It is quite a daunting situation for both readers and writers. Without the sections, some new writers get lost in the mix unless publishers pony up the coop dollars to put them on a table or end dump.

Being put in a particular section, however, could have a chilling effect on someone who may feel out of place in that section or that a book in that section wouldn’t appeal to them.

I had a funny experience the other night at the mall. Walked into HOT TOPIC with my daughter who was looking for TWILIGHT t-shirts. The moment I walked in, every teen in the store looked my way and I immediately assumed a defensive body posture — arms wrapped around myself. Slightly tense since I felt that I didn’t belong there.

When we left the store, I immediately relaxed and my daughter was quick to comment on how she had realized I felt out of place.

Maybe like someone would feel in a store “ghetto” of only African-American or Latino or other ethnic authors.

Food for thought and additional discussion, right?

I have often been frustrated looking for a new author to read in the romance aisles. Sometimes it seems like because there’s so much there you can’t find anything. Like trying to find my car keys in my purse.

Some of the mystery/suspense authors I like to read are located in that aisle and I forget to go check there because I’m so used to my “usual” haunts.

Seems like booksellers would be doing us a favor if they would make a search tool available in the store. Instead of those “employee use only” devices you see hanging on the walls. Too bad Mr. Dewey isn’t still around. I’ll bet he could figure out a way fix it.

Put something on the spines that says , latino, ethnic, african american, vampires, funny, black ops, regency, men in kilts, funny men in kilts, space men in kilts, latino men in kilts etc. That would help. I think Amazon has the right idea – If you liked abc, you’ll like, x, y, z. (I’m not sure how they know that…) But it would be hard to implement in a bricks and mortar store.

And I’m one of those shoppers who somehow thinks that I’m incompetent if I need the help of the bookstore clerks. “I’ve been shopping on my own for forty some years now sonny! – Don’t need no help from you, you young whippersnappers!”

However, I think the biggest drawback to these sections is that readers might think that because they’re not African American or Latino that those books wouldn’t “apply” or “appeal” to them. Also, I’ve noticed that these sections are poorly stocked and not well-maintained by staff.

There isn’t an easy answer. We could try to promote our books in Latina magazine, for example, but their book section is half of a page and the advertising rates are beyond most of our promo budgets.