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Bayou Lights
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 10:30 pm: | 
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Mainstream Ahead in Black Publishing
By MARTIN ARNOLD
Not too long ago, as these things go, book publishing had the epiphany that there were a large number of black readers with a thirst for relevance. From that revelatory discovery grew a burst of imprints devoted to books by and for African-Americans and more interest in adding such fiction and nonfiction to mainstream lists. It's a bit early to evaluate.
It can be said that black publishing has seamlessly merged into the mainstream (well, almost), and that this sort of cultural neighboring is all to the good. There are, however, the terrible buts. Like, but how good are some of the books? Like, but how long will they be read before they disappear? The answers are obvious. All publishing produces much junk, and some black observers in the book trade say that too many of the books now being marketed are little more than disguised romances, having as much to do with real life as traditional bodice rippers, celebrity memoirs and "how-tos" by business billionaires.
Patrik Henry Bass, Essence magazine's book editor, sees this predicament: "Looking among the catalogs, publishers are not giving the readers what they want, which are books that are empowering, reflective, educational. Books are supposed to supply information, not just escapism." He continued: "The books they are publishing wouldn't resonate over a long period."
Citing Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, Ntozake Shange and others, all still in print, he said, "I don't see that level of quality, only quantity."
Ron Kavanaugh, publisher and editor of Mosaic Literary Magazine, a quarterly devoted to African-American and Latino writing, agreed. "I think that some of the larger publishers have spurred the growth of African-American writing," he said, "but I don't think that most of what they are publishing will last long. Their goals may not be to publish seminal work but basically souped-up romance novels."
Assimilation means similarities. Critics have been saying the same things about white publishing for years. And there are some powerful exceptions to the disappointment expressed by Mr. Bass and Mr. Kavanaugh. For instance, Harlem Moon, the African-American imprint of Broadway Books, has just published "Gumbo: A Celebration of African-American Writing," a critically acclaimed contemporary anthology, and in addition has a list of serious books for blacks about mourning, child rearing and filmmakers. Broadway has an obesity book due in the spring, and an investing book for next year. Doubleday, the parent publishing group of both, a house that was publishing black books before it was a social requirement, has books for 2003 about success, a journalist's journey and a collection of two centuries of African-American love letters.
The most dynamic book of the moment for those interested in the black American experience is "Growing Up King: An Intimate Memoir" (Warner Books), Dexter Scott King's story (written with Ralph Wiley) of life in the shadow of his father, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., published last week. Laurence J. Kirshbaum, chief executive of AOL Time Warner Books, much committed to African-American publishing, said, "It's become a major staple of publishing sales, and we are going at it full bore."
A Warner Books imprint, Walk Worthy Press, publishes black Christian fiction, and its publisher, Denise Stinson, has recently been appointed editor at large for all of Warner Books to troll for black writers and African-American books.
"It's a fallacy that these books are just for African-Americans," Mr. Kirshbaum said. "This is a business opportunity. It's not just the right thing to do from the standpoint of diversifying publishing. It's the right thing to do, but we are publishing them in a cold, calculating way, which means we have to build a black audience and also publish crossover books. We're not doing anybody any favor."
So if one looks at most publishers' lists these days, there's African-American representation, ranging from romance to how-tos to Zane's erotic and psychological thrillers (from Atria, a Simon & Schuster imprint) to the Free Press's "Selah's Bed" by Jenoyne Adams to Basic Books' "Mending the World," an anthology celebration of the African-American family, edited by Rosemarie Robotham. Grove Presshas a literary first novel, "Eden" by Olympia Vernon, which has been purchased by Carol M. Mackey, editor of the 300,000-member Black Expressions Book Club. And Crown has "More Like Wrestling," a novel by Danyel Smith about two girls growing up in Oakland, Calif., in the 80's.
Clearly there's a lot of vigor out there for black publishing. Ms. Mackey said, "The doors are beginning to open, and more and more opportunity is being presented to black writers."
Max Rodriguez, publisher of QBR: The Black Book Review, said these opportunities were "recognition of the breadth of the black audience out there and the wide range of experience that African-Americans bring to the language of our culture, the opening up to each other of different knowledges."
For the moment, that would seem almost as important as the general quality of the books being published by or about black Americans. "The recognition of this audience will translate to publishers' bottom lines," Mr. Rodriguez said.
It's certain that all the Toni Morrisons to come will be an outgrowth of the bottom line. That's the way it works in modern publishing: first the cash, then the great works. |
Bayou Lights
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 10:36 pm: |
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I thought I would post my comments separately so the article could stand on its own. Arnold covers many of the issues we've discussed here on this board but with far fewer examples of quality titles. Quite a few of the titles nominated for the Zora Neale Hurston / Richard Wright Legacy Award were published by African American imprints but none of them were included here. While it is true that pumped up romance dominates a lot of the list, the same can be true for titles that make the bestseller lists across the country.
Also, in the current issue of PAGES magazine Bernice McFadden (Sugar, This Bitter Earth) gives her opinion about the sorry state of AA fiction. Anyone else read this?
What do you guys think about this topic/article/discussion? Should we beat this old horse again or let him go off into the sunset? |
Kola
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - 11:13 pm: |
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Well you saw what the N.Y. Times TRIED to do to me a few weeks back.
And I consider myself to be one of the most promising new voices in AA literature. Atleast right up there with Gayl Jones and Wanda Coleman. I think once people get over my youth and my tits--and start READING my work, they'll be pleasantly surprised that there are some new urban legends on the rise.
They really don't WANT anybody new like Colson Whitehead or Paul Beatty or Kola Boof to come along. The NEWW folks can be scary, pushy and too "different" to fit in their boxes. That's really what it is. But I do thank the N.Y. Times for getting me on the phone with the top agents and publishers. Even though they set me up and betrayed me--they also made it possible for me to skip years of struggle. I won't deny their power. The bastards.
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bookish
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 16, 2003 - 07:28 am: |
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Anyone read bell hooks' new book, Rock My Soul? She addresses the issue in Ch. 7 Teaching Values (starting on page 102) and also in the last few pages (223 to the end).
I have not seen the PAGES article.
I think the last sentence of the article you posted is complete BS. The work comes first. Cash sometimes comes decades later or even posthumously - or, not at all. Modern publishing can't change that. |
Troy
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 16, 2003 - 10:47 pm: |
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Bernice's interview may be read here: http://www.ireadpages.com/mcfadden.htm
I don't think Martin's last comment was complete BS. Public companies have to provide a return to their investors. Indeed they are frowned upon if returns don’t continue to increase year after year. Under these conditions it is understandable (though not completely desirable) for these corporations to publish something that has a very broad appeal – typically these will not be the “great” literary works. Indeed these books of mass appeal often subsidize the publication of the more literary works. One can argue that the so called you-go-girl novels have paved the way for the increase of attention paid to Black authors in the major media, the establishment of the Black imprints (http://writers.aalbc.com/publishers.htm), and even the celebrity of some of our self-published authors.
Of course, a publisher can “keep it real” and focus on only publishing what they felt was truly quality work; work meant to enlighten, raise one’s consciousness or entertain on more than the crudest of levels. There are publishers like this out there, but they are not raking in the money, and they have to bust their posteriors to make what money they do make. Typically these publishers have a passion that extends beyond the benjamins. For these guys their return on investment does not appear on a balance sheet. There is room for both types of publishers.
I will say that the tone and some of the actual statements in Martin’s article suggest that most of the Black books published are of inferior quality as in “disguised romances”, or “souped-up romance novels”. (an aside: Why are romance novels automatically equated with junk? Read: http://reviews.aalbc.com/itsallaboutlove.htm). What gets published to target black audiences is just a microcosm of what get published in the so called mainstream – the same rules apply.
I think our institutions, who in theory are not subjected to the profit motive, can do a better job of promoting quality. Take a look at the NAACP IMAGE AWARDS for Literature: http://www.naacpimageawards.org/nomineeslist.htm
Outstanding Literary Work – Fiction
“A Love of My Own” – E. Lynn Harris (Doubleday)
“Quilting the Black-Eyed Pea” – Nikki Giovanni (William Morrow)
“The Emperor of Ocean Park” – Stephen L. Carter (Alfred A. Knopf)
“Thieves’ Paradise” – Eric Jerome Dickey (Dutton)
“The Bondswoman’s Narrative” – Hannah Crafts; Henry Louis Gates, Editor. (Warner Books)
Outstanding Literary Work – Non-Fiction
“A Song Flung Up to Heaven” – Maya Angelou (Random House)
“Keeping the Faith” - Tavis Smiley (Doubleday)
“Bill Clinton and Black America” – DeWayne Wickham (Ballantine Books)
“Growing Up X “ - Ilyasah Shabazz (Ballantine Books)
“Zora Neale Hurston: A Life in Letters” – Carla Kaplan, Editor (Doubleday)
Outstanding Literary Work – Children’s
“Nelson Mandela’s Favorite African Folktales” – Nelson Mandela, Editor (W.W. Norton & Co.)
“Hip Kid Hop: And the Winner is” – LL Cool J (Scholastic)
“Please, Baby, Please” – Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee (Simon and Shuster)
“When Marian Sang: The True Recital of Marian Anderson: The Voice of a Century” – Pam Munoz Ryan, Brian Selznick (Scholastic)
“A Rainbow All Around Me” – Sandra Pinkney (Scholastic)
Does this list reflect what is of the highest quality in their respective categories or does this list reflect what is most popular. From a $ perspective Popularity = Quality. I’m sure some of you bibliophiles can made 5 higher quality book in each category. I’m not trying to diminish the authors of these books – heck I’ve even promoted most of them. However the nominees above do not reflect much though or even insight. But the list again is understandable given they are trying to get folks to watch the show and a list of relative unknows is not gonna cut it.
Bottom line there are some tremendous story tellers and great minds publishing books today despite the cynicism of some. We just have to continue to spread the word when we discover a good book.
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Kola
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 16, 2003 - 11:34 pm: |
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Troy, you're right in a lot of ways.
I, for instance, have found it very helpful to choose a unique name that stands out and is easy to remember--Kola Boof--and then I've done what I felt was in the bounds of fairness to make that name as famous as possible.
I've never worked a 9 to 5 job in my life, so I found it impossible to spend 2 or 3 years writing a book...and then having no one willing to read it. In America, they always say, "We're interested in NAME authors..blah, blah, blah".
So I decided to take what was most true about myself and WORK IT--exploit it.
In this new media age, it's increasingly difficult to get a "new idea" or a "radical" perspective heard by the masses. At the same time, one must eat and have a room of ones own.
Unlike most of the people who post at AALBC.COM, I never finished high school or went to college. SO there was overwhelming opposition to my work from Literary Snobs...and then BLACK literary snobs, who I promise you, are ten times worse.
I had to literally blow a whole in the industry..just to get in.
But now critics and editors praise my work and are astonished at how "original" and "visually-oriented" I am. I've been called the Madonna of the publishing biz. Many might scoff at that, but I'm extraordinarily proud that I managed to write a "literary" work (instead of a moneymaking trashy bestseller) and also use my life and my vision as a vehicle for human rights and women's rights. Surely, I've gotten into big trouble--I may even lose my life, but I got published and MY HUMBLE OPINION, MY VIEW is in print--and shall outlive me as well as encourage and affirm the struggles of others.
That's why I felt so sad when Chris Hayden wrote that he was going to give up writing his novel. I thought it a grave mistake, but I also don't believe you should try to talk someone into writing one. It's truly the territory of the Saints and Demons.
You're right, Troy. We shall ALL be heard..eventually. I wish everyone here luck. |
Crystal
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 17, 2003 - 01:57 pm: |
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Troy, I think you've answered your own question in the "What's the Rap" post. Award shows are for entertainment purposes. At least they are now. I don't know what they started out to be. Although, I'm sure they've always been more political than factual.
On the topic of this thread, I don't mind the publishers making money off McMillan and Dickey, as long as they continue to give me Everett and Cooper. This is no different than what happens in the white publishing world.
Bottom line is somebody has to pay the bills - let EJD do it (but an Image Award???).
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bookish
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 18, 2003 - 08:35 am: |
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The NAACP Image Awards have been problematic for a long time. I think what Troy said about their list of books holds true for all of their awards. |
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