All her life Karen Baker reacts to people who either praise or resent her tawny complexion. When her mother abandons the family, a biracial (Arab/White) woman from the Big Brothers Big Sisters’ mentor program briefly steps into place and begins a change in Karen. She quickly learns everything has a price. For instance, her entertainment choices are even more unpopular among her classmates than her vocabulary. Lacking a sense of belonging, Karen feels misunderstood in high school and defensive in college. Her failed romances with men of various ethnic groups make her life worse. Her problems even follow her into the business world. Karen leaves Homewood, Pittsburgh’s largest ghetto, and as she journeys through her life, she gives up the idea that light skin and long hair are the main definitions of beauty. She also stops believing college graduates are better than people who do not have a degree. Similar to Passin’ by Karen E. Quinones Miller and Good Hair by Benilde Little, my novel explores African-Americans’ internal color and cultural discrimination. PROPERTIUS PRESS will make PARADE OF SHADES available to you in e-book on August 31, 2016, and in paperback on September 30, 2016.
More Blogs by Jewel Y Hopson • Parade of Shades - Monday, April 25, 2016 • Let's Talk - Wednesday, January 22, 2014 • Half Price Offer - Monday, April 21, 2008 • Present Projects - Friday, June 9, 2006
