Monday, March 11, 2013

Writing Outside My Race by Ashlynne Laynne


My life is an eclectic mesh of bi-racial, same sex and mixed gender relationships. This rich tapestry of cultures, ideas and people grounds me, letting me know what's truly important in life. These unique relationships were a catalyst in my creating an interracial couple for my Progeny Series.

As a gifted youngster, I experienced racism on its most elemental and basic level. This taught me to love everyone and gave me intolerance for prejudice. My late mother challenged me to be more than my surroundings, encouraging me to remember my past but never let it dictate who I wanted to be. When I was a teenager, being different got me picked on and made me unpopular. This gave me a thick skin and the attitude that it was better to be myself than to be someone else just to fit in.


Writing outside of my race has its challenges. Those who support black authors don't necessarily take me seriously, because my characters aren't black. I'm accustomed to being different and am too much of a rebel to conform. Being different gives me an unusual insight and a deep respect for those who are different from myself. I have a close circle of friends who support and encourage me, listen to my whining about my writing and love me to my core. I think of my friendships in terms of quality, not quantity. Those in my life, I trust and are there for a reason.

So to the subject of this article...Why do I write outside of my race when it makes things more difficult for me?

1. I do it to be different. Sure, I could fill twenty books with all the drama I've experienced, but there are already other black authors doing that (and doing a great job at it too, I might add).

My heart just isn't there.

2. I do it to be rebellious. I love the look on someone's face when they realize that the person behind the story isn't who they expected.

Most importantly...

3. I do it because writing interracial romance is where my heart is. I've always read that an author should write what they love. For me, writing edgy, erotic, paranormal tales appeals to the misfit in me. I feel it's important to push the envelope, shake things up and stretch myself beyond what is familiar. When I finish a novel, I need to feel like I've grown both as a writer and as a human being.

About the Author:

AshlynneLaynne is the author of The Progeny Series. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, reading and spending time with her family. She juggles the hats of wife, mother, full time employee and part-time writer, hoping to write exclusively one day soon. Find and follow her online on Twitter. Check out her Manic Readers page, Blog and Website, or leave her a note in her Reader EmailAshlynne lives in North Carolina with her husband and teenage son.

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