Yeah! I have something I'm trying to do for work. Kind of inspired by a forum topic about why black speculative fiction isn't popular. I started getting emails about it recently and it got my brain ticking.
At the large bookstore chain where I work, we do have a few shelves of African American fiction. But they're mostly urban fiction about gangs, or slave narratives. Nothing wrong with either, but my hypothesis is that if you don't have a way of knowing that there's sci fi written by black people, then you're not going to find it on the shelf labeled 'African American fiction' in our bookstore. For a reader looking for something more, they will not find it there.
One of my co-workers didn't know who Octavia Butler was- that she was black and female and one of the most prolific sci-fi writers around. And that's not their fault at all, but it does prove my point. I'm trying to convince the higher ups at my job that expanding those shelves, or at least including books from the massive sections in sci fi, fantasy and horror, written by black people is important.
People going to those shelves, looking for something other than romance novels and 'urban' fic are going to think that these books don't exist for us. And that's the problem. The sci fi section of the store is MASSIVE. So easy to get lost in, so easy to never know black people are there. My manager said she'd help me create the proposition, and while she said it's a very long shot (not just this idea, but most changes to the system) she is still going to help. She wants a list, and I need suggestions!
I need author, title, ISBN- 13 (or 10), along with publishing date and any other info you can get me. I will take anything and everything, especially repeat suggestions. I want popular stuff. I want to convince these businessmen that black sci fi, black fantasy, that it sells, that it is worthwhile. I don't know if this is going to work, but I am going to try.
Help me!
Thank you for your time.
Comments