Hello my far out chicks and happening cats. It’s been a week or so since my last blog and I’m sure all three people who read it have been like “where did Piper go?” Sorry, I’ve been a writing fool and had to go incognegro for a minute, but I’m back.
Today my question to all who dare to answer is: What color is love?
I ask this because I recently considered the issue of the genre Interracial Romance. I have another blog where I go way in depth about this issue but I decided to toss my two cents over here too. Most novels I read the hero and the heroine are the same race. To me, it’s no big deal, as long as I can identify with the characters in some way they could be purple for all I care.
However, it is nice to have some variety, don’t you think?
I can only read so many times about someone’s alabaster skin or peaches and cream skin. I like the idea of two characters of a different race getting together and making a swirl cone. Also, if the characters are a different ethnicity why is it that there always has to be some big issue over skin color?
Hell, if the only problem I had in my life was the color of my skin I’d be a happy bitch. Unfortunately, I have real life issues and the color of my skin rarely comes into the fold. I date exclusively interracially and I’ve never had race be an issue. Why can’t love just be love and the race of the characters not come into play? Why do I have to label some of my novels as “interracial?”
I mean, shit, I write mostly about fantastical creatures anyway. Who cares if a white vampire hooks up with a black fairy. My issue would be vampires and fairies are real! Get out of town! I don’t care what color their skin is. So why should the world?
Yes, some people want to know what they’re getting before they get into a novel, but one of my favorite authors, J.R. Ward, slipped gay vampires into her story and she didn’t have to label it Gay Romance. So, why should I have to specify when my main characters aren’t the same color even though that difference plays no part of the story? With the way I write one would never be able to tell what race my characters are without the descriptions. It’s not like they walk around saying things like, “What’s up my brother,” or “Hey, yo, negro,” or “How’s it going whitey,” or “Vanilla bean in the hizouse.”
If you’re feeling adventurous I’d love to get your opinion, your true opinion, not your PC opinion. Does it matter to you what race your hero and heroine are? Is there really a color of love?
Just something on the mind of the…
Pied Piper
Blaxican outty five thousand yo! ;-)
Great topic you don't hear discussed often. In my paranormal romance my hero and heroine are an interracial couple. The heroine is actually bi-racial, but race is not an issue and it never comes up as one, aside from some descriptions. I saw absolutely no reason why it should. He was hot for her, she was hot for him, and their biggest problem was staying alive and together. And she had to come to terms with the fact she isn't human. I didn't label it "interracial" and my agent doesn't plan to sell it as "interracial".
ReplyDeleteA very thoughtful post, Piper. I think it's sad that we still, even after all these years of trying to get it right, have to ask these questions! People are people no matter the color of their skin who who they chose to love. There are plenty of novels out there who tell the reader up-front "this is an interracial romance." Why should it matter? As for me, If I think I'll like the story, I'll buy the book... no matter how it's labeled.
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