Multiculturalism in YA,Fantasy, Sci FI,Paranormal and fun books ;p discussion

So this is a good enough group as any to start scoping out any less known talent.

Are you a book blogger who only reads Quiltbag/Queer books? Are you a social media presence that attempts to highlight characters with disabilities? Are you an author that researched and wrote outside your culture, religion, or race? Do you write,read,promote interracial/multicultural romance in books? Are you friends with anyone who seeks out diversity that works in the publishing industry?

Our blog Twinja Book Reviews hosts a full monthly event in December, where we host 29 guest posts/interviews in the month of December. It would be 31, but we assume no one is pc surfing on Xmas eve/Xmas, so we typically take those two days off!

If this event is something that interests you or anyone you know, we are looking for guest posts! We are seeking out people now,and wanted to put the word out for anyone interested.

The catch is, the guest post must address diversity in some way. It can not just be a general guest post on why you write, read, promote, books you like, read or write.

Science Fiction and Fantasy typically rank highest on this list, but we are open to all categories and genres.

What we are looking for:

Disability Diversity
Religious Diversity
Racial Diversity
Gender Identity/Sexual Orientation Diversity
Size Diversity
Cultural Diversity

Leave a comment or email us @ guinevere.libertadtomas at gmail dot com

What kind of things are you looking for in these posts? I'm interested, but I'm not quite sure what you want. I know you said the post must address diversity in some way, but is there a link to previous posts that can serve as an example?

My science fiction novel, The Reality Matrix Effect, features a woman with multiple sclerosis as a major character, though she isn't the main character.

Here is an example of a guest post we did with group member Kelan O Connell

http://twinjabookreviews.blogspot.com...

Here is an example of an interview with did with Ellen Oh

http://twinjabookreviews.blogspot.com...

We're currently looking for guest posts, to discuss what diversity means to the individual, and why it is important to the individual.

Guinevere wrote: "We're currently looking for guest posts, to discuss what diversity means to the individual, and why it is important to the individual."
I'm interested. I also host #BlackComicsChat (a twitter discussion based on diversity in comics) and I'm working on a blog for men of color who write Science Fiction and Fantasy titled Brothers of The Round The Knight Writers (http://brothersoftheround.wordpress.com/) also I just started another group that celebrates diversity in comics(https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...) As you can tell Diversity in books is very important to me.

@Laura, hope that helped. Just take in mind, our blog tries to highlight main characters/protagonists whom are marginalized. It's definitely alright if the character with a disability isn't the MC, but you would be more encourages to discuss why a marginalized character should be a MC.

@Thelonious, I actually have your email, can I just write you some details there?

Libertad, you know I'm down. Sign me up.

Also, next month is Black Speculative Fiction Month, are you all doing anything for it?

Hey Dennis! Yes we are indeed doing something for it! Still figuring out the kinks, making a few buttons for it and figuring out who we'll invite down. Any suggestions?

Guinevere wrote: "@Thelonious, I actually have your email, can I just write you some details there?"

Sure sound great.

Thanks. The examples helped a lot. I may not be the kind of writer you have in mind, though.

In my science fiction novel, The Reality Matrix Effect, multiculturalism is a fait accompli in an alternate reality. That multiculturalism is threatened by a group that wants to establish a social Darwinian society. The disabled woman in the book, whose history is explored in parts of several chapters, ultimately becomes a candidate for President. Her early experience is based on my own as a journalist with multiple sclerosis.

I definitely have felt marginalized as a journalist by my disability. I'm glad to see that you recognize disability as part of the diversity we need in literature. I've seen too many civil rights groups and events that fail to recognize disability rights as civil rights.

I'm also old enough to have been marginalized by my gender. I remember being told by one editor who interviewed me for a newspaper job that women didn't belong in the news section but should stick to the society pages! Nevertheless, I was the first woman approved for membership in the Los Angeles Professional Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and the first woman on the copy desk of the Valley News, now the Los Angeles Daily News. I think my timing was just right as far as gender barriers are concerned. However, disability-related barriers still remain.

By the way, you might want to check out books by my cousin, Kyra Davis. Her books are definitely multicultural, as is Kyra herself.

Libertad wrote: "Hey Dennis! Yes we are indeed doing something for it! Still figuring out the kinks, making a few buttons for it and figuring out who we'll invite down. Any suggestions?"

One thing I did was interview fellow black storytellers, recommend graphic novels either written by blacks and/or features a primary black protagonist.

For me personally, with October also being LGBTQ History month, the intersections of being a queer person of color hit home and I discuss that as well, especially when it came to writing West of Sunset.

Dennis wrote: "Libertad wrote: "Hey Dennis! Yes we are indeed doing something for it! Still figuring out the kinks, making a few buttons for it and figuring out who we'll invite down. Any suggestions?"

One thing..."

If you need other ideas, drop me a line and let me know.

Loving that intersectionality idea! That's something that we're trying to talk about more!

Will email you later, Dennis. Things to discuss :)