Being an author, especially a black author, sometimes makes me feel like one of the Who’s in Whoville. Remember Horton Hears a Who? The Whos were little creatures screaming to be heard. They all banded together and yelled, “We are here. We are here. We are here. We are heeaar!” And Horton heard them.
That's what I do on this site. And that's what I'm currently doing to promote my new novel, so I feel like my screaming voice is a little hoarse right now. So I don't have much to blog.
Just want to remind all readers that whether you're looking for high quality literary fiction or fast-paced juicy beach reads, black authors are here and we're writing what you like.
You may have to search us out, but find us. Read us.
We are here.
6 comments:
This made me smile. I'm always thinking of Horton Hears a Who when I feel like nobody's listening.
Well, Ms. Brice. I so loved ORANGE MINT & HONEY that I must confess, I wasn't sure how I could love CHILDREN OF THE WATERS as much as I did OM&H. I should never have doubted. You have outdone yourself. There is so much in CHILDREN OF THE WATERS that has me thinking and so much that I want to talk about! You handled both sides of a silent conversation that for most of us is only a one-sided dialogue. I feel like I often times am Trish -- the white character who, despite having black friends and family that she loves can still not understand and know a lot of things from their perspective. I loved being able to get into Billie's thoughts and "hear" how she reacts to things white people are saying, particularly well intentioned but occasionally ignorant or insensitive things.
But to take it further and to make it more interesting, we have the fantastic Denver backdrop that you write like no one else does, and the views into Trish's job at the animal hospital, Billie's disease and her holistic approach to treating it and even more.
CHILDREN OF THE WATERS is fantastic and I hope everyone who stops in here gets a copy right away. We need an online book discussion on this before I burst!
Congratulations Carleen. You have another winner.
The first time I saw Children of the Waters, I was at the register, a White customer was buying it. Btw, love the book cover.
Not only are you and so many other black authors "here," you're writing incredibly insightful works that deserve widespread attention. Every note you post on Facebook about another positive industry-wide pat on the back for your novels makes me want to cheer! ORANGE MINT AND HONEY is now a classic (can't wait for the movie!) and I'm looking forward to finishing CHILDREN OF THE WATERS this weekend. Hugs! K.
Just discovered your blog and wanted to let you know, your work is appreciated. thank you for documenting black authors, especially at a time that urban exploitation fiction is the only thing you see in the bookstore. (there is nothing wrong w/a summer read, but something terribly wrong w/the narrowing of the field of published and marketed black authors.)
oh. ps. I am off to buy children of the waters as we speak.
I'll second ssurrro. Your work is appreciated.
As a black author, I'm curious what you think about the recent flap with Henry Louis Gates. In Baltimore, people still can't come to a consensus on the state of race and racism in this country.
What do you think?
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