The lack of diversity in romance publishing is a problem.
There are many factors that have created a barrier for diverse authors, and it will take a community effort to create change. One excuse we hear often is bloggers and media don’t know where to find diverse romances.
We’re changing that.
Bloggers, journalists, and other media need lead time to plan their editorial calendar. Librarians also find it helpful to know what titles will soon be available. To help connect diverse authors and the media/librarians, we’re establishing a database of diverse romances and media. We’ll send monthly emails to the media that includes a link to a database of diverse romances that will be released in the next 3 months.
This list is maintained by: Thien-Kim Lam of Bawdy Bookworms, Jen of @JenReadsRomance and Suzanne of Love in Panels. If you have any questions, please contact Thien-Kim at info@bawdybookworms.com
What diversity means to us
We recognize all diverse experiences, including (but not limited to) LGBTQIA, Native, people of color, gender diversity, people with disabilities*, and ethnic, cultural, and religious minorities.
*We subscribe to a broad definition of disability, which includes but is not limited to physical, sensory, cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disabilities, chronic conditions, and mental illnesses (this may also include addiction). Furthermore, we subscribe to a social model of disability, which presents disability as created by barriers in the social environment, due to lack of equal access, stereotyping, and other forms of marginalization.
Add your information below to join our media list. We’ll send you monthly emails with a link to the database of diverse romances. You can peruse the list and choose with books you’d like to cover for your media outlet.
By adding your information to this list, you give us permission to send you emails about the diverse romances database. We hate spam and will not sell or share your information.
Fill out the #OwnVoices category in whatever way you are comfortable, including leaving it blank. We do not want to out anyone! That said, please don’t be awful and claim something as #OwnVoices if you are not from that marginalized group.
Afraid I can’t answer that question for you. We’ll be scanning the sheet for duplicates, but since the form asks for a point of contact, make sure you’re directing everyone to the right person.
At the beginning of each month, we will send out the next three months worth of list. This is a rolling list, so if we receive new submissions during that time, they’ll go into the correct month.
For example:
September 1, we’ll send out the list with books coming out in September, October, and November.
October 1, we’ll send out the list with books coming out in October, November, and December.
So if you get your entry in on September 15 with an October 3 release date? You can get it into that October list to journalists and bloggers.
Discoverability! We hope this list will give all kinds of reviewers, librarians, and bloggers the opportunity to find your books. Even if reviewers don’t have enough time to read your book, they may include your work on new release lists, in related posts, and/or generally talk about it on social media.
Professional reviewers (the New York Times, Washington Post, Kirkus, etc) work on different timetables than bloggers, and they have told us that three months lead time is ideal. If you are self-published, please know that most professional outlets will not review books that only appear in Kindle Unlimited. (Independent bloggers have different policies.)
