#PitchWars: Time To #PimpMyBio!

What’s up #PitchWars mentors and mentees. I have to admit, I’m kind of nervous. I’ve never done #PitchWars before, let alone #PimpMyBio. Not totally sure what is supposed to go in these things, but after cruising through a few posts, I am going to try my hand at it. As they say, you miss 100% of the opportunities you don’t try.

ABOUT MY MS:

If you are looking for a Robin Hood retelling with a mix of Six of Crows, Veronica Mars and Oceans 11, keep reading!

The book I am submitting to #PitchWars is called STAR OF XIANU. It is a YA Contemporary Fantasy about a badass lady thief, the Prince from another realm that blackmails her, the quest to find a stolen jewel, and how two total opposites fall in love.

As with everything I write, my book is #OwnVoices and features a diverse cast of characters.

If you like heists, lady thieves, hot and kind men, snarky women, royalty, Chinese influences, #BlackGirlMagic, stealing for the poor, strong family relationships, female friendships, sex positivity, and not-so-forbidden love, you might just love STAR OF XIANU.

AESTETHIC BOARD:

If you are interested in more pictures that has inspired STAR OF XIANU, check out my vision board.

COMPS:

• Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
• Ghost Girl In the Corner by Daniel Jose Older
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
• Oceans 11
• Heist Society by Ally Carter
• Veronica Mars
• Tower Heist

MY FAVORITE AUTHORS/BOOKS/MOVIES:

• All things Jane Austen
• All things Alyssa Cole
• Leverage
• American Street by Ibi Zoboi
• Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
• Gilmore Girls
• Jessica Darling Series by Megan McCafferty
• The Magicians
• Throne of Glass Series by Sarah J. Maas
• Kindred by Octavia Butler
• Clueless
• Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
• Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Cordova
• Gemma Doyle Series by Libba Bray
• Miss Representation
• Between the Covers

ABOUT ME:

Now, a little about me. I have lived in Atlanta almost all my life, but I have dreams of moving cross-country to L.A. I am a 28 year old grad student at Clark Atlanta University studying Literature, with a specialty in 18th century English lit and got my undergrad degree at Georgia State University.

I’ve been writing basically all my life and I don’t think I could ever stop, even if I never get published. I am a storyteller at heart. I am also an avid reader, and read what I write, namely romance and fantasy. Though I have self-published some romance, I want to go traditional for my YA.

I am almost constantly on Twitter and also spend a lot of time on Instagram and Pinterest.

MY MENTOR WISHLIST:

• Willing to work on big and small picture edits with me
• Not afraid to really dig down and tell me the issues with my MS
• Doesn’t mind my anal organizational habits
• Communicative and willing to brainstorm ideas
• Willing to do more than one pass if time permits
• Gives a mix of praise and critique
• Hopefully, and most importantly, a lifelong friend

Thank you to Brenda Drake and the mentors for volunteering your time to help us aspiring authors.

Diversity Initiatives: Equality vs Equity

I am a writer. I write in any way I think that will best convey a story. Usually that means a novel or script, but occasionally a short story. I am also a black woman. Yeah, that shouldn’t mean anything when it comes to my writing. The writing should be held up and judged on its own merit, but often that is not the case. Women and people of color are often not represented in media.

It’s this that sparks things like #OscarsSoWhite, #WeNeedDiverseBooks, #OwnVoices, and diversity initiatives in both publishing and film. Sadly, these attempts to make creative industries more inclusive than the “old white boys club” they are often seen as comes with some backlash. White men complaining that it is harder for them to break in because because people want diversity. Mind you, diversity is usually spoken with contempt in these conversations.

There is a saying (for the life of me I cannot find who originally said it) “When you’re accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression.” When programs are created to give the underrepresented a  chance, so many overrepresented people decry it as “racist”.

Cis white men often cry out “Why are we holding down the white man?” “It is getting so hard to be a white man.” They ignore their privilege (often narrowing it down to “well I didn’t get such-and-such so I can’t be privileged.”)

It is usually in the face of the few programs out there that are specifically to help underrepresented individuals (usually people of color, women, disabled, or queer) break into industries. But since they exist, there are the ever present complaints that helping underrepresented people is “racist.”

People with privilege often look at the world in a sense of equality, rather than equity. If they want to “help” underrepresented people, they want it in a way that gives those people equal opportunity as them, ignoring that they often have a  leg up that still puts them ahead. Programs focused on diversity look more towards equity that gives the underrepresented an extra boost so that they will be on the same footing as the privileged.

While this extra boost may seem unfair to some, it is what is currently needed to get to a point where were can focus on equality rather than equity. Maybe within the next few generations, industries like film and publishing will no longer need diversity programs. With then incoming amounts of diverse people working in these fields, maybe others like them will get the opportunities that were previously denied to them. Until then, shut up and stop whining about equity within those few programs and check your privilege.