Color-Struck Covers

Is the publishing industry really ready to depict black characters?

By: Michael E. Ross | Posted: August 19, 2009 at 5:46 PM

Justine Larbalestier's Liar: Is the publishing industry really ready to depict black characters?

Is the publishing industry really ready to depict black characters?

Michael R.

Is the publishing industry really ready to depict black characters?

08/19/2009 17:46

The word “whitewash” is rarely considered in a literary context, but Bloomsbury Children’s Books recently got an earful of the word. The publishing company made an unwise decision to publish the novel Liar, a story about a black woman, with a cover portraying a lily-white woman. As Felicia Pride of The Root noted on her blog, the concept for Liar’s original cover art is indicative of a wider issue of ethnic representation within the publishing industry.

The problem is bigger than Liar. But the novel, a psychological thriller by white Australian writer Justine Larbalestier, was as good a place as any to bring attention to an issue long-ignored in publishing.

Ironically, there’s a parallel between Liar’s protagonist, Micah—a pathological liar loose in modern-day New York—and a risk-averse publishing industry set in the same locale: Both are similarly challenged by the weight of reality.

Yielding to an online uproar, Bloomsbury recently agreed to change its previous cover design; the release date has been pushed back until October.

“We regret that our original creative direction for Liar—which was intended to symbolically reflect the narrator’s complex psychological makeup—has been interpreted by some as a calculated decision to mask the character’s ethnicity,” Bloomsbury said in a statement to Publishers Weekly. “It is our hope that the important discussions about race and its representation in teen literature continue.”

Bloomsbury’s tardy apology reflects the monochromatic thinking that persists in the publishing industry—and it’s just as obvious in the revised cover as it was in the blonde-blue-eyed original. The new cover shows a black woman, but her light skin is at odds with Micah’s dark skin and short, natural hair.

Did anyone at Bloomsbury even read the book? As Larbalestier tells it, missing the mark on ethnic or cultural accuracy is common for publishing companies. Although she considers the cover change a “victory,” the author is still mindful of the difficult road ahead.

“Publishing is very white,” Larbalestier told The Root. “Many white people never think about issues of representation, so it's an extra battle to get them to even realize that there's a problem and that they're contributing to it.”

A book cover reflects its own universe; for publishers, it’s also the marketable interface between the author’s vision and the dictates of the marketplace. And when their idea of the marketplace involves a demographic those publishers don’t really understand, it’s no surprise that books with black people in them aren’t always books with black people on them.

Still, the publishing industry is slowly coming around to the fact that there’s more than one market of readers in America. Case in point: In December 2006, the Wall Street Journal reported that book clubs aimed at African Americans were expanding in popularity, as traditional book clubs are in decline. That same month, the Black Expressions Book Club boasted 460,000 members, handily surpassing the membership of the more well-known Book of the Month Club, with 345,000 members. In 2007, black consumers spent about $270 million on books, according to Target Market News, a Chicago-based organization that monitors black consumer spending.

Will Liar’s consequences coupled with the trends in black readership be enough of a wake-up call for publishers?

Larbalestier, for one, is hopeful: “I'm seeing signs that publishers are talking about these issues, and I’m more hopeful for change than I have been in a long time.”

Michael E. Ross is a regular contributor to The Root. American Bandwidth, his book of blog posts and essays, will be published later this year.

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Posted: Monday, October 12, 2009

Yielding to an online uproar,

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Yielding to an online uproar, Bloomsbury recently agreed to change its previous cover design; the release date has been pushed back until October. free games

Posted: Saturday, October 10, 2009

very nice post Mengembalikan

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Posted: Wednesday, October 07, 2009

You may not want to hear this

EddieJones

You may not want to hear this but as much as Black folks try to look white, White Folks are also trying to look Black. Can you say Angelina Jolie? She is not the pasty face Sandy Dennis type white beauty of years past.

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Posted: Thursday, September 24, 2009

@ Fishbap

misterb

There was absolutely nothing violent about my comment, beleive me, I know how to say "i'll cut your throat." But it just goes to show that everything about us is interpreted by you people as violent, Even though History has shown who the real violent people are. And Yes I did say the Sandy Dennis is pasty face. What? you deny this fact? No,.you are just disturbed that I am not one of those black people that have bought into the psychological effects of observing every form of media bombard us with white and white like images and that I merely see your @sses as people. and get this straight siiir. I think that me and my people are beautiful. But this certainly is not proof of racism. So no you are the oner that needs a dose of humility. And since you want to defend Sven so much you and he can get together and blog on white supremist dot com

Posted: Monday, August 24, 2009

@misterb

fishbap

"I kind of wish someone would cut your throat, seriously." SERIOUSLY? I usually enjoy reading the comments section of each article on this website because they tend to contain thoughtful, intelligent and RESPECTFUL opinions from diverse sources. But I guess you’re an exception to this healthy norm. From my observation, Sven's intention was to put forth a personal opinion that, while maybe provocative, wasn't intended to directly insult anyone reading this blog. You say "idiocy" is "spew(ed) constantly" from his mouth, which, unless you scour articles constantly for his comments, is a blind conjecture. You assume he is a “crazy bigot” after a few sentences, but this and lines like “pasty face Sandy Dennis type” only highlight your own arrogance and deep-rooted bigotry against those who think and look differently then you. Violent retorts help no one, but only widen racial divides that have plagued humanity for millennia. Grow up and take a dose of humility, please.

Posted: Monday, August 24, 2009

@misterb

fishbap

Posted: Monday, August 24, 2009

It's ironic

misterb

Buckwheat that you use this name, while complaining about the hair texture of the Black folk used in advertising. I kind of understand what you are saying. I'm not that familiar with the term Crinkly hair. But I think we as a race are way too focused on hair, I started going bald at 28, and i know that we are not the only race that is sensitive about hair but our obsession is way beyond the pale.
But nevertheless there are not as many dark skinned black folks represented in advertising as there should be. But saying that, I also love my light skinned brothers and sisters , why because i in fact do have light skinned brothers and sisters as was my mother. This is the Black race that we are presented with. Its another challenge not shared by non black races other that East Indians, Hawaiians, Thai, Koreans Vietnamese, Puerto Ricans, and other Caribbean Hispanics. We cannot begrudge the use of lighter skinned Black folk, There simply should be a mixture.

Posted: Monday, August 24, 2009

Color-Struck Covers

Is the publishing industry really ready to depict black characters?

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Color-Struck Covers

Is the publishing industry really ready to depict black characters?

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