Thread by @RinaGrayWrites

I rarely comment on the happenings in #Romancelandia. I'm a lurker. But I have a few things to say and get off my chest because this weekend seriously sucked. So forgive the very long post. Eight years ago, I was in a toxic job. /1?

they never respected my feelings, belittled me and I could never trust them. My instincts were right. I sought other job opportunities, but they fired me before I could get out. I’d never been fired before. Ever. That very day I laid in my bed, arm slung over my eyes /2?

and asked God what should I do. Me and God…we’ve had these types of convos and He usually comes through. I got the strong impression that I needed to get my butt out of bed and write. Prior to that day, I’d been dabbling in writing for a few years, but day job came 1st. /3?

This time I listened. I got up, I wrote. I discovered Nina Simone and fell in love with the song: To Be Young, Gifted and Black. It became my motto. I healed. A few months later I finished the MS about my kick-ass vampire slayer. And guys, it was utter crap. /4?

I realized that I needed to master the craft. I found @romancewriters and Went to my local chapter meetings, got several critiques and found critique partners. It’s been an awesome ride and I truly appreciate all the resources I’ve received. /5?

Last year @piperhuguley pointed out that at black woman has never won a RITA, sending shock waves throughout Romancelandia. There was a lot of “talk” a lot of allies were “shocked” and the collective promised to do better. Then, 2019 RITAs were announced last week. /6?

3 finalists are black women. And though I am super excited for them, they do not include black characters. This is no slight to them. I’m currently writing a story where 2 of the 3 main characters are white. But this is telling of the racial bias within judging the RITAs./7?

Fast-forward with my recent book deal I got PAN status! Woohoo! Making progress. I’m now on the PAN loops. I see the comments. All weekend there has been a large lump sitting on my throat. I am DEVASTATED by the blatant racism and LACK OF CONCERN for black women. /8?

My hubs commented on my low energy and I bring him up to speed, quoting some of the comments I’ve seen. I feel attacked. Run over. Not cared about. I mean, I really shouldn’t be surprised about how black women are treated but…damn. /9?

Today some of my writing heroes, or at the very least some of the women I truly admired showed their true colors. Today, I fell out of love with #Romancelandia . Some of you were spitting hot fire for #cockygate and the like but you won’t come to OUR defense. /10?

You tell us to eat crow. To shut up and to box up our feelings until a more appropriate time. I’ve given myself the weekend to mope and now I’m done. Tonight, I’m going to do what I did eight years ago when I was in another toxic environment. /11?

I’m going to listen to To Be Young, Gifted and Black. I offer this salve to other blk authors in this genre. Keep going. You are so magical they do everything in their power to block our shine.
#ritasowhite /12 and p.s. I did finish that slayer book. :-)