On Writing Transracially: And multiracially
Maybe because I’m a Baha’i and interracial harmony has been woven into the fabric of my life, but I’ve always taken “write what you know” to mean “know it; then write about it.”To me, writing is exploration, and I am fascinated with the exploration of other people’s experiences. So most of my protagonists are transracial, and often multiracial. All the characters in Laldasa are Indian; Taco Del (of TD and the Fabled Tree of Destiny) is a young Latino and his love interest is a red-haired Chinese girl who’s surname is Flanigan; Gina “Tinkerbell” Miyoko (of Tinkerbell on Walkabout” is Japanese/Russian/American, her love interest (in the novel I’m trying to sell) bears more than a passing resemblance to Antonia Banderas.
Now, it has been suggested to me that this is why the novel has not sold and why at least one marketing director has said she didn’t know how to market it—transracial characters are feared not to to be “of interest” to the reading demographic—that is, white American females).
I sincerely hope this is not the case, because I have always written transracial characters and have every intention of continuing to do so.
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