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Things that puzzle me:
For those who have been following the "Liar" cover scandal (YA novelist writes novel with black protagonist. Publisher puts a photo of a white girl on the cover. YA writer says, "But, but that doesn't look remotely like my main character, who is, as you'll see if you read the book, black. I do not like this cover. I want a different one." The internets explode as people who have seen far too many book cover do exactly this speak up in protest), the author, Justine Larbalestier, has succeeded in getting Bloomsbury to create a new cover for the American edition of her book with a black teenager on the cover. Some people have pointed out that the model is still light-skinned and conventionally attractive (so, better than nothing, but still only part of what many people were asking for), but others point out that the character in the novel is apparently multi-racial. Either way, Larbalestier is pleased that the cover was changed, and, given her professional situation, she can't really express anything other than pleased and thrilled gratitude, because this is, after all, her publisher we're talking about, and if they change the cover upon her request and she says, "Nope, still not right, change it again," her chances of being published by them again would probably plumet.
Numerous people have congratulated Larbalestier on her blog over the cover change, which is, honestly, something of a big deal. Authors have very little control over the covers they're given, and asking for and getting this kind of change is (sadly) unusual, even if it's less change than was hoped for.
That doesn't puzzle me. Larbalestier wanted a cover that didn't have a white teenager's photo on it, and she spoke up and got one. Congratulations are in order.
What puzzles me is that people are also congratulating Bloomsbury, the publisher. Um, for what? Congratulations, you did something you should have done in the first place, but only after people all over the internet called you to task over it and the author begged you? That's like congratulating someone for paying their taxes after the IRS threatens to audit them.
For those who have been following the "Liar" cover scandal (YA novelist writes novel with black protagonist. Publisher puts a photo of a white girl on the cover. YA writer says, "But, but that doesn't look remotely like my main character, who is, as you'll see if you read the book, black. I do not like this cover. I want a different one." The internets explode as people who have seen far too many book cover do exactly this speak up in protest), the author, Justine Larbalestier, has succeeded in getting Bloomsbury to create a new cover for the American edition of her book with a black teenager on the cover. Some people have pointed out that the model is still light-skinned and conventionally attractive (so, better than nothing, but still only part of what many people were asking for), but others point out that the character in the novel is apparently multi-racial. Either way, Larbalestier is pleased that the cover was changed, and, given her professional situation, she can't really express anything other than pleased and thrilled gratitude, because this is, after all, her publisher we're talking about, and if they change the cover upon her request and she says, "Nope, still not right, change it again," her chances of being published by them again would probably plumet.
Numerous people have congratulated Larbalestier on her blog over the cover change, which is, honestly, something of a big deal. Authors have very little control over the covers they're given, and asking for and getting this kind of change is (sadly) unusual, even if it's less change than was hoped for.
That doesn't puzzle me. Larbalestier wanted a cover that didn't have a white teenager's photo on it, and she spoke up and got one. Congratulations are in order.
What puzzles me is that people are also congratulating Bloomsbury, the publisher. Um, for what? Congratulations, you did something you should have done in the first place, but only after people all over the internet called you to task over it and the author begged you? That's like congratulating someone for paying their taxes after the IRS threatens to audit them.