Identity
“The value of identity of course is that so often with it comes purpose.” – Richard Grant
Identity
“The value of identity of course is that so often with it comes purpose.” – Richard Grant
Quickfire with: Jacqueline Crooks, author of Women’s Prize nominated, Fire Rush
Ahead of the Women’s Prize for Fiction being announced in two weeks, BLOT sat down with Jacqueline Crooks, author of shortlisted book Fire Rush.
Is it right for authors to write another culture’s story?
How white is the publishing industry? And can white authors ever write culturally diverse characters accurately?
Pride Month: Five LGBTQ+ authors you need to check out
June marks the start of Pride Month, a time to celebrate all the incredible contributions from the LGBTQ+ community.
find yourself
Lillie Lainoff: “There’s a lack of representation for chronic illness in books”
Chronic illness representation in fiction is almost non-existent, but author Lillie Lainoff, has set out to change that with her book ‘One For All’.
From Me Before You to Moby Dick: How books represent disability
Disability has been written into books throughout history – so why are disabled characters either the helpless or hero and not just ‘normal?’
Female rage in fiction: Toxic or empowering?
From Gone Girl to The Power, depictions of angry women have been a popular subject for many authors; but do these narratives embolden the modern woman or feed into toxic stereotypes?
Should books with racial slurs be taught in schools?
Words can pack a punch, but some can knock you out. And for people who experience racism, sometimes words can cut deeper than any action ever could.
AAPI Month: What is it and how is it helping our Asian American authors?
Asian/Pacific Islander Americans have been part of the USA’s history for more than two decades now. However, authors from the community are nowhere near where they should be in...
N.E. Davenport: The impact of a strong female, black lead on the author
Author of the Blood Trails shares how writing a strong, black female lead helped build her own confidence as a black woman in America.
“We shouldn’t have to experience things to have empathy”: How authors write outside their own reality
In writing a YA fiction novel about 16-year-old runner, Jessica, whose Olympic dreams are crushed after an amputation below the knee, author Wendelin Van Draanen lifts the lid on...
Wattpad: A golden opportunity for underrepresented writers
With a cutthroat publishing industry where only a few make it big, Wattpad is a thriving reading and writing community opening doors for authors that might otherwise not get the chance.
Why our books need Black female leads, and five novels that do it well
Too often Black female characters have been sidelined in books. BLOT spoke to author’s Marie Arnold and Tess Sharpe about why it’s important we have Black female characters at the forefront of our books.
Interview with Julia Sanches: Translator of International Booker Prize shortlisted book Boulder
Ever wondered how a book gets translated? BLOT sat down with Julia Sanches, translator of International Booker Prize shortlisted book ‘Boulder’, to talk about all things translation.
Why the rise in LGBTQ+ romance novels is important
Sales of LGBTQ+ fiction books have skyrocketed in the past few years, but what does it mean for the community? And can heterosexual authors ever write queer romance well?
How storybooks have failed British Chinese children
When BLOT asked the British Chinese community what they could recall from children’s storybooks, the answer was never themselves. People from the community share their struggles...
The Home Maker – A forgotten feminist tale
A novel forgotten to time, Dorothy Canfield Fishers The Home-Maker is well worth checking out for anyone into feminist literature
Marie Arnold: Shedding a light on police brutality
We interviewed author of ‘I Rise’, Marie Arnold, about why it’s important to shed a light on police brutality in fiction.
Murakami’s misogyny: Is his problematic depiction of women putting off young readers?
Best known for Norwegian Wood and Kafka on the Shore, Haruki Murakami has been writing books since the 1970s, and is perhaps Japan’s most famous living author. However, in recent times, the problematic way Murakami treats women in his books has become more and more of a talking point.
