A few weeks ago, a discussion was introduced on the Dear Author readers blog, leading to countless other discussions in blogland (and more than one catfight) about racism in publishing.

Karen Scott picked up the gauntlet by asking black authors to participate in a survey about whether they had encountered racism in their dealings with the industry. The idea, I believe, was to raise awareness about certain issues that were either unknown to many, being ignored, or tolerated.

I took part in the survey because the bookstores in my area routinely shelve the work of black authors in an African American section, whether they’re political, biographical, or fiction.

For what it’s worth, my response to the survey is here.

And many thanks to Karen for trying to make a difference.