tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post1927178183183881411..comments2024-03-27T03:14:07.652-04:00Comments on Seekerville: The Journey Continues: Shades of DiversityMissy Tippenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05480008023330542958noreply@blogger.comBlogger74125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-28562212488115189292018-05-25T04:51:18.780-04:002018-05-25T04:51:18.780-04:00I'm so glad you said that... because I don'...I'm so glad you said that... because I don't mean to offend, but it makes sense, doesn't it? Whatever we do as authors to give the reader the immediate impression of emotion, action, visuals, plot twists is what makes a book readable and keepable... although I love when folks share my books because that's what I do with authors I love! Toni, I'm so glad you were with us this week!<br />Ruth Logan Hernehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11550734775151341968noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-28055597743429859022018-05-24T08:55:38.231-04:002018-05-24T08:55:38.231-04:00Blessings to you too, Kiersti!Blessings to you too, Kiersti!Toni Shilohhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13522814940141250654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-64433925050070127902018-05-24T08:37:02.126-04:002018-05-24T08:37:02.126-04:00I loved this post...thank you so much for sharing ...I loved this post...thank you so much for sharing your heart and wisdom with us, Toni, and with so much grace. This is a topic close to my heart, yet one for which I'm definitely still on a journey of learning! The book I read most recently with a main character of color wasn't actually Christian fiction...Jodi Picoult's Small Great Things. I'm so glad to find more suggestions through this post (and now I want to go check your books out!). Blessings!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-83378039731378691492018-05-24T08:33:13.626-04:002018-05-24T08:33:13.626-04:00That Love Inspired series sounds amazing, Ruth--ho...That Love Inspired series sounds amazing, Ruth--how can one find it? :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-23212960141191026832018-05-24T07:51:20.460-04:002018-05-24T07:51:20.460-04:00Awesome!Awesome!Toni Shilohhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13522814940141250654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-53409231032900138762018-05-24T00:24:59.957-04:002018-05-24T00:24:59.957-04:00hullo Toni - and so awesome for you to guest on Se...hullo Toni - and so awesome for you to guest on Seekerville! if memory serves, it was a discussion you were part of that even had me thinking of having poc characters - it just hadn't occurred to me before! (i think we tend to write who we know, and for caucasian writers that would caucasian characters)<br />my new series had a few poc who showed up (all my characters introduce themselves to me, just like meeting a person in real life!) and i was happy to discover the diversity. a favorite character was Hannah Wisely, wife of a successful black architect - in the 1890's!! she was so gracious and kind. i enjoy writing the variety, and always [try to] keep in mind how readers will perceive the characters i've written - regardless of their race!Robin E. Masonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16258253525429429571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-66555287295126187742018-05-23T16:08:16.588-04:002018-05-23T16:08:16.588-04:00You're welcome!You're welcome!Toni Shilohhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13522814940141250654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-24356629855800217422018-05-23T10:24:59.355-04:002018-05-23T10:24:59.355-04:00Thanks for the list. I actually did just read The ...Thanks for the list. I actually did just read The Masterpiece last week and loved it. Maybe my reading list is more diverse than I thought :) And I've only read one Katie Ganshert book and loved it too. This is a great topic. Thanks so much!Glynishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01764754822702091594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-13659933667218045952018-05-23T09:00:49.376-04:002018-05-23T09:00:49.376-04:00Blessings to you!Blessings to you!Toni Shilohhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13522814940141250654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-32121149260054981182018-05-23T07:29:04.383-04:002018-05-23T07:29:04.383-04:00I personally use the food analogy in my own writin...I personally use the food analogy in my own writing and I use it for all the characters, Caucasians included. As a romance writer, we often think in terms of food. It seems to go hand in hand with romantic thoughts. :) Toni Shilohhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13522814940141250654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-87567331755485718512018-05-23T07:27:48.340-04:002018-05-23T07:27:48.340-04:00Sometimes name choice can help alert readers of a ...Sometimes name choice can help alert readers of a person's ethnicity. You can also just organically mention the color of their skin. Read books with people of color to see how it's done.Toni Shilohhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13522814940141250654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-62790265826147359342018-05-23T07:26:13.588-04:002018-05-23T07:26:13.588-04:00Reclaiming Shilo Snow is a great example!Reclaiming Shilo Snow is a great example!Toni Shilohhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13522814940141250654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-68075993276818384932018-05-23T07:08:53.497-04:002018-05-23T07:08:53.497-04:00Toni, you encourage me. I purposely put poc as min...Toni, you encourage me. I purposely put poc as minor characters in my books. My second novel has a Hispanic heroine with an adopted Chinese sister who owns a beauty shop with stylist of various races. I've thought of stories with African Americans as the main characters but I hesitate because I am white. I've heard poc criticize those who tried saying the characters sound too white. But you inspire me to pursue those story lines in the future. Thanks for sharing.Jubileewriterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06681074948260157766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-48178913652503361962018-05-23T05:07:33.961-04:002018-05-23T05:07:33.961-04:00One thing I've done in stories is the color te...One thing I've done in stories is the color test. If I wouldn't call the Caucasian hero's arm "white", then I don't call the African American hero's arm "brown"...<br /><br />And I break the food analogy color rule on purpose, because it's kind of silly to discourage the use of common terms the reader will be familiar with. So I do use things like cafe au lait, rich chocolate just like I use peaches and cream complexion or cinnamon-toned freckles... I want the reader to instantly visualize the character as created and words like cream, mocha, milk-white, peaches, etc... they do that. Toni, I guess this caused a conversation at RWA and made editors nervous... Any words of wisdom?Ruth Logan Hernehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11550734775151341968noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-22388556195085211782018-05-22T23:34:29.698-04:002018-05-22T23:34:29.698-04:00Hi Toni, This is an excellent and very timely post...Hi Toni, This is an excellent and very timely post. I have an idea for a book with an ensemble cast that's been rolling around in my brain for a while. I imagine it with a diverse cast, but am paralyzed by the thought of inadvertantly 'getting it wrong'. <br />And another roadblock for me is how do you even introduce the chracters in a way that lets the reader know an individual is a POC? In my head I just see the characters interacting naturally, without references to race or other diverse characteristics...Winnie Griggshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02295070748234710260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-17523169363523551982018-05-22T20:50:19.150-04:002018-05-22T20:50:19.150-04:00Um... last book that I read where the main charact...Um... last book that I read where the main character was a person of color...? Does Julius Caesar count? If not that then Reclaiming Shilo Snow by Mary Weber. The main guy was Spanish and I'm pretty sure the girl was Hispanic or something close to that, but I can't remember.<br /><br />My books have actually been getting a lot more POC characters. In my story League of Thieves, everyone but one character are colored.Nicki Chapelwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00975226105127466970noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-38335944710905980002018-05-22T20:45:38.432-04:002018-05-22T20:45:38.432-04:00Thank you, Toni. I’m going to print all of this ou...Thank you, Toni. I’m going to print all of this out. And I tend to be a hybrid of both panther and plotter. Whatever suits me on any given day. Or as the contract dictates. :PMindy Obenhaushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15049730175697756032noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-88876059259058638122018-05-22T19:02:23.678-04:002018-05-22T19:02:23.678-04:00For contemporary romance: Kim Cash Tate and Stacy ...For contemporary romance: Kim Cash Tate and Stacy Hawkins Adams. Historical: Piper Huguley, April Gardner. Suspense: Tyora Moody<br />Women's fiction: Katie Ganshert's No One Ever Asked, D.L. Sleiman's Deep Within Series, and Francine Rivers' The Masterpiece<br />Fantasy: Sara Baysinger's Black Tiger seriesToni Shilohhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13522814940141250654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-88116621255918696932018-05-22T18:53:34.098-04:002018-05-22T18:53:34.098-04:00It would be my pleasure!It would be my pleasure!Toni Shilohhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13522814940141250654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-26204230989171596002018-05-22T18:43:36.877-04:002018-05-22T18:43:36.877-04:00Thanks, Toni!!! I'd so love to have you read i...Thanks, Toni!!! I'd so love to have you read it!!!!! If you had the time and wanted to. :-)Melanie Dickersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09752176517296691824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-21771970411187823972018-05-22T18:07:26.956-04:002018-05-22T18:07:26.956-04:00I read romance, women's fiction, some fantasy....I read romance, women's fiction, some fantasy. Any recommendations would be great. Thanks, Toni. Glynishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01764754822702091594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-2763771456640452792018-05-22T17:05:35.774-04:002018-05-22T17:05:35.774-04:00That sounds great! Our life has a way of spilling ...That sounds great! Our life has a way of spilling over into our stories. :) Thanks for coming back.Toni Shilohhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13522814940141250654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-75896125447587970882018-05-22T16:54:35.595-04:002018-05-22T16:54:35.595-04:00I'm back from the dentist and finally catching...I'm back from the dentist and finally catching up. :)<br /><br />This is such an important topic, Toni. Thanks for sharing with us. Our family moved to one of the most diverse counties in the U.S. (Gwinnett Co. Georgia) a couple of years ago, and we love it! It's been eye opening and inspirational. As my life is enriched with more new friends and neighbors here, I'm thinking it may inspire some diverse characters in my stories.Missy Tippenshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05480008023330542958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-33484288560079235302018-05-22T16:41:15.406-04:002018-05-22T16:41:15.406-04:00Happy to give suggestions. :)Happy to give suggestions. :)Toni Shilohhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13522814940141250654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3649424089750316818.post-4461385849055715872018-05-22T16:39:34.944-04:002018-05-22T16:39:34.944-04:00Sure thing, Missy!Sure thing, Missy!Toni Shilohhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13522814940141250654noreply@blogger.com