I am extremely happy to tell you, my luvs, that Mike Crowson didn't only answer my question, but decided to share it with all of you via a guest post and a giveaway.
Here are Mike Crowson's words on ethic and gender minorities in his fiction.
So why does an elderly, white, middle class Brit with a 50th wedding anniversary this year choose to write novels about a mixed race female detective, an elderly (and very psychic) black South African, originally a refugee from apartheid, and a detective in a lesbian relationship? (not to mention a first novel featuring an archaeologist of Afro-Caribbean extraction) And anyway, aren't my ethnic minority characters rather 'white' and middle class themselves, regardless of ethnicity?
To answer the first question first, I used to direct on the London (UK) 'Fringe' Theatre. Let me explain: actors, directors and all theatre staff including playwrights spend a lot of time out of work. The 'fringe' lets them work for a share of profit not wages, in a small venue. If the play moves to a big theatre and makes money, so do they. If it doesn't they aren't any worse off. Years ago I was directing a play which called for two Afro women and one Indian Asian woman in minor parts-and I had a queue a mile long of very talented women. I couldn't understand it and when I asked they told me-as you can probably guess-there were few good parts for women and fewer for black women, and these were mainly caricature roles anyway.
When I had a brain tumour and took to writing instead of directing I consciously decided I would try to create rounded characters and decent roles with a little 'positive discrimination': I kept that resolution when I slipped into writing novels.
To answer the second part of the question, I faced a dilemma. I wanted them to be seen as leaders in society (and a Black president of the USA has helped!) This meant, since ours is a Western society, making them fit what a leader would be like, rather than ethnic minority stereotype.
Detective Inspector Lucy Turner caught me by surprise. I didn't know she was a lesbian until she was interviewing two lesbians-witnesses to a crime who might have been potential suspects. Once she had 'outed' herself it seemed natural to let it go on, being as unimportant as one's sexual orientation really is.
I have tried all my life to be fair and moderate: I like the Ancient Egyptian concept of "Ma'at"-that fairness and justice are synonymous, so here I am, White, Anglo-Saxon, in my 70s, approaching 50 years married, but with many of my novels featuring psychic Afro man and mixed race women and a lesbian (amongst others, of course)... but, though I try never to preach, I really do want to leave the world fairer and more just.
And now to the giveaway... we'll have 3 winners! The 1st place will receive:
The 2nd and 3rd place winners will receive an ebook copy of" Sealed Entrance"!
ANSWER THIS QUESTION TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY:- What could a fiction writer do to "leave the world fairer and more just"?
FOR EXTRA ENTRIES (worth 1 entry each):- Blog about this post (leave a link)- about this post (leave a link)- Visit Mike Crowson's website and tell me about your favorite title.- Be a Wicked Darling (follow Pagan Culture)- Follow Pagan Culture on Twitter- Snatch a Pagan Culture Button - Follow Pagan Culture via email - Steal a Pagan Fiction in 113 Words or Less Button * Please leave separate comments.
This giveaway ends July 3rd at 5:13pm. The winner will be chosen on the 4th of July.
Want the fun to start before the Fourth of July? Go to Smashwords and buy something, my luvs!
