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This post is different form my usual posts about writing. It touches a matter close to my heart. Racism.

Like many immigrants, I have faced racism in America. The first time came as a shock, but later it learnt to ignore it, labeling it as 'ignorance' rather than 'prejudice,' although I know it for what it was.

Coming from a privileged background in India, a Brahmin, An Indian Air Force Officer, and a doctor, I faced racism from an unemployed American white woman who wanted to rent out a room in her house. She told me she has come upon difficult times and while she usually rents to doctors and lawyers, she has to 'stoop' and rent to 'scum' students. I was a PhD student. I didn't tell her I was a doctor. I turned red and asked if there was a bus stop nearby; as a new immigrant, I didn't have a car yet. She gave me a dirty look and said, "You'd have to ask the cleaning ladies."

I rented a place in a poor immigrant neighborhood and was happy to dwell with the 'scum' as she put it. My neighbors were cleaning ladies and plumbers and carpenters and handymen and a few starving students. We lived in harmony.

That was twenty-five years ago. Even now, prejudice is rampant, but I am protected from it in my 'nice' neighborhood (also with lots of immigrants of color), and behind my whitecoat.

In these troubled times when people are differentiated based on their skin color, gender identity and political views comes an important book by De. D. Dubois, called "Otherness: Souls of Brown Women."

I asked the author:
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This book comes during troubled times. What made you write it? Have you ever faced overt racism or microagressions? If yes, tell us what happened, how you responded, or if you didn't respond, what you felt you should/could have done.
 
Her answer:

When in 1903, "W. E. B." Du Bois’ wrote The Souls of Black Folk, he wasn’t referring to one instance or decade of troubled times, but was referring to the collective struggle of the Blacks as they went through slavery, lynching, racism, discrimination, struggles to be accepted as humans – emancipation, etc. Albeit my book is out at a time when these troubles with “Otherness” are visible again, however these thoughts are well felt from the moment I was exposed to foreign education, and also to some extent education in my own country of origin – India (more of it in the book). It is a culmination of these combined experiences, as a woman and a brown woman, who literally grew into her adulthood in a white world that made me appropriate W.E.B. Du Bois’ black and male perspective, to fit my brown and female observations. Which surprisingly isn’t very different.1903 or 2003… century has passed by, yet mentality hasn’t changed. People try to quell their memories of WWI & WWII, supress memories of genocide by whitesplaining through “western guilt” concept, blame shifting or bigoted neglect. Fact is, the coloured were and are still oppressed.
 
That brings me to this, yes; I have faced many sides of racism and (not so) microaggressions. Apart from India, I have lived/studied/worked/travelled in many countries around the globe. The aggravation started in Australia. Which was quite mild in today’s comparison. In Australia, people would simply start talking to me in Spanish as to them I couldn't have been an Indian. A perception, which is innately discriminatory – and we as Indians know that: North vs. South, stigma of “light skin” vs. “dark skin”.
 
But this discrimination intensified as I remained abroad. When I got married to as Swiss, my first slap came from my sister-in-law, who openly discriminated against me, by saying – “she is marrying my brother for the papers”. Papers – as at – to her it was clear that 3rd World people are refugees in 1st World countries. Ignorance. I tried to talk to her and “enlighten” her, but only so much can be done when someone’s mind is made up. We ended up never seeing each other again. A huge step for a family-oriented Indian woman. But to be able to have that choice was liberating.
 
My next big slap was when I enquired for my Bachelor’s (to study English) at the University of Fribourg of Switzerland, I received a negative reply that read: “in order to do your Bachelor's degree in English language with us, you need to complete a Bachelor’s degree in English from your country of origin”. Which was completely absurd as even Cambridge University wouldn’t have such expectations from their candidates! And I had nothing that I could do about this.
 
So I decided to carry on with Design education. Where, if you read the first paragraph of my opening chapter, you’ll know exactly what I was facing from my classmates: discrete implications of my foreignness, and thus inferior origins! Honestly, I don’t know what I’d do if I hear one more person making fun of Indian accent – on my face! Or, telling me that India only has Punjabi MC for music!
 
Even today, this hasn’t stopped. I get side-tracked, dissed and shunned based on my skin colour. If I point out racism I get hissed at and hushed by my new countrymen and women: Swiss! Note: To be a Swiss, one needs to have mastery over any one of the Swiss national languages and a working proficiency in another Swiss national language is a plus. Applicants must know Swiss history, culture, politics etc., when presented in front of a panel of judges. It is so difficult to be a Swiss, that there is a saying in Switzerland which goes like so: new Swiss national are more Swiss than “actual” Swiss! However, when you are “coloured”, all of that doesn’t matter. To the point, recently during a heated situation, I got discriminated by a German girl, telling me “I don’t understand how people like you get to be here…” … where “people like you” meaning coloured people from 3rd world countries, and “here” stands for the obvious – Switzerland, and studying for a Master’s degree (and despite getting excellent scores, not allowed/asked to exhibit at the final exhibition). Discriminated by a foreigner in my country because I am a brown woman, who speaks French as her main language in Switzerland (French is one of the 4 national languages of Switzerland) instead of German!
Yet, I guess my biggest scar was when I missed my tram to college (The Basel School of Design) and was running to the next tram stop to catch the same tram. As I was crossing the pedestrian crossing with no stoplight for pedestrians – a car sped-up to the point that I had to jump to the other side to avoid being run-over (in Switzerland, no stoplight for pedestrians automatically implies that pedestrians have an upper hand and may cross at their free will – vehicles have to stop for the pedestrians). As I turned to look, the car stopped right in front of me. The driver rolled down his window and spat at me! Yelled in German, of which back then I only knew the word “Ausländer“ or “foreigner”; and drove off. Till this day I get nightmares: his livid face yelling at me.
 
Yes, I face racism – as on top of being brown I am everything that goes against every grain of understanding and belief about brown women, and what she should be. I am articulate, I have a mind of my own, and if need be – I can beat these privileged non-coloured men and women at their own game– that makes me someone they get easily scared of – that makes me dangerous. You see, when I meet someone new, they don't necessarily like me, nor do they dislike me. But they are aware of my difference. Sooner or later this difference – which is first and foremost based on my colour and my gender, and then what the two stand together for in my country of origin, and how I defy that generalisation – that scares people.
 
And yet, like any good brown woman, I step back in self-questioning. Sometimes I sympathise, as I see what privilege and ignorance does to people. I am perhaps in the best position to know that as in India I grew up as a privileged Brahmin girl with quite a remarkable (in terms of modest Bengali) lineage, and yet here I am – in a foreign country, fighting against any bigoted white privilege that intends on keeping me (along with many other women of brown heritage) down; just so I can have equal opportunity as a hard working and educated human.
 
What I can do to aid this “brown” situation is – write. If I can put my thoughts and experiences out, perhaps this will give brown women courage to stand up against any kind of oppression. Perhaps my writing can make people aware of these problems – that first come from our brown world and then are reflected back on us through non-brown mirrors.

My guest post on the "Plotting" method appeared on Emilie Rabitoy's site. Here's an exerpt:

Ah! That dreaded first draft!
Most authors have a favored way to creating their first draft. Some are “pantsers,” who dive in and start typing whatever comes to mind with just the basic idea of where the story will go, while others are “plotters” who plan every chapter and every scene. Somewhere in the middle are the “hybrids,” who have a fairly clear idea of what will happen, but only a vague idea of the where and why.
In this segment, I will discuss the “plotting” method, in which the author decides the overall plot of the story, including specific characters, with a well delineated plan for each scene, accounting for the character arc and the three-part story structure, and developing the story with every pass.
1.OUTLINE: Only the basic information on what happens and to whom goes into the outline. The point of view (POV) is not necessarily assigned. It’s all “tell” and no “show” at this point. I’ll share my method.  Using “Styles” in MS Word, I convert all the lines into “Headings” and turn on “view Navigation.” This allows me to clearly see what’s happening in the entire story, with the ability to move chapters around as needed. Using one line for each event, the outline for a 60K story can be written in one or two pages.
EXAMPLE: Married woman bumps into ex-boyfriend who didn’t want kids.  She doesn’t love her slob of a husband. Calls ex over for dinner. Husband gets jealous and has an affair. ? Hits wife or kids? Woman gets a divorce. Marries ex. (Silly plot, but let’s go with it).

To read more, click here.

"Otherness-Souls of Brown Women" by De. B. Dubois

This month I interviewed Sandhya Acharya, author of lovely children's books.

• Tell us about your writing journey. How did you become a writer?

My professional background is in Corporate Finance, but I was always passionate about books and harbored a long pending desire to find my identity as a writer. Then a couple of years back, I decided to dedicate my time and energy in fulfilling this lifelong dream of becoming a writer and an author. Since then, I have tried different genres. I remember the exhilaration I felt on getting my first piece accepted on NPR (KQED) Perspectives. It was a humorous piece about the dilemma of having a long south asian name for my son. I also had articles in India Currents, Indian Moms Connect, Thrive Global as well as a few short stories in the Peacock Journal, Aaduna. I also won the third prize for my story Cherry Blossoms in Katha 2017 a short story contest organized by India Currents and Wellstone Center. This was a story about a young immigrant newly married woman coming to the U.S. Through these stories and articles I have been exploring and finding my voice. It has been not just an enjoyable but a very illuminating journey for me. I feel like I have just begun!

I always enjoyed making stories for my sons. Some of these stories and just being around my sons and observing their antics have been the inspiration behind my adventure with children’s books. My first children’s book was titled Big Red Firetruck and was published through the Amazon KDP program in March 2016. It was well received with 4/5 rating with 29 reviews. But more than anything, it was such a fun project that soonafter I set my heart on another children’s book. This time my goal was to have hardcover books since children really enjoy the sensory experience of touching and feeling a book. That brings me to my latest children’s book 10 Gulab Jamuns - Counting with an indian sweet treat.

• Tell us about your new book 10 Gulab Jamuns. What was your inspiration for this book?​​​

I am really excited about this book. The story is inspired by a true story. I had a sweet tooth growing up and my mother is always telling me how it was a challenge to keep me away from the sweets she prepared for guests. I decided to retell a favorite childhood story of mine in the current context with my two sons. Gulab Jamuns the ever present indian sweet delicacy is the subject of this one.
While on my writing journey,  I learned there was a huge gap in the children’s books market.  Did you know that ..

• 37% of children in the US identify themselves as multicultural, yet only about 10-15% of the children's books have characters that look like them
• Just about 10% of children’s books are written by people of color
• About 3% of children’s books have characters from asia pacific

With my book I hope to close that gap a little.  Here’s a short blurb about the story.
Brothers Idu (Ee-doo) and Adu (Aa-doo) are very excited. Guests are coming over for dinner and their Mamma has already cooked a lot. Next, she is cooking Gulab Jamuns, but Idu and Adu don’t know what Gulab Jamuns are. Before long, they discover just how good these wonderful golden, sugary syrup-soaked balls are and how quickly they melt in their mouths. But Mamma has only made 10 Gulab Jamuns. Will they last until their guests come?

The book not only provides the opportunity for multicultural/south asian descent kids to relate to the characters but also encourages kids of all backgrounds to learn something new about each other. It includes some basic lessons in counting, models positive parenting through its fun story-line and also highlights sibling love and dynamics. What’s more, it includes  a recipe by a well loved Bay Area food blogger to make those delicious Gulab Jamuns yourself. Nothing better than reading the book and then doing a fun cooking project with kids.

The book is ready for pre-order here
https://shop.trycelery.com/page/10-gulab-jamuns

• What is your writing process? Tell us one unique or quirky habit you have when it comes to writing.

My process is ever evolving. My first draft is more about getting whatever is inside of me out on paper. Then I rewrite and rewrite and rewrite. Sometimes if I am not satisfied I leave a peice alone for days and even months and come back with a fresh look to edit. I have tried using prompts when I need a creative push and that has worked out very well too.
I love to sit in coffee shops and libraries. Sipping a coffee, looking around, observing people and being surrounded by books is the perfect inspiration I need. It stimulates my thinking process and gives that perfect balance of having enough subtle distractions to concentrate.

• What is your advice to aspiring writers?

First of all, I am just a humble aspirant and I have miles to go. If I were to give some advice, My biggest advice is - Keep at it. Writing, like any other trade, takes a lot of practise and a lot of hard work. If you have a passion for it, keep at it. It is of course not easy to break into the top. I believe it takes a lot of time to build a body of work and gain appreciation for what you do. I also believe that you have to listen to your heart. If writing is what brings you satisfaction, make sure you keep some space in your life for it. Whether it is full time or part time, make sure it is part of your routine. The satisfaction from pursuing a passion and giving it a 100% is wonderful.
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• What is your most important message to your readers?

Thank you so much for stopping by and reading. I hope to put forth views and stories that entertain you as well as add some value. You may not realize it, but you are making a HUGE difference to authors, writers when you appreciate their work. Be it by supporting us or through social media with like, comment, share and tweets. You won’t believe the joy I feel when I hear from someone who may have liked an article or blog post I have written. Writing full time has been an exhilarating journey for me and I hope to continue with your support and love.

About the author
Sandhya Acharya grew up in Mumbai, India and now lives in the Bay Area. She previously worked in corporate finance and is now a writer. She is mother to two young boys, a dance and running enthusiast.Her articles have featured in NPR(KQED), India Currents and IMC connect. She won the third prize in Katha 2017, a short story contest by India Currents and Wellstone Center in the Redwoods for her story “Cherry Blossoms”. Her short stories have also appeared in literary journals like Peacock Journal, and Aaduna. She also blogs regularly at www.sandhyaacharya.com.
 
Be sure to check out her facebook page and website
www.facebook.com/AuthorSandhya
www.sandhyaacharya.com
And do remember to preorder a copy of 10 Gulab Jamuns. I promise it will be fun!
https://shop.trycelery.com/page/10-gulab-jamuns

Today author Amy Hunter takes over my page with a discussion about her short story, "Salted Ground," appearing in the anthology A Haunting of Words, which also includes my brand new short story, "Jimmy's Shadow."

Blurb: Marley was convinced she had found happiness with Adam when he helped her escape an abusive relationship. When tragedy strikes, will she find hope or torment?
What inspired you to write this story?: One of the many things I struggle with is not knowing when to let go… of anything. Marley became sort of a hero to me. In the first paragraph, she salted the ground and moved on, and in the rest of the story, she deals with the consequences.
How long have you been writing?: I’ve been writing since my early teen years. Earlier than that, if you count the childhood plays my friends and I would perform for my mom (all of which received standing ovations). I moved on to high school journalism, which I thought I would make into a career, but here I am at thirty-three, diggin’ the hell out of fiction.
What genres do you most associate with in your writing?: Suspense, Creative Nonfiction
What are you working on right now?: "Monster’s Edge." When Coralie manipulates Shane into committing a crime, he double-crosses her and leaves her with a parting gift she’ll never forget.
What else do you have available/published?: So far, aside from ‘A Haunting of Words,’ I also have a story called “Core” in ‘A Journey of Words.’
What advice do you give to new writers?: A piece of advice saved my life once and continues to do so every day. I feel like it applies here. So: remove the cotton from your ears and put it in your mouth. Listen and learn from those who came before you. Don’t assume you know everything. And hire an editor. Okay, so the editor thing came later, but do it. You’ll be glad you did.
Where can people can find your work?:
https://www.facebook.com/AmyUnleashed/
https://www.amyhunterauthor.com
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15700724.Amy_Hunter
You can purchase A Haunting of Words (available in paperback and eBook) through the Scout Media online store at: www.scoutmediabooksmusic.com/a-haunting-of-words and get an exclusive companion soundtrack CD, or through Barnes & Nobles, Target, Books-a-Million, and Amazon.

  
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Today author Kari Holloway talks about her short story, "Gunpowder & Wool" which appears in A Haunting of Words, a collection of spooky stories from authors around the world. Look out for my story Jimmy's Shadow which also makes an appearance.

Synopsis of Kari's story:
Corporal Hulett greets the morning on the eve of battle, readying his men to march forth, but what comes through the ghostly fog of gunpowder and scattershot leaves him defending the merits of battle and the rights of brothers-in-arms.

What inspired you to write this story?
Where I am from, Andersonville, Georgia, is a staple from school field trips, national holiday activities, and the yearly reenactments honoring the men who lost their life for a cause they believed in. Not the cause of the government, but the cause of being beside their neighbors standing up together as a united front. Millions were affected with the civil war, and we like to look at it as an overview, but for the men serving, it wasn’t black and white, ideas vs truth.

How long have you been writing?
Professionally, July 2015 marks the starting point. I wrote Cracked But Never Broken and haven’t stopped writing since. Prior to that, writing was a dirty little secret I hid from everyone, even my parents.

What genres do you most associate with in your writing: Southern fiction is the umbrella I write while the specific genres would be romance (my Laughing P series) and paranormal (my Devil’s Playground series).

What are you working on right now?:
I’m working on the third Devil’s Playground novella, the final proofing for the second Devil’s Playground, titled Cry of Gold, which is due to be released in June. Never too Late is headed to the editor to finish up my Laughing P. I’m gearing up a book signing at Xion and having a table at Epicon.

What else do you have available/published:
Cracked But Never Broken (http://books2read.com/CrackedButNeverBroken)
Behind the Lens (http://books2read.com/BehindtheLens )
Forgotten (http://books2read.com/DPForgotten)
Beneath the Mask (http://books2read.com/BeneaththeMasks ) [a perma free short story found on all e-book retailers]
Unbound (http://books2read.com/UnboundAnthology )
Love, Lust, and Scary Monsters (http://books2read.com/LoveLustScaryMonsters )

What advice do you give to new writers?
Just because one idea doesn’t work now, doesn’t mean that idea won’t work later.

For the easiest list, they can check out my site http://KariHolloway.wix.com/fiction or www.facebook.com/k.l.holly. I use books2read links which lead to global and universal links making it a one click button for those around the world.
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You can purchase A Haunting of Words (available in paperback and eBook) through the Scout Media online store at:www.scoutmediabooksmusic.com/a-haunting-of-words and get an exclusive companion soundtrack CD, or through Barnes & Nobles, Target, Books-a-Million, and Amazon.

Today, author Lauren Nalls takes over my page to discuss her short story, "The Rub," which appears in A Haunting of Words, a collection of ghostly stories in which my story "Jimmy's Shadow" also makes an appearance.

Tell us about your story, "The Rub."
“The Rub” is a journey into the hell of the human mind and soul; from the line that splits reality and madness, to the place the rules of the game of life, and death, become blurred. 

What inspired you to write this story?
This story was inspired by one of my current works in progress, I was thinking about what happened “after” and this was the result. I also pushed myself to see if I could write outside my usual genres.

How long have you been writing?
I’ve been professionally writing for three years, but I’ve really been writing my whole life.

What genres do you most associate with in your writing?
Great question! This particular story is way outside my comfort zone as a macabre thriller, and was a challenge for me. I normally write dramatic fiction, historical, and women’s fiction.

What are you working on right now?
I’m currently working on a historical fiction coming of age story. I have a few more works in progress at various stages of development as well.

What else do you have available/published?
My other publications include my short story “Loose Ends,” A Journey of Words (Scout Media, 2016), and a poem, “Burgeon,” published in Fredericksburg Literary Review (spring 2014 Volume 2, Issue 1). I also blogged briefly for Fredericksburg Parent and Family, “Tortoise and Hair series” (2014).

What advice do you give to new writers?
Read, study, practice, and learn from mentors you trust. Keep going, don’t give up. Subject your work to critique but don’t get upset at criticisms. Writing is art and it’s up to the artist to discern what advice to keep and what advice to reject, but always be kind and grateful. That being said, art isn’t completely without rules, we have to learn the rules, or expectations, then break them with intention.

List links where people can find your work:
www.LaurenNalls.com
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLaurenNalls/
https://twitter.com/Scribbleglitch
https://www.pinterest.com/scribbleglitch/
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You can purchase A Haunting of Words (available in paperback and eBook) through the Scout Media online store at: www.scoutmediabooksmusic.com/a-haunting-of-words and get an exclusive companion soundtrack CD, or through Barnes & Nobles, Target, Books-a-Million, and Amazon.