#OscarsSoWhite: or Why I Started Hot MAMA

Hey, Y'all :)

It's been a while since I posted here, mostly because of the holidays. I tend to fall down the rabbit hole of distraction and disorganization when I'm on 24 hour kid duty for long periods of time, LOL. Well school is back in and I'm getting back to work.
By now, I'm sure you're aware of the upcoming 2016 Oscars, and the controversy surrounding the slate of nominees. I heard "Jenna" from Radar Online this morning on the my local radio station. She referred to the nominees as "heavily white."

That's a cute way to say it, Jenna.

Driving my car down the freeway, I LOL'ed, y'all. That is like saying, "Boy, that snow drift over there is heavily white." Or, "Did you notice how heavily white that bowl of rice is?"
The Oscar nominations (at least for on-screen talent) this year are not "heavily while." They are COMPLETELY white.

Having cleared that up, let's move on.

I'm not here to debate whether the Oscars are ignoring or marginalizing the work of people of color in Hollywood; I think we all know the truth on that. But hearing so much about this in the media, including the whole boycott thing, and the video by Jada Pinkett-Smith, and the response by the still embittered Janet Hubert (petty much?), made me think about why I started Hot MAMA in the first place.

When I started Hot MAMA back in 2012, I wanted to accomplish several things, including cross promotion and raising the profile of authors of color from my geographic region. But the most important mission of Hot MAMA is SISTERHOOD. Camaraderie, cooperative effort, and a safe place for us. As women of color in the publishing industry, we face pretty much the same uphill battle as people of color in Hollywood do, when it comes to having our talents recognized, acknowledged, and celebrated.

We are working HARD, y'all. 

At the heart of Hot MAMA is the same mission I see being carried out by Rebekah Weatherspoon with her WOCinRomance accounts on Twitter/Tumblr, by the brilliant ladies behind Girl Have You Read and Romance Novels in Color, by Wayne Jordan and his staff and Romance in Color, and by KM Jackson with her #WeNeedDiverseRomance campaign. We simply want our work to be read and respected, just as our mainstream counterparts have enjoyed and come to expect. Part of that is in forming groups, and another part of it is in bringing attention to the work we do. I, for one, am proud to be a part of such a vibrant, intelligent and accomplished community of women of color.

If you're boycotting the Oscars, or just not watching because you never watch anyway, I hope you'll fill the time with a great book written by an author of color instead.


Until Next Time,
Kianna

Be sure to register for my Disney event, coming up this October. Join the party as we celebrate Black romance with some of your favorite authors. (Click the image to go to the registration page.)

Getting to Know New-to-Me Multicultural Authors

Last month I made a dark, deep confession over on Contemporary Romance Cafe, where I also blog each month. In my post, Celebrating Diversity in Romance (or Why #WeNeedDiverseRomance), I recounted the disturbing realization I arrived at in the months leading up to the release of my debut novel, Making the First Move, released in 2013.

It suddenly hit me that I was a black author of romantic fiction, writing about black characters. Yet, I'd read ZERO black romance.

I know. BAD. Really bad.

I was a voracious reader as a kid, gobbling up the work of authors like Judy Blume and Paula Danzinger and reveling in the joys of classics like Little Women and Pride and Prejudice -- two of my favorite books still. Yet, I can't recall a single book that I read back then written by a POC author or featuring POC characters.

As an adult, when I started reading fiction again, I consumed mostly chick lit, women's fiction and the occasional literary fiction. Through recommendations or library displays I stumbled across and came to adore authors like Pearl Cleage (LOVE. HER.), Benilde Little, Bebe Moore Campbell and Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez. Still, in the scheme of things, this represented a very small proportion of the books I was reading.

Once I became a reader of romance, I read mostly mainstream novels. I wasn't actively looking for books by black, Latino, Asian or Native American authors because I made the false assumption many open-minded readers make. I was simply looking for my next good book, expecting that books by POC authors would be among them.

Wrong.

After decades of that experiment, I can tell you with great certainty that relatively few multicultural books found their way to me. So it was time to change things up.

I sought out African American romance. In doing so, I discovered fabulous stories by authors like Farrah Rochon, Beverly Jenkins, A.C. Arthur, Brenda Jackson, Francis Ray and Rochelle Alers. I've been kicking myself for not discovering these authors sooner.

So you can imagine how thrilled I was when author KM Jackson started the #WeNeedDiverseRomance campaign, as an extension of the #WeNeedDiverseBooks campaign. I got how important it was to bring awareness to the imbalance in the publishing industry and on local library shelves when it comes to diversity. The movement calls for new voices of color in publishing. But it is also very much about making people aware of the wealth of fantastic authors in a rainbow of shades and ethnicities who already exist and have been doing the damn thing for years. 

The #WeNeedDiverseRomance movement isn't just about making mainstream readers aware of books by POC authors. It's also about making POC readers aware that those books exist and need to be supported with our dollars. This movement has also led me to discover fabulous authors of Indian, Asian and Latino descent. Authors I probably wouldn’t have discovered, had I not been actively seeking them.

It made me want to do my part to "bang the drum" as Kianna Alexander likes to say. So I began a series of interviews with POC authors over on my blog, Recent interviewees include Elle Wright, Erin Ashley Tanner and Tasha L. Harrison. (If you're a POC author, you can request an interview slot here.)

When did you first discover African American romance? Who are some of your favorite POC authors?

Diversify Your Shelves Campaign photo courtesy of Kelly Garbato.

Get Ready for A Hot Summer!

Hi, y'all!

Spring is upon us, and around my way, that means a green cloud of pine pollen is hanging over everythang. Lawd, my watery eyes.

This time of year is when I start looking forward to summer. I mean, I'm glad winter's over and all, but this pollen is for the birds. Or the bees. Either way it ain't for me!

Fortunately, there's a long, hot summer of events to look forward to, where you can see all your favorite Hot MAMAs. Through June and July, it's a trifecta of fun events and chances to see us. Start making your arrangements now for what will surely be an unforgettable summer!

Iris Bolling's Believe Team Presents: A Royal Affair

You don't want to miss this. I'm told Richmond will never be the same, and I believe it. With a masquerade ball, and a male auction featuring ten "Absolute Delights," it's bound to be a grown and sexy event. Mr. Alexander and I will be present, as will Queen Iris herself, Deborah Fletcher Mello, and more! Click the image to grab your tickets- you must get them by May 12!

The Hot MAMA Land Fly Hat Society Meet and Greet

It's our second semi-annual event, and we'd love to see you there! This is the only event of the three where ALL TEN MAMAs WILL BE PRESENT (including our newest MAMA who is being revealed 4/24/15)! Best of all this event is FREE and open to the public, so if money's tight this is your shot at hanging with us. Swing by the Facebook Event Page and let us know you're coming!

A.C. Arthur's Beach Bash

This fun event will take place at Myrtle Beach. I attended last year as a featured author when it was at Walt Disney World, and I had a blast. Since Myrtle Beach is only a couple of hours down the road from me, I'll be attending again and I suggest you do the same if you are able. Hot MAMAs will be well represented at the event, with Bridget Midway, Yvette Hines, Mama Emeritus Angie Daniels, and Denise Jeffries. Click the logo to go to the registration page.

There you have it: a recipe for the most fun you've had in one summer since you were a kid. I hope to see you at as many of these events as you can attend :)

-All the Best, 

Kianna

Hot MAMA Hot Reads: With Special Guest, Sheryl Lister

Kianna, here, with the first in our 2015 Hot MAMA Hot Reads series, where each month, we'll feature a special guest author we love! We know that our readers are voracious, some of you have told me you can finish a good book in a single day. So in order to keep up with your amazing appetite for books, we'll be introducing you to some authors you may enjoy. After all, the nine of us can only write so fast :)

This week, our special guest is Kimani Romance author, Sheryl Lister. Here's her bio, via her website:

Sheryl Lister has enjoyed reading and writing for as long as she can remember. After putting writing on the back burner for several years, she became serious about her craft in 2009. She writes contemporary and inspirational romance and romantic suspense. When she’s not reading, writing or playing chauffeur, Sheryl can be found on a date with her husband or in the kitchen creating appetizers and bite-sized desserts. Sheryl resides in California and is a wife, mother of three and pediatric occupational therapist. She is a member of RWA, CIMRWA and is represented by Sarah Younger of Nancy Yost Literary Agency.

 

Thanks for coming on, Sheryl, and welcome to Hot MAMA Land.

First, I'd like to say thank you for allowing me to hang out on the Hot M.A.M.A. blog.

When did you first know you wanted to be a writer?

I've wanted to write for as long as I can remember, but never thought I could make it a career. As a teen, I would often sit outside on the porch and write short stories. However, it wasn't until five years ago and I completed a full length novel that I knew for sure that it was something I wanted to do.

 
Name your top 6 favorite authors.

This is a tough one because I have so many. Beverly Jenkins, Francis Ray, Maureen Smith, Patricia Cornwell, Brenda Jackson, Leslie Esdaile. 

Describe your writing routine. Where do you write? What time of day? What are your writing tools/equipment of choice?

Because of my back, most of my writing is done on my bed using my laptop. I write in the morning and early afternoon before my daughter gets home and for two to three hours at night. Before I get started, I make sure to have my post it notepads, colored pens, R&B playlist, two bottles of water and raw almonds or plantain chips to snack on.

Tell us about your latest release, and where we can purchase it.

My latest release is All Of Me.

Declaring a “dating hiatus” was an easy decision for teacher Karen Morris. She intends to unwind and enjoy a luxurious Caribbean cruise without the presence of her cheating ex-boyfriend. But surprisingly all it takes is the deliciously sculpted form of chivalrous businessman Damian Bradshaw to turn Karen’s head and change her mind....

Damian’s friends are determined to save him from his widowerhood—and self-imposed celibacy. But no one is more shocked than Damian when Karen catches his attention and awakens his desire. Something about her ignites an insatiable need that neither of them can deny. The chemistry is inexplicable. But once back on dry land, real life awaits—along with their pasts. Will the promise of a bright future be enough to rehabilitate their reluctant hearts? 

It's available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and the Harlequin website.

Where can readers find you online?

I love to hear from readers. Feel free to contact me any time.

Website: www.sheryllister.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sheryllisterauthor

Twitter: @1slynne

Sheryl is graciously offering a $5 Amazon gift card to one lucky commenter! For your chance to win, answer this question in the comments: Sheryl  mentioned that her favorite writing snacks are raw almonds and plantain chips. What are your favorite snacks when you're reading or writing?

Be sure to follow the blog, and check back often to see what we're up to. There's always something on the burner in Hot MAMA Land :)

-Kianna