#WeNeedDiverseBooks Campaign Comes To Inaugural BookCon : Code Switch : NPR: When the organizers of the publishing industry's annual trade convention in New York City announced that one day would be open to the public, they hoped to build buzz and excitement for books in the social media age. The inaugural BookCon last Saturday would be filled with panels, author stalking and autograph opps for the Twitter set. What the organizers didn't anticipate was a firestorm over their all-white lineup.
The initial list of invited speakers included James Patterson, Lemony Snicket (Daniel Handler) and even Internet superstar Grumpy Cat. But for author Grace Lin, the fact that there were more cats than people of color speaking at the industry's most high-profile gathering was "disappointing and incredibly insulting." But Lin says it was also not surprising given the publishing industry's disconnect with the next generation of American readers.
