We’ve received a number of emails in the last few months asking if a particular piece is “multicultural enough” for our imprint. While we can understand writers wondering if we’re the right place to send their work, we can’t respond and comment on every single inquiry. Instead, we hope that this post will help writers to decide for themselves whether or not their book fits with Tu Publishing’s mission.

When an imprint is launched, it is vitally important that the launch titles strongly reflect the kinds of books that the imprint will publish. As we’ve said from the beginning, we’re dedicated to publishing fantasy and science fiction for children and young adults that features main characters of color and/or are inspired by/set in cultures that we don’t see very often—non-Western cultures, particularly. Submissions that work for us could be as varied as a historical fantasy set in ancient China, such as Cindy Pon’s Silver Phoenix, or a contemporary fantasy featuring a mixed-race character set in modern-day London, such as Sarwat Chadda’s Devil’s Kiss. Both books feature something we’re looking for, yet they’re as different as night and day—one might even say “diverse.” A story that is right for us might be set in a world completely unrelated to the real world, or in the far future, or it might be something that, with just a few tweaks to reality, might happen in our own world. There’s such a wide variety of possibilities that we’d hate to pin ourselves down, except to emphasize—again—that we want those stories to be diverse.

What we’re really looking for: great stories, of course! We want to publish exciting, adventurous books that children of all backgrounds will be able to either see themselves in or find a window to another world—or both, because what fantasy book isn’t a window to another world?

Cultures in particular that I (Stacy Whitman, editorial director) am interested in seeing: I don’t see much fantasy featuring Latinos, whether USian or Central or South American. For that matter, there isn’t much fantasy/SF for kids featuring African Americans, or Brazilians (half of Brazil’s population, I recently read, is some mix of black, Hispanic, and native Brazilian), or Asians (again, whether USian or in another country). If the story is set in a fantasy world unrelated to our own world, of course, they wouldn’t necessarily be designated “African American”—there are no “Asians” in Middle Earth, for example, because there is no Asia, right? But as we mentioned previously, characters and settings might be Japanese, Jamaican, or Inuit, Zimbabwean or Nigerian, Australian Aborigine or Ainu—there’s such a wide range of cultures and people who we don’t see often in fantasy, folklore whose depths haven’t been explored.

People have also asked about whether, because they never mention the race of their main character, their book would work for what we are looking for, and for that let us point you to Bookavore’s post about how, when only the races of the characters of color are mentioned, “white” becomes the default. White authors, especially, need to be aware of that kind of white privilege and hopefully mitigate for it, though it is a trope that many people use. I say this as a white woman who is still learning, myself—but it is something we all need to be aware of, especially because readers generally notice it, whether consciously or unconsciously, and it is our mission to ensure that all readers feel welcome reading the books we publish.

(We’ve mentioned before that we’re also interested in historical fiction and mystery that might be more realistic than speculative. These genres are welcome for submissions, but please note that our first two launch titles will be speculative in nature.)

We’re interested in hearing from authors who have never been published and authors who have been previously published. If you have an agent, great, but we don’t require agented submissions at this time. And we’d like to particularly encourage writers of color to submit, though that’s certainly not a requirement. As we mentioned in our submission guidelines, if your story is set in a culture not your own, all we ask is that you treat the characters and culture with respect. Nisi Shawl’s article on Transracial Writing for the Sincere is a great primer on writing from an ethnic background not your own—a great primer if you’re writing fantasy, period, because what is worldbuilding if not writing from the perspective of a culture that’s different from your own, even if tweaked just a little bit?

But when we say that the launch titles will reflect our mission strongly, we mean it. We’re looking for books that meet that mission, and if you think yours does, great! If your story, no matter how well-written and interesting, is about a white boy in modern-day America, even if he has a black friend, it’s probably not going to meet our mission strongly enough. But that’s something you need to decide for yourself, after looking at the books we’ve recommended and the interviews we’ve posted with bloggers like Susan from Color Online and authors like Cynthia Leitich Smith and Cindy Pon. After browsing our site and absorbing this information—and hopefully reading the books that we’ve recommended, not just because they show what we’re looking for but because they’re good books!—we hope that writers will have a better understanding of what we mean by “multicultural,” loaded as that term might be with historical baggage.

And of course, if you submit your book and it isn’t right for us, we’ll let you know. But there are a number of reasons a book might not be right for us, and whether a book is multicultural enough or not is only one piece of a larger puzzle. We hope that by giving you as much information as possible on this subject, it might be of use, but the main thing we want to emphasize, again, is write a good story.

Good luck with your writing! We look forward to reading your submissions.

Today, we talk to her about living in a multicultural world. I especially love her answers (and everyone’s answers so far) about her reading preferences as a teen, because we’re all so different, and we each have different needs and interests as readers. This is something that we especially want to keep in mind at Tu Publishing. Note also her answers for writers interested in writing in multicultural worlds–wise words to remember.

Stacy Whitman: You’ve been writing for years, but your first YA fantasy novel came out just a few years ago. In Tantalize and its sequels, a lot of multicultural influences come together. Can you tell us a little about your background and where you live, and the influences on your books?

Cynthia Leitich Smith: Yes, Tantalize was published by Candlewick in 2007, and its companions (to date) are Eternal (2009) and Blessed (2011). There’s also a graphic novel adaptation of Tantalize in the works. The books are set in contemporary Austin, but also a universe with angels, shapeshifters, vampires, and ghosts. The casts are diverse—including protagonists like Kieren Morales, who’s Irish-Mexican American, and Miranda, who’s Chinese-Scottish American, and angels who’re described as looking black or Latino or otherwise mixed race (among others).

I’m a mixed blood-tribal member of Muscogee Nation, which is based in Oklahoma, where my mother and her family hail from. My husband is Japanese-German American. We make our home in Austin, Texas, which is a university town with students, faculty, and visitors from around the world as well as a diverse residential population. The Mexican American community and culture heavily influences the city.

It seems completely natural for me to offer novels with diverse casts—it would be impossible to depict, say, south Austin without including, say, Latinos, foreign students, and for that matter ’kickers and hippies.

You interview so many people for your blog (mirrors on Livejournal and MySpace)—you seem to be at the crossroads, telling people about everyone else’s news. You also have some really great resources on your site for readers and writers alike, including book lists of multicultural books broken down by culture and a database of freelance editors. What got you started doing this? Particularly on the book lists, news & notes, and interviews, why do you feel it’s important to share this information with readers?

After an early childhood flirtation with poetry, my earliest writing years were spent as a journalist. I was editor of my junior high and high school newspapers and majored in news/editorial at college. When my law school classmates were working as clerks at law firms, I was writing feature stories about high-profile people for The Dallas Morning News. The only thing I didn’t like about it was the emphasis on bad news, which has become ever greater in the years since. My blog, Cynsations, allows me an opportunity to share good news of children’s-YA literature, its creators, and the people who connect books to young readers. So I suppose I’m fulfilling my inner journalist.

Beyond that, when I quit my day job to write full time, it wasn’t just about my own writing. Don’t get me wrong, I’m passionate about my creative work. But I’m also a terrific fan of the conversation of books and a big believer in community.

Since Tantalize is all about the food, what are your top five favorite foods from around the world?

Hamachi sashimi, shrimp migas, Kansas City-style barbecue (sorry, Texas), and macaroni and cheese.

What are the top five things you’d recommend writers remember when working on characterization or worldbuilding in fantasy?

(1) To the extent possible, step into your fictional world. Walk the streets (or their models) that your characters walk, find wardrobes for them, sketch or identify a physical model for each.

(2) Keep a bible of the world, so you have it for easy reference.

(3) Earn your fantasy element—it must be internally consistent, necessary, and relate to some aspect of the real world.

(4) Remember your fantasy beings are going to have to be more human than humans.

(5) Use sensory and other details to act as a springboard for suspension of disbelief.

Not necessarily a “top” five list, because we all have so many favorites, but can you recommend five new authors of multicultural literature for children or young adults—preferably fantasy/science fiction/mystery—for readers to keep a look out for?

• Cindy Pon, author of Silver Phoenix: Beyond the Kingdom of Xia
• David Macinnis Gill, author of Soul Enchilada
• Grace Lin, author of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon (Grace isn’t a new voice but she’s new to fantasy novel writing) (Note: Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is December’s pick for the Al Roker book club on the Today Show; check out Grace’s blog for news on when she’ll be appearing on the show.)
• Ellen Jensen Abbott, author of Watersmeet (a high fantasy which offers a look into prejudice/discrimination)
• Kekla Magoon, author of The Rock and the River (realistic fiction, but still a terrific author)

Five fascinating cultures that are underrepresented in fantasy/science fiction for young readers?

So many… In the U.S., I’d like to see more depictions of those of Arab, Native, Polish (especially new immigrant), Appalachian, and African American heritage (among others). That said, I’d caution those writing cross-culturally against defaulting to “mystical” or “exotic” stereotypes—do your homework. And on the Native American front, remember that a lot of what the mainstream categorizes as “myth” is part of traditional belief systems and should be afforded the same respect as other faiths.

And some questions that I’ll ask everyone, because I love the answers we get:

When you were a teen, did you read much fantasy? Why or why not?

Yes, especially Stephen King’s novels and pretty much anything I could find at the library. The only bookstore was a small one, based at the local mall, and I bought a lot of Star Wars and Star Trek tie-in novels there.

Was it important for you as a teen reader to read books in which there were people like you, to find a personal connection to the story? Was there a time when you first felt that sense of connection to a book, a sense that you identified with the character or felt more comfortable with the setting, that you could tell us about?

Honestly, I tended to avoid books with Native characters. They didn’t ring true to me, and often made me feel embarrassed. Avoidance is my defense strategy. I’m a huge “Buffy” fan, for example, but didn’t watch “Pangs,” which I’ve been told by Native friends was probably a good thing for maintaining my enthusiasm.

The theme of Teen Read Week was “Read Beyond Reality.” Teen Read Week is over, but we think it’s still a great motto for readers year-round. How does reading take you beyond your own reality? What do you look for in a good book?

I’m looking for a fantasy that helps me make sense of my reality, even if I don’t realize it at the time, even if I’ve told myself it’s pure escapism.

How would you encourage teen readers to read beyond reality?

I tend to highlight conversations with authors. For Teen Read Week, I pointed my readers to books that had a complimentary fantasy element—vampires or angels—to my latest release, Eternal.

Why is multicultural literature important to you? Why do you think it’s important for the teens who read your books?

My world is multicolorful—diverse in terms of ethnicity, race, orientation, faith. My books should be too. Teens like to see vibrant, fascinating characters of varying backgrounds and hues. Of late, a teen wrote me:

“Nice to see an Asian girl pick up a battle-axe!”

We couldn’t have said it better.

I talked to Cindy in preparation for Teen Read Week, but her schedule and mine didn’t work out to post this during the actual Teen Read Week (which was last week)—so we’ll continue celebrating “reading beyond reality” beyond the one week, and we hope you do too.

Stacy: I read Silver Phoenix and I loved it. I cringed for Ai Ling several times—you aren’t afraid to put her in awkward situations! Silver Phoenix is set in the Kingdom of Xia, a culture much like that of ancient China. You’ve talked about this on the Enchanted Inkpot, but I wonder if you’d talk to us a little about the challenges of writing a girl character in a historical setting, especially one that’s misogynistic or paternalistic, and how you had to navigate that culture to be able to tell the story you wanted to tell. Was it hard keeping within the bounds of a girl’s prescribed role? You broke a few boundaries by having Ai Ling set off on her journey alone to save her father, but she’s very traditional in other ways. How did you push at those strictures to create a strong character who girls today could identify with?

Cindy Pon: It really was a challenge, Stacy. I had done research for this novel and was very well aware that a girl’s place was within the inner quarters — at home, but not even all of the home, but the women’s part, away from the public and the men’s domain.

I struggled with trying to come to terms with what my book was, but became mired under historical details that would have rendered Silver Phoenix impossible to tell–as I wanted to tell it.

I realized then that I wasn’t writing a historical. Or a historical fantasy. Silver Phoenix is inspired by ancient China, but it doesn’t take place in China or in an actual time in history. In this way, I was able to keep the feel of China but still tell Ai Ling’s story. Many details like breast binding and how hair is worn were made up by me and contributed to the Xia culture.

I most certainly wasn’t writing a Chinese story. I’m Chinese-American and I think the story relates my viewpoint. I found the dichotomy of obeying your parents and needing to grow and become independent easy to relate to–a universal theme of growing up. Whether the reader is willing to “buy” my story is a personal choice.

Why did you write a book set in this culture? Were there myths, legends, or fairy tales that you drew on? You’ve got quite a range of demons and other supernatural beings who show up—what were your influences?

When the idea of this novel came to me, I had just begun studying chinese brush painting and becoming more interested in learning about the art and culture. (I did take classes in Chinese studies in university but that was more recent times, like the cultural revolution, etc.) Fantasy has and always will be my first love genre. So I thought I’d write a story that combined these two interests.

Something like the snake demon is very much rooted in Chinese folklore. The one armed tribe and passing the land of women, those were all in a very old book that most Chinese don’t even know today. But I also loved creating monsters, and most of them were from my imagination — usually a creature or situation that I’d personally find terrifying (drowning, death and corpses…).

I read that you were born in Taiwan and grew up here in the States.  And you’ve mentioned to me that you used “old brother” in Silver Phoenix instead of “big brother” or “older brother” as an honorific because it’s a direct translation from the Chinese. Do you feel that knowing the language, or being a part of a modern culture descended from the culture you’re writing in helped you to craft your setting more fully? Did you travel to China (or to Taiwan, perhaps) at some point to visit historical sites? What worldbuilding advice might you give to writers on creating a fully realized setting as you’ve done in Silver Phoenix?

I think so. For another writer, they may have to research more within the culture they want to write, if it isn’t something they grew up with. (But research is a fun part of writing!) I wish I had visited China! But no, one day. I had to rely on some magnificent travel books with gorgeous fotos and online research as well as films to immerse myself in the feel of the story. I visited Taiwan and did get a chance to visit a museum to look at Chinese brush paintings.

When you were a teen, did you read much fantasy? Why or why not?

Oh, yes. It was my favorite genre! At least, the stories that made a lasting impression. I loved Tad Williams, Terry Brooks, Tolkien, Madeleine L’engle, Piers Anthony, Anne Rice, Stephen King, Dean Koontz (I guess latter more horror?). As an adult I discovered Ursula Le Guin, Neil Gaiman, Megan Whalen Turner, Ellen Kushner.

I honestly wonder if there will be a day when I can write a novel without fantastic elements in it. I think fantasy (and speculative fiction) is so liberating. You are only limited by your own imagination in the worlds and stories you create.

Was it important for you as a teen reader to read books in which there were people like you, to find a personal connection to the story? Was there a time when you first felt that sense of connection to a book, a sense that you identified with the character or felt more comfortable with the setting, that you could tell us about?

Culturally and ethnically? No. I can’t think of a book growing up that I loved that had even one single Asian or Asian-American character in it. I didn’t even think about it. I couldn’t get a Barbie doll that looked like me, why should I expect to read a story that had someone like me culturally?

It doesn’t mean that I didn’t relate to my books  and stories. I loved Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell, and the heroine is of a culture and from a place I am unfamiliar with, but I still sympathized with her plight. And another favorite series by Noel Streatfield had girls in England — all learning something (like dancing or ballet) that I knew nothing about. And A Little Princess by Frances H. Burnett also based in England. Could read that over and over.

This is why stories are so wonderful to me. If the author did her job, you can love and relate, even to something that isn’t exactly like you. And I’ll say the same of Silver Phoenix. You may know nothing about the Chinese culture or having to be forced into a betrothal, but I don’t think that means you wouldn’t like or relate to Ai Ling’s story. One of the biggest compliments I received was from a reluctant reader who wasn’t so into this Asian fantasy book, read it and loved it. That made me so happy!

The theme of Teen Read Week is “Read Beyond Reality.” How does reading — not necessarily fantasy and science fiction, but since you’re a fantasy buff, feel free to answer about that — take you beyond your own reality? What do you look for in a good book?

So I love to watch foreign movies. [Stacy: Me too!] And I don’t mind reading subtitles one bit. I’m a bit boggled when I learn that the average American doesn’t like foreign films or subtitles. When I read, I love escapism, and if I can learn something about a different culture or become immersed in the author’s world and characters, that is the best experience for me.

How would you encourage teen readers to read beyond reality?

I’ve read beyond my comfort zone and favorite genres since deciding to become a writer — and I would encourage all readers to do the same. If you only read romance, try some mystery. If you only read high fantasy, try contemporary or urban fantasy, etc. You never know if you discover a book you love you may never have tried before.

Tell us a little about the teens who read your book. Is it a new experience for them to read about an Asian protagonist, especially to read fantasy set in an Asian setting? What kinds of reactions have you gotten so far?

I had fans who enjoy manga and films such as spirited away that loved my novel. I’ve had quite a few readers who don’t read fantasy, much less ones with a historical asian inspired feel, but did and really enjoyed it as well. I also met some boys who read my book–and that always makes me happy!

Why is multicultural literature important to you? Why do you think it’s important for the teens who read your books?

It’s important because I’m of a multicultural background and most of us live in a multicultural world. I think reading beyond what you know and what you’re used to and what you’re comfortable with helps us to grow not only as readers but as people.

Mitali Perkins reported in a School Library Journal article that

Statistics show that 17 percent of students enrolled in American schools are African American. During 2008, however, the Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that among the 3,000 or so titles they received, only six percent had significant African or African-American content. While 20 percent of the country’s students are Latino, only about two percent of all books reviewed by CCBC had significant Latino content.

The numbers are even more dismal for American Indians, though better for Asian Americans. The Cooperative Children’s Book Center went on to report that in 2008, “A significant number—well over half—of the books about each broad racial/ethnic grouping are formulaic books offering profiles of various countries around the world.” That is, they’re geography books with reports on a country’s agricultural and mining products, geology, that sort of thing.

How many of the titles left over are fantasy and science fiction? Well, it’s hard to pin down a number, because fantasy and SF are broken down separately in the report, so it’s hard to tell whether F/SF featuring characters of color or set in non-Western or minority cultures were counted among the F/SF, the multicultural fiction, or both.

But let’s look at a wonderful online booklist project being compiled by Flying Pig bookseller and PW blogger Elizabeth Bluemle. Out of 517 really great books–including picture books–that feature multicultural settings and characters (this number itself a tiny percentage of the number of books published every year), only 23 come up when you search the list for “fantasy.” Now, there might be more fantasy titles on the list that aren’t showing up under that search, and she may not have had the chance yet to add the titles from the list I linked her to a while back–she’s very busy, of course!

But even adding the titles from that list and others like it (which were compiled thanks to Color Online’s challenge) to the bigger booklist, the percentage of multicultural fantasy and science fiction in the market is quite small.

Last night, I attended a reading and signing by Sherman Alexie, a prominent, award-winning Native American writer. I had heard that he had published one book that had some fantasy in it. As I spoke with the bookseller about Flight, one of Alexie’s adult titles which has some time travel in it, she pointed to a 15-year-old girl standing next to me, saying, “She’s read it, and she loved it, so it has crossover appeal.” The girl, who was Native American, nodded at me and said, “It was one of the first books that I felt a real personal connection with.”

That’s an experience we hope every reader can have at some point, hopefully early on in their lives. And we think that by providing more diverse fantasy and science fiction for readers, we can provide the opportunity for that experience for more young readers.

In the spirit of recognizing those who inspired us to make multicultural science fiction and fantasy (and mystery and historical fiction) our focus, here are some books you should be reading. This is by no means an exhaustive list — just a short list of books we love and recommend (some of which we love so much we’re recommending them while still reading them!), not counting all those great books we haven’t had a chance to read yet. We’ll probably add to this list as we get the chance to read more books. We didn’t include sequels, either–if you like the first book, be sure to look for more!

Across the Nightingale Floor, by Lian Hearn
Book of a Thousand Days, Shannon Hale
City of Fire, Laurence Yep
Dragon of the Lost Sea, Laurence Yep
Devil’s Kiss, by Sarwat Chadda
Eon: Dragoneye Reborn, Alison Goodman
Extras, Scott Westerfeld
Flora Segunda, Ysabeau S. Wilce
How to Ditch Your Fairy, Justine Larbalestier
In the Serpent’s Coils, Tiffany Trent
Libyrinth, by Pearl North
Little Sister, Kara Dalkey
Magic or Madness, Justine Larbalestier
Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit, Nahoko Uehashi
Silver Phoenix, Cindy Pon
Sucks to Be Me, Kimberly Pauley
Tantalize, Cynthia Leitich Smith
The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm, Nancy Farmer
The House of the Scorpion, by Nancy Farmer
The Shadow Speaker, Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu
The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, Grace Lin
A Wizard of Earthsea, Ursula K. Le Guin