So to start this thread you have to understand I'm old in Romancelandia years. I came to be before e-books were e-books.

My first pubbed romances, I had to explain how you could read them digitally.

I'm that Romancelandia old. So there's a reason why I'm surprised publishers have come forward to say RWA is a mess and we ain't here for it.

Because back in my day, publishers could/would/KNOW/SEE that something super racist was going on and they'd not even acknowledge its existence.

I'm feeling some kind of way so you're getting a thread. Sorry. lol

Even before this article dropped (buzzfeednews.com/article/scaach…), I was feeling some kind of way about Lauren Duca and many, many people like her.

Ex: People who are all for Pete Buttigieg. Specifically, white women This is a huge thing in my thoughts especially with impeachment on the horizon.

I've seen so many people relieved that the nightmare of this admin might finally be over.

Which, I get. This man should have never been president. He's laid waste to so much of our democracy.

Today was a day. Of course, I can't sleep. But I watched all of Pearson. It's a spin-off of Suits that features Gina Torres. In the show, as in real life, she's Afro-Latina.

This is a show you should put in your life. It's gripping, emotional and OTT. But an episode happened and I couldn't help but feel, there's no way a Black person wrote this.

And it's hard to describe this kind of critique. You know it when you see it. You may extend a benefit of the doubt, especially when it comes from someone within.

I'm going to preface first:

You can write characters that are wholly different than you. I encourage it, because when you write it should reflect the world around you.

I just heavily caution you to ask yourself first and foremost: Am I the right person to tell this story? And if you've written the story: Have I done my due diligence to do no harm with the representation I've written?

Due diligence includes:
Sensitivity readers
Betas and crits
^
Both, all, from people from race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, etc you're writing

Here's the thing about Siempre Bruja and its ilk. There are a thousand different choices one could make to tell that same exact story. I mean down to the motivation arcs, scenes, dialogue.

So question the reason it has to be the slave owner as the "lover." Example: Heroine is waiting to be sold. She meets a man who is being sold. They connect. Or even just make eyes and there's this pang of What if, If only.

'Cause here's a shocker, enslaved individuals had families. They loved. They did experience joy.

Let's talk about the tale of two Romancelandias.

For background, Rhonda Merwarth sent out a tweet.

I replied back with someone sarcastic but honest then we got into a discussion. Bottom line is that despite the many hot-takes, most often call-out culture is valid. Call-out culture also paints WOC as the bad guys.