Taking  a writing prompt of my own from 365 Days of  Writing Prompts for Romance Writers, this is exactly what’s on my mind right now. Over the last few weeks I’ve been writing a lot about the current state of affairs, when it comes to men of colour, their position in society and police brutality.  As I reflected it kind of got me thinking about their ‘position’ in my own industry as a writer. So I decided that on #BlackOutDay2020 which I wrote about here a few weeks back,  a day of solidarity I’d do a day where I do nothing but promote male authors of colour, regardless of his descent be it Asian-Indian Chinese, black or anything else. I had such an overwhelming response, while looking for authors from this demographic on Facebook! From women nominating men, and men putting themselves forward. So, instead a group of us will do promo for this demographic of authors all month from the 1st-31st July.

Why am I doing this?

Frankly, I’ve not been happy for a long time with how men of colour are treated generally within society at times, I will not say sorry for saying this either. I’m a mother of a black boy, I want the world to a better place for him when I’m gone. I also have black men I love and care for in my life, and hate hearing about the hardship, racism, and profiling they experience on a day to day basis.  As a writer, I feel that this demographic of authors don’t often get their voices heard, and are placed into a box of ‘urban’, as if that’s all they write. I wish to give something back in the best way I can, from behind the laptop. I can’t protest #blacklivesmatter or #blacklivesmatteruk due to having people with delicate health at home, and myself also falling into this category. The risk of non-social distancing could mean life or death put bluntly, but if we never had Covid-19 happening right now, I’d be on the streets! Protesting the hell out of it, after seeing George Floyd and Rayshard Brook’s deaths this year, as well as the countless cases I’ve followed in every corner of the world over the years, I’m fed up with the police’s brutality and racist behaviour generally from society. I can’t protest in person, so I’ll write about as a writer at Aspiring Authors Magazine to bring attention where needed, support the community and keep the movement going.

When you look at these men what do you see? Drug dealers, bums, aggressive men do they trigger you?? I hope not.  Some are husbands, fathers, grandfathers, uncles etc. They are human and beautiful! Most importantly, they are all well respected and hard-working authors, with published books worth checking out. Or at least getting to know a bit about them, before they are prejudged. They deserve readership, sales, and gaining fans like all authors do. From next week in all genres from romance, poetry, non-fiction and of course urban fiction you’ll learn a little bit about each one. Myself and a handful of other women will be celebrating men of colour in the literary world! Stay tuned.