We’re All a Big Box of Crayons!

Talking Book If the author didn’t tell you what color the character is… could you tell? Kate’s doing a little experiment. Let’s help her out.

I’m inspired by Karen Scott’s blog… only instead of the Author Speaking, I want the books to speak.

And I want to expand our horizons. I want to post book selections with any possible references to race (or species) blocked out. I want to see if people guess the race of the characters.

It’s a way to discover possibly new authors after all. Can’t be bad.

So if any author out there wants to send me a first few pages of her book that’s PG13 (although I have an exception in mind)–the excerpt, not the book–and doesn’t mind me messing with anything that would give away the race/species, go ahead. Tell me where it’s published and shelved (if it’s paper). I might be asking for trouble but that’s fine. I love reading bits of other people’s work. Trouble is that my email has been sucking lately so if you don’t hear from me, blame email. And I might say no for my own random reasons. After all it isn’t often we writers get to wear the other shoe. The “Doesn’t Fit Our Needs At This Time, But We Wish You The Best Of Luck Placing It Elsewhere.” crap we get daily in our email.

Why am I doing this? I got an email from a friend. (yes, she is still my friend. I’m too old to be entirely self-righteous about gooberish talk) saying she didn’t read AA books because they weren’t about people like her so she had trouble getting into the stories. I pointed out that she told me she liked my books and in my latest book, people turn into animals. But then I thought this would be a fun way to see if she’s right or talking out her butt. I must say I hope I get some great “oppressed in society person” book and everyone guesses it’s AA and it turns out to be a scifi set on the planet M’Don’ut.

I’ve already emailed a couple of authors and if they say no thank you, I’ll go back to writing about the things my dog chews up.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 20th, 2007 at 11:02 am and is filed under Promo & Pimpage. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

8 Responses to “We’re All a Big Box of Crayons!”

kate r
Posted: Mar 21st, 2007 at 3:29 am

Thanks Bam, you’re the best.

no comments here, practically none there.
Tomorrow’s entry: The Bits of Blue Frisbee All Over The Family Room.

and I thought we were all a box of chocolates

shuzluva
Posted: Mar 21st, 2007 at 6:00 am

First of all, I was crazy busy yesterday so I didn’t have a chance to comment here. Just relax yourself.

Kate, if you were a box of chocolates I’d have stuck my thumb in you…cause I like to check what I’m getting. However, I hope you get some responses. I’m very interested to see/read the different possiblities.

Stephen
Posted: Mar 21st, 2007 at 7:15 am

“…I stand by this man. I stand by this man because he stands for things. Not only for things, he stands on things. Things like aircraft carriers and rubble and recently flooded city squares. And that sends a strong message, that no matter what happens to America, she will always rebound — with the most powerfully staged photo ops in the world. ”
— S. Colbert

Emily Veinglory
Posted: Mar 21st, 2007 at 7:30 am

I might have one for you but does it count if I don’t actually mention ethnicity myself until chapter 3. This e-novella (Loose Id) is coming out real soon and I am still not sure of readers will go… ‘what the hell she’s ——?’ When it finally comes up.

I just hate it when writers make the first description all about ethnicitiy only for minorities. Like white is default.

dillene
Posted: Mar 21st, 2007 at 8:57 am

Agreed- a lot of the disconnect can come from the author. I can’t get interested if the author uses racial description to imply certain character traits. On the other hand, if a character is fleshed out into a fully-rounded person, then the race isn’t as much of a factor.

I mean, I really dug “The Silmarillion” even though I’m not some damn elf.

Emily Veinglory
Posted: Mar 21st, 2007 at 10:01 am

Oh, I have some great elf samples too. I would hope the elfyness was… intirinsic, ya know? I will go and dig. Oh, and angsty vampires, heh.