Full Name - Tayari Jones
Date of Birth - 1970
Location - Jersey City, NJ
Website/Blog - Tayari Jones
Genre -Fiction
Most recently published work - Silver Sparrow
How frequently to you update your site? - 3 times a week
Is your site designed for interaction? -Yes
Can you tell us a little about Silver Sparrow?
Silver Sparrow is the story of two sisters- Dana and Chaurisse. Dana has known all her life that their father is a bigamist and that her existence is his biggest secret. Chaurisse, on the other hand, is under the impression that she lives a normal life. I just had to tell the story from the point of view of both the sisters because both are victims and both are heroes. It's a coming of age story, a study of personal history and mythology, and it's an exploration of the family, love, and betrayal.
I love your opening paragraph. It's lyrical, telling and one of the best of the year. How many drafts did you go through before you got it just right?
I really can't say. I worked on this novel for five years-- it went through so many drafts and even so many titles. I don't keep count. If I had to guess, I would estimate about twenty times. But I love to write. Each new draft was an adventure. I am happiest when I am working on a story. I always want it to go on forever.
That first line, My father, James Witherspoon, is a bigamist. I remember that for a long time, it was on page two or three. At some point, decided to stop being coy and just come out with it, right on the first line.
Much of the stories beauty and strength lies in your three dimensional characters and their relationships. Which character came to you first, James Witherspoon or his wives and daughters? And how does Raleigh fit into this two family dynamic?
When I write a novel, I imagne a world. The characters don't really show up one by one. Instead, they tend to come to me as sort of ghostly figures and their features become more clearly as a write-- like a polaroid developing.
I firmly belive that James could not keep such a complicated web of secrets straight without a lot of help; I knew he had to have an enabler and this was Raliegh. Then, I had to ask myself why would one man dedicate his entire life to assisting another man in a lie. The answer, of course is love.
That's pretty much the motivation for all the characters. They do what they do because of love, love of their kids, love of each other.
Laverne, the first wife, is a hairdresser. One night she gets an infamous female client. I loved this surprise, the true tragedy weaved into the story line perfectly. When did you decide to incorporate it into your novel?
I won't go into too much detail because I don't want to be a spoiler. But this woman has been a symbol of black female rage, for as long as I could remember. I did a little research and found out tha tit was more than just a humorous annecdote. And even before I decided to make her into a character, she was sort of swimming under the boat for the whole story. Whenever men behave badly, people allude to her. I wanted to imagine her as a real flesh and blood woman, and you can't get much realer than when you're getting your hair done.
The publishing industry has changed a lot since your first novel was published in 2003. It's even harder for authors to make a semi living. One
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By: L. M. Baldwin,
on 5/24/2011
Blog: Color Online (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: tayari jones, silver sparrow, wwoc, Add a tag
By: L. M. Baldwin,
on 3/30/2011
Blog: Color Online (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: books, middle grade, childrens, Tarie, wwoc, women writers of color, Add a tag
Full name: Wendy Wan-Long Shang
Hometown: Fairfax, Virginia
Current location: Falls Church, Virginia
Website/Blog: wendyshang.com; I also belong to a blog of middle-grade writers called fromthemixedupfiles.com
Genre: middle-grade fiction
WiP or most recently published work: The Great Wall of Lucy Wu
Writing credits: The Great Wall of Lucy Wu, plus some legal publications. I have an article in The 4:00 Book Hook, a monthly e-newsletter on children's books, coming out next month.
How frequently do you update your site? monthly
Is your site designed for reader interaction? no
Post of note, something in particular you want readers to check out:
On the Mixed-Up Files, we really pride ourselves on covering everything related to middle-grade books. I was very proud to showcase a children's book club for teachers at my son's school. Here is the link.
Top 5 books that turned you into a writer?
Blubber, by Judy Blume: This was the first book I ever read that had a contemporary, Chinese-American character. This book taught me the importance of having characters that children can relate to.
Interpreter of Maladies, by Jhumpa Lahiri: Her prose is so delicate yet powerful. I have to say that the first time I read her work, I felt as though I was reading in a whole new way.
Take the Cannoli, by Sarah Vowell: Her work makes me laugh and think in equal measure. I would love to have that effect on a reader.
Phantom Tollbooth, by Norton Juster: For me, Juster didn't color outside the lines. He invented new colors, and molded the lines into new dimensions. Rarely a day goes by without some quote from that book popping into my head.
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, by E.L. Kongisburg: Everything about this book is a marvel to me: the structure, the voice, the style. I love that in the mid
By: L. M. Baldwin,
on 3/2/2011
Blog: Color Online (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: childrens, Tarie, wwoc, Add a tag
Full name: Candy Gourlay
Birth date: April 19, 1962
Hometown: Born Davao City, Philippines - though I'd call Cubao, Metro Manila [Philippines] my real hometown
Current location: London
Website/Blog: http://tallstory.net
Genre: I'm not sure - is there such a thing as culture clash as a genre (though the clash is very gentle)?
WiP or most recently published work: Tall Story 
Writing credits:
I was a journalist in the first 20 years of my working life. Now I am attempting a career in writing fiction for children. I have written for Cbeebies the BBC baby radio channel, and contributed to anthologies. Tall Story is my debut novel.
How frequently do you update your site?
I blog on candygourlay.blogspot.com and I update my website tallstory.net whenever I have any new reviews and I try to create materials that teachers and librarians can use to supplement any work they do with Tall Story. Increasingly though, in terms of an internet presence, I find that all roads seem to lead to my Tall Story Facebook page!
Is your site designed for reader interaction?
Yes! Readers can interact with me via my guestbook and there are lots of things for teachers and librarians to download. My Tall Story Facebook page is great for sharing images, links and videos. Or for readers to drop by to say hello or to tell me they've read my book.
Post of note, something in particular you want readers to check out:
My most recent notable post is a reflection on the 1986 People Power Revolution in the Philippines, in the light of recent events in the Middle East.
Top 5 books you’re looking forward to in 2011?
I am desperate to read the third book of Kathleen Duey's The Resurrection of Magic but I don't think it's coming out in 2011.
My friend L.A. Weatherly's new Angel trilogy
Angel's Fury by Bryony Pearc
By: L. M. Baldwin,
on 2/22/2011
Blog: Color Online (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: wwoc, Victoria Bond, Tanya Simon, Add a tag
Birth date: September 11, 1979
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Website/blog: zoraandme.com
Genre: YA/Historical Fiction
WiP or most recently published work: Zora and Me
Writing credits: Zora and Me (2010)
How frequently do you update your site?
an events page, as we have quite a few appearances coming up over the
next few months.
Is your site designed for reader interaction?
Yes. We have a few interactive elements on the site inspired by
Zora’s childhood, like instructions for making a corn husk doll, which
Zora herself did as a child, and planting an herb garden. The point
of these elements is to try to have our readers recreate little pieces
of Zora’s childhood in the 21st century.
Did you originally set out to write Zora and Me as a mystery? If not,
what did it start out as?
Yes, it absolutely started as a mystery. When Tanya pitched the idea
to me, and I’m not sure who said it first, we immediately came to the
dynamic and narrative construction of the Holmes stories as a model
and a guide. Doyle, of course, uses Watson as the narrator for
Holmes’ adventures. In that way, Holmes is a character in Watson’s
stories, which is just fascinating given the status of Holmes as a
larger than life character.
It's not often that we see books written about phenomenal writers (or
really any important figure in history) solely when they are children.
Why did you decide to write only about Zora Neale Hurston's childhood?
Tanya pitched to me, I was fascinated and excited by not only writing
about Zora but the community she grew up in. In my writing life I
never doubted I would work on historical subjects. The thing I never
imagined is that I would have the opportunity to write about a place
as unique and special as Eatonville. The first incorporated all black
town in the nation Eatonville is a context where race in America could
be discussed in a way that I frankly think is new to children’s
literature.
Top 5 reads you’re looking forward to reading in 2011?
All classics. For some writing I’m trying to wrap my head around,
though not autobiographical in nature like Zora and Me, I can’t wait
to rip into all of the novels by the Bronte sisters.
100 words or less how would you describe your work?
As a portrait of a young black girl as artist couched in a passing
mystery that’s really about friendship.
100 words or less on children and reading:
I grew up with my grandparents who were both readers. My grandmother
read romance novels exclusively whereas my grandfather was a collector
of reference materials ranging from dictionaries to almanacs to sports
encyclopedias. Both of them took great joy in books, and I followed
their example. For one, I wanted to know what they were up to, to
connect with them on equal footing in a way, so I became interested in
what books captivated the
By: L. M. Baldwin,
on 12/1/2010
Blog: Color Online (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Full name: Mitali Perkins
Hometown: Kolkata, India
Current location: Boston, Ma, USA
Website/Blog: http://mitaliperkins.com, http://mitaliblog.com
Genre: YA/MG
WiP or most recently published work: Bamboo People
Writing credits: See: <http://www.mitaliblog.com/p/my-books.html>
How frequently do you update your site? 3x a week or so.
Is your site designed for reader interaction? Yes, I like to raise questions and generate discussion.
Post of note, something in particular you want readers to check out: <http://www.mitaliblog.com/2010/09/reprise-should-we-bowdlerize-classic.html>
How would you describe your work? I seek to tell stories about children on the margins, whether they be poor or minorities growing up in the mainstream culture.
Please share your thoughts on one of the following topics: children, reading, and activism. Stories are a powerful way to inspire children to a life of activism. I distinctly remember the moment when I grasped the beauty of sacrificial giving. I was nine years old and befriending Sara Crewe in Frances Hodgson Burnett’s The Little Princess.
It was the middle of the story, and my heroine was trudging through a snowstorm, hungry and wet, when she actually found a four-penny piece. As she entered a baker’s shop, though, Sara passed “a little figure more forlorn than herself … with big, hollow, hungry eyes.” Sara bought four buns and the kind baker added two more. One by one, Sara placed five buns in the other girl’s lap, keeping only one for herself.
I remember being astounded by the gesture because at that point in the story my heart was aching over Sara’s suffering. And now my literary friend had given away the food I had so wanted her to relish! But somehow I knew it was the right thing to do.
From that point on, in my travels across the globe, as I encountered children begging on the streets, I would remember that scene in The Little Princess and be stirred to respond. I pray and hope that my books can have a similar effect on readers.
By: L. M. Baldwin,
on 10/13/2010
Blog: Color Online (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: monica brown, wwoc, Add a tag
Full Name - Monica Brown
Date of Birth - 10/24/69
Location - Flagstaff Arizona
Website - MonicaBrown.net
Genre -Children's Literature
Writing Credits and Awards
I have received the Américas Award for children’s literature and my work has received starred reviews in Kirkus and School Library Journal. My books have also been selected for several best of lists and as Junior Library Guild Selections.
Most recently published work(s), Side by Side: The Story of Dolores Huerta and Cesar/Lado a Lado: La Historia de Dolores Huerta y Cesar Chavez and Chavela and the Magic Bubble
Can you tell us a little something about Side by Side/Lado a Lado?
It’s my pleasure to share the “story behind the story” of this book. Writing this book was inspiring and intimidating because both individuals are my personal heroes. Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez did what some of us only dream about doing. They worked to change the world and make it better. They were dedicated to advocacy and human rights for our nation’s farm workers and believed, as I write in my book, “that it was time for the workers to share in the harvest.”
Few people know the important role that Dolores Huerta played as co-founder of the UnitedFarm Workers movement. I wanted to tell her story, and I wanted my daughters to know thatwomen can be incredible leaders in the fight for change.
As I was writing the book, it was an honor to talk with Dolores Huerta and her daughter, Lori de Leon, and I was thrilled that Dolores agreed to share a quote after reading the manuscript which is included in the book. At age 80, Dolores Huerta is still fighting for justice through her foundation. She is an inspiration to all! You can find out more at www.doloreshuerta.org.
Chavela and The Magic Bubble is wonderfully imaginative and colorful. It's also your first non bilingual picture book. Do you plan to write anymore in the future? The majority of my children’s books are bilingual English/Spanish and I hope that is always the case. It is the publishers decision, but if I have a choice, I will always go with bilingual books.
My books have also been translated into Greek and Portuguese. I’m hoping that there will be a Spanish edition of Chavela and the Magic Bubble in the near future!
Side by Side/Lado a Lado is your fifth biography. While reading it I took great pleasure in knowing children would be introduced to Dolores Huerta, a woman who worked just as hard as Cesar Chavez for the rights of immigrant workers. Why do you think it took so long for Dolores Huerta's story to be told for children?
This question would be hard to answer in a paragraph! The important thing to note is that we are in a moment where new voices and stories are being told that represent a multiplicity of identities and the diverse and complicated history of the United States.
Are you working on anything now?
Yes! I’m working on two projects—one is a biography of Pablo Picasso for a Spanish publisherand the other is another fiction picture book, tentatively titled, Maya’s Blanket. I also superexcited about a book I just completed, which is called Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match, whichwill be out from Children’s Book Press in 2011. Other forthcoming books inc
By: L. M. Baldwin,
on 10/6/2010
Blog: Color Online (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: ya, latino, wwoc, Barbara Caridad Ferrer, Add a tag
Birth date: 8/25
Location: New York, NY
Website/blog: http://www.caridadferrer.com/Genre: Contemporary/Multicultural Young AdultWiP or most recently published work: When the Stars Go Blue (St. Martin's Griffin/November 2010)Writing credits: Adiós to My Old Life (2006); It's Not About the Accent (2007)How frequently do you update your site? I blog regularly and since the site is built on a blog platform, fairly frequently. It also contains my Twitter feed, soyou could say that my site is constantly being updated.
Is your site designed for reader interaction? Definitely. Between email contact, my Twitter feed and the blog entries, I love hearing from and interacting with readers.
Post of note, something in particular you want readers to check out:
2 Comments on WWOC: Barbara Caridad Ferrer, last added: 10/7/2010Display Comments Add a Comment
By: L. M. Baldwin,
on 9/28/2010
Blog: Color Online (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: interview, wwoc, Renee Watson, African Americans, Add a tag
Birth date: July 29, 1978 Location: Paterson, NJ (But I grew up in Portland, Oregon) Website/blog: http://www.reneewatson.net/ Genre: Children’s and Young Adult Literature WiP or most recently published work: Recently Published: A Place Where Hurricanes Happen and What Momma Left Me Writing credits: Picture Book: A Place Where Hurricanes Happen (Random House, June 2010)
Full name: Jennifer Cervantes<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
So what do you think of Color Online's new look? I love it. Thanks Susan. The colors go great together. A white back drop is very readable and the blog is still easy to search. Which is a very good thing, since there's a lot to find at Color Online. My favorite CO feature is Women Writers of Color As you know this blog focuses on women writers of color. WWOC is simply another way for us to help promote authors. I love a good review, but there's something special about hearing the authors words. I have been inclined to read a book because of an interview. If you browse a few of the WWOC features, the authors give great answers.
I was in Singapore last week for the inaugural Asian Festival of Children's Content (AFCC). The AFCC consisted of four programs: the Asian Children's Writers and Illustrators Conference, the Asian Children's Publishers Symposium, the Asian Primary and Preschool Teachers Congress, and the Asian Parents Forum. I attended events for the Asian Children's Writers and Illustrators Conference and the Asian Children's Publishers Symposium and learned SO MUCH about Asian children's and young adult books.
Full name: Renée Watson<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
By: L. M. Baldwin,
on 9/8/2010
Blog: Color Online
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Birth date: 12/30
Location: San Diego, Ca.
Website/blog: www.jennifercervantes.com
Genre: Middle-Grade Fiction
WiP or most recently published work: TORTILLA SUN
How frequently do you update your site? It all depends on events, press, reviews. Some months are busier than others. But I'd say at least once every couple of months.
By: L. M. Baldwin,
on 9/4/2010
Blog: Color Online
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I want CO to do as many WWOC as possible but its difficult finding authors. Some authors don't have an online presence, others don't want to be featured. A few months back I sent out about five inquires. I heard back from one author. I don't have the most professional email. (happynappybookseller) So there's a good chance I end up in spam folder or deleted a lot.
Also maybe I am looking in the wrong places but I am having a really hard time finding not so well known female authors of color to feature. Island Beneath the Sea by Isabel Allende is in my reading queue. (I've heard great things) I will post a review of Getting to Happy by Terry McMillan this week. (I really enjoyed it) Allende and McMillan are established authors. A review and discussing their newest releases should be enough to get people to go out and buy their books. (at least I hope so)
I think all the CO contributors are stumped for new authors to feature. So on behalf of all us I am asking what female authors of color would you liked featured. A few guidelines
1. The author should have a new book out. Will also consider an author who released a great book last year but it got no love.
2. Author must be not so well known.
3. I want wwoc to be as diverse as it can be. So if you notice many people suggesting authors of one race, if you can please suggest an author of another race.
Looking forward to seeing what if any authors are named. If nothing else I'll at least discover a few new authors to check out.
By: L. M. Baldwin,
on 8/18/2010
Blog: Color Online
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Full name: Grace Lin
Birth date: Year of the Tiger!
Hometown: New Hartford, NY
Current location: Somerville, MA
Website/Blog: www.gracelin.com; www.outergrace.blogspot.com; www.facebook.com/authorgracelin
Genre: children's books for kids pre-school to 6th grade
WiP or most recently published work:
Ling & Ting: Not Exactly the Same!, an early reader (1st, 2nd grade)
Writing credits:
Author/illustrator of over a dozen picture books, including Dim Sum For Everyone! and The Ugly Vegetables. Author/illustrator of middle grade novels, including Year of the Dog and Newbery Honor Where the Mountain Meets the Moon.
How frequently do you update your site?
I update my blog approx. 3-4 times a week, my website twice a year.
Is your site designed for reader interaction?
My blog and Facebook page are, especially the Facebook page. The website, not so much.
Post of note, something in particular you want readers to check out:
For more about me, I was recently interviewed at the Smithsonian's BookDragon blog.
100 words or less: How would you describe your work?
By: L. M. Baldwin,
on 8/11/2010
Blog: Color Online
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Full Name - Carolina De Robertis
Date of Birth - July 11, 1975
Location - Oakland, CA
Website/Blog - Carolinaderobertis.com , facebook
Genre - Literary Fiction
Most recently published work - The Invisible Mountain
How frequently do you update your site? - Quite reguarly
Is Your site designed for interaction - No, but my facebook page is
Can you tell us a little about The Invisible Mountain?
It’s a novel chronicling ninety years of Uruguayan history through the lives of three generations of women, exploring the various political and personal upheavals that affect their lives. Emigration, poetry, gender transgression, revolutionary movements, dictatorships, resilience. Love and sex, of course. That’s there too.
Many female authors tell the story of a family through its grandmothers, mothers and daughters. There's Garcia's Dreaming in Cuban, Tadema's Red River and Llanos-Figueroa 's Daughters of the Stone, and so many more.
Why do you think female authors have embraced generational stories through the matriarch?
So often history—familial and societal—is traced through paternal lines. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that, as men’s stories have great worth, but women’s do too. All too often, women’s experiences of history are lost, buried in silence. Novelists have an opportunity to excavate that silence and breathe new life into those stories, through the aclhemy of storytelling.
I loved Invisible Mountain. All the praise and awards are well deserved. It was a wonderful look at the rich and sad history Uruguay.
Why do you think there aren't more novels set in this country?
Thank you so much! Yes, Uruguay is very rich—but it’s also very small. As a nation of 3.5 million people, it often goes forgotten on a global scale. This makes it additionally powerful for its stories to get told. One of the pieces of grafitti I’ve seen on the streets of Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay, is “El Sur También Existe” - “The South Also Exists.”
Eva the mother is a poet. Salome, the granddaughter, is active in the revolution. What are your thoughts on writing and activism?
They’re deeply connected—or, at least, they can be. Stories have power. The transformation of silence into voice has power. The day I met Sandra Cisneros, she said, “stories save lives.” And she should know.
For those who have read Invisible Mountain and those who will, what is mate? I know its a beverage but what exactly is it? Is there a recipe?
I could write a whole web site on this! We Uruguayans are very passionate about our mate. It’s a kind of strong, green, caffeinated tea indigenous to parts of South America, traditionally drunk out of a hollowed-out plant gourd and a metal straw called a “bombilla” that has a strainer on the bottom. There’s a whole ritual to how the gourd is passed around and drunk in community. It’s not so much a recipe as a collection of customs. For example, if an Uruguayan hands you their mate gourd, know that you’ve been brought into a circle of hospitality. You can drink all the water down, you can hand it back if you don’t like i
By: L. M. Baldwin,
on 8/4/2010
Blog: Color Online
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Full name - Ernessa T. Carter
Date of Birth - January 16
Location - Los Angeles, CA
Website/Blog - 32candles and Fierce and Nerdy
Genre - Women's fiction.
Most recently published work - 32 Candles
How frequently do you update your site?
I put new stuff up at 32 CANDLES weekly and my community blog, Fierce and Nerdy is updated every weekday
Is your site designed for interaction ?
Yes, I love to talk with folks on both sites.
Post of note, or something in particular you want readers to check out.
People really seem to like this post about my writing process and how I came to get my book deal.
Can you tell us a little about 32 Candles?
Davidia Jones, a girl growing up poor and unpopular in Mississippi, sees Sixteen Candles for the first time and decides that she wants to have her own Molly Ringwald Ending. Disaster ensues when she falls in love with the most popular guy in school. She ends up running away to Los Angeles, only to have him show up on her doorstep fifteen years later, forcing her to answer the question, "Can someone have a Sixteen Candles ending at the age of 32?
I loved Davidia. She is one of the most original characters of the year. Was it difficult selling people in the book industry on the idea of a poor Black girl from Mississippi who loves John Hughes movies?
Actually no it wasn't. There were a few editors who didn't get the concept, but mostly the response was hugely positive. When I was writing it, I wondered who would want to read about a strange black girl. Now that I'm on the other side of the process, I see that different is what a lot of publishers are looking for. My editor straight up said in an interview, that she only wants to acquire works of fiction that are completely fresh and unlike anything she's ever read before. I think a lot of writers worry about being too different, but in my opinion more should worry about not being different enough.
You've been active on facebook and twitter promoting your debut, long before it was released. Do you think this has turned into sales?
I haven't seen any sales numbers yet, but I hope the fact that even my most distant acquaintances know about this book is a good sign. Also I've made way more connections than I would have without the promotion. Figuring out promotion has been the great privilege of getting my book deal. I don't think many other people ever get the chance to say, "Hey, let's not only learn a whole new skill set but also throw a bunch of stuff against the wall and see what sticks." I really do enjoy promotion, and yes, I hope that translates into sales.
32 Candles appeals to a wide audience. Usually when I mention the book's connection to Sixteen Candles, customers eyes light up. How have the crowds so far been for the booksignings? Mixed or mostly Black?
By: L. M. Baldwin,
on 6/9/2010
Blog: Color Online
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paranormal fiction, wwoc, Terri, science fiction, Add a tag
Birth date: March 31, 1982
Location: Washington, DC
Website/blog: www.alayadawnjohnson.com
Genre: Fantasy
Writing credits: The first two books of The Spirit Binders trilogy: Racing the Dark and The Burning City. Also, unrelated, Moonshine, the start of a historical fantasy series staring Zephyr Hollis.
How frequently do you update your site?
Infrequently. Mostly when I have big publishing news to share (book covers, pub dates, big sales, etc.)
Is your site designed for reader interaction? No.
Post of note, something in particular you want readers to check out: I wrote a guest post for The Angry Black Woman this summer about race issues on one of my favorite television shows, Supernatural: http://theangryblackwoman.com/2009/09/09/an-open-letter-to-eric-kripke/
Top 5 reads you’re looking forward to reading in 2010?
Blackout by Connie Willis
Under Heaven by Guy Gavriel Kay
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin
Bite Marks by Terence Taylor
White Cat by Holly Black
100 words or less how would you describe your work?
I hate repeating myself with my writing, so the next thing I'm working on is usually very different from the last. Moonshine and The Spirit Binders trilogy are about as far apart thematically as you can get while still falling under the broad category of fantasy. But my overarching themes tend to center around issues of family, female relationships, love (romantic and platonic), and broader issues of coming of age and identity.
100 words on less please share your thoughts on one of the following topics:
Writing life
It's a cliche, but writing is one of the hardest things you can do, and one of the most rewarding. When it's going well, I'm immersed in my stories, my characters and my worlds and I can barely spare the time to eat before I have to get back to them. Unfortunately, it doesn't always go well--many days I stare at my computer screen and wonder why I ever thought I was capable of putting a sentence together. But no matter how difficult it gets, there's never been anything else I've wanted to do. Frustration comes with the territory, but I never forget how lucky I am.
By: L. M. Baldwin,
on 5/14/2010
Blog: Color Online
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I'd like to share pictures I took of some of the women writers of color who were speakers, presenters, and panel moderators at the AFCC.
First up are pictures of popular Indian children's book writer Anushka Ravishankar. Anushka has won national and international acclaim for her verse-tales published by Tara Books. Rights to her books have been bought for the US, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Korea, Italy, Japan, and Spain. 
Rukhsana Khan is an award-winning Pakistani Canadian author for young readers. Her books include stories set in India and the Middle East.
Uma Krishnaswami is an Indian American author for young readers. She is part of the faculty of the Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults.
11 Comments on Women Writers of Color at the Asian Festival of Children's Content, last added: 5/15/2010
By: L. M. Baldwin,
on 4/28/2010
Blog: Color Online
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Full Name: Dia Reeves
By: L. M. Baldwin,
on 4/7/2010
Blog: Color Online
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Full name: Dahlma Llanos-Figueroa
Birth date: September 8, 1949
Location: New York City
Website/blog: llanosfigueroa.com
Genre: Fiction
WiP or most recently published work: Daughters of the Stone
Writing credits:
1993 “Passing On” Shooting Star Review
1997 “Mapping” The Writer’s Voice: Magazine of the Emerging Writers
2003 “Papichulo” Lost and Found: Anthology of Teachers’ Writing
2005 “Mapping” Acts of Emancipation: Anthology of Teachers’
Writing
“Cuban Portraits” Rosebud
“The Healing” Chicken Soup for the Latino Soul
“The Clinic” Chicken Soup for the Latino Soul
2006 “Hair Inspection” Growing Up Girl: An Anthology of Voices from
Marginalized Spaces
2007 “Cuban Portraits” Narrative Magazine (on-line version)
2007 “Cuban Portraits” Narrative Magazine (soft cover version)
2008 “A Writer’s Journey” and
“Hair Inspection” Wordsetc (South African literary journal)
2009 Daughters of the Stone. St. Martin’s Press, NYC (novel)
2010 “Maggie” Women’s Work (upcoming)
How frequently do you update your site?
I check on reader responses every day and update my events calendar once a month.
Is your site designed for reader interaction?
Yes, there’s a section for reader input. I’m looking forward to reading family tales or stories that have been passed down. But no one has left me stories yet.
Post of note, something in particular you want readers to check out:
Check out the “Share Your Story” page on my web site and contribute your story. Also, if a reader likes my book, he/she should review it on Amazon or Barnes & Nobles.com or one of the social networks. That’s one way of letting publishers know that there is an audience out there for our work.
Top 5 reads you’re looking forward to reading in 2010?
(Sorry, can’t limit myself to just five)
Half of a Yellow Sun and Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Shanghai Girls and Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
By: L. M. Baldwin,
on 3/13/2010
Blog: Color Online
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Full name: Dorina Kailani Lazo Gilmore
Birth date: 05.01.1977
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Current location: Fresno, California
Website/Blog: www.health-full.blogspot.com, www.shens.com
Genre: Children's picture book
WiP or most recently published work: Cora Cooks Pancit (Shen's Books)
Writing credits:
My most recent children's book is Cora Cooks Pancit (Shen's Books). My poem "City Jazz" was just published in the February 2010 issue of Cricket Magazine. I also have two other picture books, including Children of the San Joaquin Valley and A Stone in the Soup: A Hmong Girl's Journey to the United States (Poppy Lane Publishing). I was the editor and a contributing poet for the anthology, Mosaic Voices: A Spectrum of Central Valley Poets (Poppy Lane Publishing). I am a frequent blogger and freelance writer for various magazines. Before I became a mother, I worked in journalism and was published in The Fresno Bee, The Arizona Republic, The Chicago Tribune and other publications.
How frequently do you update your site?
I update my Health-full blog weekly. It's a place where my husband and I write about food, nutrition, exercise. I also share my original recipes on that blog.
Is your site designed for reader interaction?
Yes, we encourage comments, questions and feedback from our readers.
Post of note, something in particular you want readers to check out:
My husband and I are also involved in connecting resources with Haiti. We would love more people to know about our non-profit and to join us as we send relief to our dear Haitian friends since the January 2010 earthquake. www.christianfriendshipministries.org
100 words or less: How would you describe your work?
My writing is decidedly multicultural. I am fascinated by the nuances of culture as represented through music, food, stories and dance. I grew up in a multicultural family and I believe there is a need for today’s young reader to have more exposure to multicultural stories and books with multi-ethnic protagonists. My writing, in both poetry and prose, seeks to illuminate a new face and give voice to a different storyteller.
By: L. M. Baldwin,
on 3/4/2010
Blog: Color Online
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Blog name: American Indians in Children's Literature
Blogger: Debbie Reese
Blog Origination date: May 8, 2006
Focus: Portrayals of American Indians in children's and young adult books
Regular features: Essays, short and long, written to help readers recognize flawed portrayals of American Indians, wherever they appear. The focus is literature, but I also blog about commercial products, textbooks, lesson plans, movies, and television shows.
Pub schedule. How frequently do you update your blog? At least twice a week
Post of note, something in particular you want readers to check out:
Effects of American Indian stereotypes
50 words or less how would you describe your blog:
Whether you were raised in the United States or another country, you were given (by well-meaning adults) books that portrayed American Indians in stereotypical ways as tragic and noble, or savage and brutal. You may even have come to believe that American Indians vanished, killed off by colonizers and other tribes. We're still here! Come to my site and learn about us.
Top 10 reads if we want to become informed about Native American children's lit?
Below are some things you can find at my site. I link to full-text articles, doing what I can to provide no-cost resources.
"Authenticity and Sensitivity: Goals for writing and reviewing books with Native American themes," by Debbie Reese, in School Library Journal.
"I is not for Indian: The Portrayal of Native Americans in Books for Young People," by Naomi Caldwell-Wood and Lisa Mitten of the American Indian Library Association
"I Still Isn't for Indian," by Nina Lindsay, in School Library Journal
"Look Mom! It's George! He's a TV Indian! by Debbie Reese, in Horn Book Magazine
Native American Themes in Children and Young Adult Books, by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Two invaluable print resources are:
American Indian Themes in Young Adult Literature, by Paulette Molin
A Broken Flute: The Native Perspective in Books for Children, edited by Doris Seale and Beverly Slapin
What do you hope readers will gain, find or enjoy because they've visited your blog?
I hope readers come away knowing how to
By: L. M. Baldwin,
on 2/3/2010
Blog: Color Online
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Birth date: September 16
Location: Shreveport, LA
Website/blog: www.sheliagoss.com or www.thelipglosschronicles.com
Genre: Women's fiction and Young Adult
WiP or most recently published work: Young adult book: Paper Thin - The Lip Gloss Chronicles Vol. 3 (Jan. 2010), Splitsville - The Lip Gloss Chronicles Vol. 2 (Sept. 29, 2009); Women's fiction book: His Invisible Wife (July 2009)
Writing credits: Women's fiction: Hollywood Deception (April 2010), His Invisible Wife (2009), My Invisible Husband (2006), Roses are thorns (2007), Paige's Web (2007) and Double Platinum (2008)
Young Adult fiction: The Ultimate Test - The Lip Gloss Chronicles Vol. 1 (2009), Splitsville - The Lip Gloss Chronicles Vol. 2 (2009) and Paper Thin - The Lip Gloss Chronicles Vol. 3 (Jan. 2010)
How frequently do you update your site? I update my site at least once a month. I blog however at least several times a week.
Is your site designed for reader interaction? Yes. I have a blog on both of my sites. www.sheliagoss.com/blog or www.thelipglosschronicles.com/blog
Post of note, something in particular you want readers to check out: I would love it if people added my blog as a regular online stop. I like to interact with readers, offer contests and introduce them to other writers. I also like giving behind the scenes information on the characters of my books.
100 words or less how would you describe your work?
I write stories with a twist. I like to write about every day issues many people face. Although my stories are entertaining and dramatic, they are also inspirational.
100 words on less please share your thoughts on one of the following topics: Children and reading
When speaking to children, I try to relate reading to their every day life. I express how reading books is a great way to learn about new things. I decided to write for the young adult market so that it would give me an outlet to be able to speak with young adults and stress the importance of reading. On the surface, my young adult books may appear to be for entertainment purposes only, but underneath the layers, readers of the Lip Gloss Chronicles series learn to be conscious about the decisions they make in their lives.
By: L. M. Baldwin,
on 1/27/2010
Blog: Color Online
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Full name: Kelly Starling Lyons
Hometown: Pittsburgh
Current Location: North Carolina
Website/blog: www.kellystarlinglyons.com
Genre: Children's Books
Writing credits: Children's Books: One Million Men and Me and NEATE: Eddie's Ordeal (Just Us Books). Dozens of newspaper
By: L. M. Baldwin,
on 12/17/2009
Blog: Color Online
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Full name: Olugbemisola Amusashonubi-Perkovich (pen name: Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich)
Birth date: Oct 3
Location: New York, NY
Website/blog: Olugbemisola.com
Genre: MG, YA fiction and nonfiction (WIPs include younger books); multimedia projects
WiP or most recently published work: 8th Grade Superzero, Arthur A. Levine Books, January 2010. YA and chapter books in progress.
Writing credits:
Former writer and contributing editor for Word Up!, Rap Masters, Right On, Today's Black Woman magazines. former grantwriter, content developer for American Baby, Healthy Kids, Sunburst Communications, and more. Writer and editor of educational curricula and materials.
How frequently do you update your site?
Just getting started
Is your site designed for reader interaction?
My blog will be.
Post of note, something in particular you want readers to check out:
The Writers Against Racism series in general:
my post is here
100 words or less how would you describe your work?
I try to write with heart and honesty, to tell stories of the rich and varied lives of young people of colour.
100 words on less please share your thoughts on writers:
I cherish the writers in my life whose words and ideas encouraged critical thinking and meaningful action. Now more than ever, as some of us have access to a dizzying array of media resources (and very many of us don't), I think that writers who are not afraid to be thoughtful, to have a point of view, and to be human, are essential activists.
Thank you for allowing us to promote and support your work.
By: L. M. Baldwin,
on 10/28/2009
Blog: Color Online
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Full name: Bernice L. McFadden
Birth date: September 26, 1965
Location: New York
Website/blog: Bernice McFadden
Genre: Fiction
WiP or most recently published work:
Glorious (Spring 2010)
Writing credits:
Sugar
The Warmest December
This Bitter Earth
Loving Donovan
Camilla's Roses
Nowhere is a Place
writing as Geneva Holliday
Groove
Fever
Heat
Seduction
Lover Man
How frequently do you update your site? Fairly Frequently
Is your site designed for reader interaction?Yes
Post of note, something in particular you want readers to check out:
On January 9th, 2010 my debut novel, SUGAR will celebrate it's 10th anniversary. It is my hope that the book will sell 10,000 copies between now and that date.
100 words or less how would you describe your work?
I write informative, entertaining, lyrical, thought provoking novels that often have a historical slant.
100 words on less please share your thoughts on the writing life:
I love this life. I love the people I meet in and outside of my stories.
Women of color writers - We are fearless storytellers. Our writings are filled with a strength and passion that the "publishing machine" finds unsettling - hence the slow and systematic silencing of writers.
Children and reading - If we don't encourage our children to read and experience the world through the pages of books - then they will never want to physically experience the world and we will have a nation of stagnant, ignorant adults.
Bernice, thank you for allowing us to promote and support your work.
By: L. M. Baldwin,
on 10/13/2009
Blog: Color Online
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Full name: Zetta Elliott
Birth date: 1972—I’m a Scorpio
Location: Ajax, Ontario (just outside of Toronto)
Website/blog: Fledgling
Genre:
I write across a number of genres: children’s literature, speculative fiction, poetry, plays, memoir.
WiP or most recently published work:
I just finished a MG novel called Muñecas, and am working on Judah’s Tale, a sequel to my YA novel, A Wish After Midnight.
Writing credits:
My poetry has been published in the Cave Canem anthology, The Ringing Ear: Black Poets Lean South, Check the Rhyme: an Anthology of Female Poets and Emcees, and Coloring Book: an Eclectic Anthology of Fiction and 
Poetry by Multicultural Writers. My novella, Plastique, was excerpted in T Dot Griots: an Anthology of Toronto’s Black Storytellers, and my essays have appeared in The Black Arts Quarterly, thirdspace, WarpLand and Rain and Thunder. I won the Honor Award in Lee & Low Books’ New Voices Contest, and my picture book, Bird, was published in October 2008. I’ve also self-published several books including A Wish After Midnight, Stranger in the Family, Three Plays, One-Act Plays, and Ten-Minute Plays.
How frequently do you update your site?
Usually every other day, though blogging can be a great way to procrastinate…
Is your site designed for reader interaction?
Not really, aside from the links I put in my posts, the videos on my sidebar, and the option to leave comments.
Post of note, something in particular you want readers to check out:
My open letter to the children’s publishing industry
100 words or less how would you describe your work?
I’m really interested in dramatic writing, so whether I’m writing a play or a novel or a poem, I try to make it vivid and compelling—a story told from a different point of view using an authentic, unusual voice. My work is fairly traditional when it comes to form, but I hope people find it daring nonetheless; I try to say things out loud that we otherwise might only whisper among ourselves.
100 words on less please share your thoughts on the writing life:
There’s no one way to be a writer. And there’s a difference between being a writer and being an author. As Toni Morrison pointed out, you need permission to be the latter, but not the former. I’d encourage everyone to find a way to tell your own story. Don’t wait for it to miraculously appear in someone else’s book. And writing can be its own reward; don’t do it for fame or fortune, because authentic stories often don’t sell and/or bring in a lot of money. But they’re still worth telling, and we can learn a lot about ourselves (and each other) but putting our truth down on the page (or the web!).
Thanks, Zetta. Check out Neesha Meminger's recent review of A Wish After Midnight and congratualtions to her for her Cybils nomination.
By: L. M. Baldwin,
on 9/15/2009
Blog: Color Online
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Community, I'm always looking for more ways to promote women writers of color and today I'm happy to share our latest feature, Women Writers of Color Series (blame the name and formatting on my years working in reference publishing). This series is designed to introduce you to emerging writers or writers who have established writing credits but aren't given the spotlight they deserve.
I'm honored to introduce our first writer, Paula Chase Hyman, YA writer. Paula will be on blog tour this month so stay tune for details. Do give her your support by promoting her work and the tour.
Full name: Paula Chase Hyman
Birth date: September 2
Location: Maryland
Website/blog: Paul Chase Hyman
Genre: Young Adult fiction
WIP or most recently published work:
My most recent is Flipping The Script, the fifth in my Del Rio Bay series. I'm currently working on a novel that explores a fractured mother-daughter relationship between a mixed-race teen and her Korean mother.
Writing credits: My Del Rio Bay series (5 books)
Countless articles for Suite 101 (I used to be their R&B editor years ago) and Liquid Soul Radio.com, A half dozen articles for Girls Life Magazine.
How frequently do you update your site?
It's tough but I try to blog weekly and keep the events information fresh. When I'm unable to update, it's usually because I'm focused on writing or I'm chronicling things for The Brown Bookshelf.
Is your site designed for reader interaction?
Readers can reach me via email from my website and I do a monthly chat, but otherwise not really.
100 words or less how would you describe your work?
I go where the voices tell me to go. With the Del Rio Bay series, the voices told me to follow a group of friends and watch how they mature while in high school. Right now, they're telling me to share the story of a girl who longs for her mother's love but rarely gets it in any tangible way. Although my writing schedule is more structured than before, my style is still very seat-of-the-pants.
100 words on less please share your thoughts on children and reading:
I wish more adults would give children credit for being able to process fiction. Too often we want to push "educational" reading on them because, I guess some of us have forgotten that any book that provokes thought and emotion can teach a lesson...even when it's not the book's intent.
Paula, thank you for allowing us to promote and support your work. We wish you continued success.
I really enjoyed the interview. This gave me a chance to know Tayari more as an author rather than just a person on a social website. Five years??? You do deserve any credit you receive. I'm glad to hear you truly love to write.
I loved Jones' first two books which I read just in the past few months. Cannot wait for this next one. Thank you for sharing this interview. So glad to hear the book is being published after such a long writing journey.
Thanks, Tea I hope you get a chance to read Silver Sparrow.
Amy - I know you'll love Silver Sparrow. This is the first book I've read by Jones. Looking forward to reading her other two novels.