ve since heard from lots of teens who tell me that it was the cover that initially drew them to the book.

The thing I never imagined was that the cover (and the covers of my subsequent books) might create an automatic ghettoization of my work.

I can’t tell you how many libraries I’ve been to where my books are not even shelved in the mainstream YA section. They are relegated to the shelf labeled “Street Lit” where the books about black people live. The same is true in some bookstores where a black person on a book cover means it’s no longer YA; it’s “Urban Fiction”.

I’m here to tell you, when it comes to books, segregation is alive and well in America.

A New "It's Complicated!" Conversation

As part of CBC Diversity's ongoing effort, we're pleased to present the second dialogue in the "It's Complicated!" blog series starting Sept. 3rd, this time addressing book covers.

The following voices in the industry will each contribute one blog post to the series over the week, addressing challenges they've faced and successes they've had in selling/designing/writing books portraying diverse characters on the cover, and participating in the open dialogue in the comments section of the site: 

• Coe Booth, Author
• Laurent Linn, Art Director at Simon & Schuster Children's
• Felicia Frazier, Senior VP and Director of Sales at Penguin Young Readers Group
• Elizabeth Bluemle, Owner of Flying Pig Bookstore
• Joseph Monti, Agent at Barry Goldblatt Literary - don't miss reading his recent post about his entry into publishing

Our first "It's Complicated!" blog dialogue in May addressed a topic that has arisen frequently at the Diversity table — the concept of responsibility and authenticity when writing about diverse characters and how authors, editors, and agents can choose/write stories that reflect the diverse nature of our society. Review that conversation!

As always, we urge everyone to participate in what we hope will be an informative and insightful conversation. We really appreciate hearing from you, our readers, through the comments section of the posts about the parts of the discussion that you feel are most important and want to talk further about. 

A Prayer to the Silent

An "It's Complicated!" post by author Cynthia Leitich Smith

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Nobody wants to be called a bigot or a traitor.

Meanwhile, nearly every author must write characters and situations that spring from beyond her own experiences, identity markers and comfort zone. If your specialty is, say, nonfiction about creatures of the sea, perhaps not. But muse on the global environmental-industrial-health effects of overfishing or, hey, toss in a merman, and believe me, you’re right back in the thick of it.

If you live in the world, you’re in this conversation—and, yes, staying quiet is a statement, too. What that silence means may vary from writer to writer, but for far too many, it’s a product of fear.

You, the fearfully silent, I’m talking to you. Have you ever thought “I’ll mess up” or “they’ll reject me,” and then set aside a story or character or plot line?

If so, you’re not alone. As a teacher and mentor, I’ve heard those thoughts expressed countless times.

Usually, “I’ll mess up” comes from those seeking to reflect someone different from themselves. Different in terms of culture, ethnicity, region, religion, sexual orientation, social class or another attribute that folks use to, at least in part, define themselves and each other…one that carries with it baggage and lends itself to heightened sensitivities.

You who care so much that you’re immobilized, silenced, I’m asking you to make yourselves heard. You already know how. Set aside preconceptions, take advice, study. Make friends and listen to them—when they talk and when they’re quiet. Risk rejection. Ask permission. Take no for an answer. Don’t take no for an answer. Weigh differing opinions. Admit mistakes. Learn from them.