Name our book!
by Carmen Van Kerckhove
I’ve decided to take the plunge and do a Racialicious book!
For various reasons (including the fact that we probably wouldn’t get a $300,000 advance *coughstuffwhitepeoplelikecough*) we’re gonna go the self-publishing route. Thanks to Torontonian for the suggestion!
The book will be an anthology of our best posts over the past four years. While I haven’t yet finalized which posts will be included, I can tell you that the selections will cover a broad range of topics: everything from reality TV to interracial porn, from electoral politics to transracial adoption. I may even sneak in a little Keanu love. 
So here’s where I need your help.
What should we name the book? Post suggestions in a comment here, or email me at carmen@newdemographic.com.
If I decide to use your title, you’ll get a free copy of the Racialicious book (out this fall, if all goes according to plan) and a free one-year subscription to Addicted to Race Premium!
Feel free to come up with as many title ideas as you can — the more the better!
Carmen Van Kerckhove is co-founder and president of
Black Canseco wrote:
” Yum! Now that’s what I call Racialicious!”
America has gone Racialicious.
America + Race= Racialicious.
You taste so racialicious.
Posted 25 Jun 2008 at 6:04 pm ¶
Arturo wrote:
A couple of thoughts off the top of my head …
* “Stuff Non-White People Like: The Racialicious Guide To Pop Culture”
* “This Is How I’m Livin’” — I don’t know, offhand, where this came from, aside from a vague sort of mission-statement vibeyness.
* “Carmen & Latoya’s Excellent Adventure” — Hey, what better way to get a Keanu autograph?
* “New Demographic, Same Sh*!@#: Tuning In To ‘Post-Racial’ America”
Posted 25 Jun 2008 at 6:11 pm ¶
Carmen Van Kerckhove wrote:
LOL! Great stuff, guys! Keep ‘em coming!
Posted 25 Jun 2008 at 6:30 pm ¶
Black Canseco wrote:
“No Country For Old White Men”
“America’s Gone Racialious!”
Posted 25 Jun 2008 at 7:00 pm ¶
wendi muse wrote:
why not just racialicious/ it worked for sex and the city…
Posted 25 Jun 2008 at 8:21 pm ¶
atlasien wrote:
“Tighty Whitey Fight”
Posted 25 Jun 2008 at 8:36 pm ¶
Rob Schmidt wrote:
“Racialicious: Tasty Tidbits from the Intersection of Race and Pop Culture”
I’d suggest getting Dan Poynter’s “Self-Publishing Manual” to guide your efforts. That’s what I’m using.
I’d also suggest going the print-on-demand route: printing only a limited number of copies until you see how well they sell.
Posted 25 Jun 2008 at 8:45 pm ¶
jvansteppes wrote:
Perhaps you can have a ‘Find Keanu’ feature in some of the artwork.
Posted 25 Jun 2008 at 9:06 pm ¶
ceecee wrote:
Pass the popcorn: Looking at pop culture through the lens of the others.
Posted 25 Jun 2008 at 9:26 pm ¶
Black Canseco wrote:
Dan Poynter’s books rule. Started a publishing company and used his books as a guide. POD is expensive per book… you’re better off doing a startup and doing short-run printing to keep your cost down…
how about:
FADE TO BEIGE.
Posted 25 Jun 2008 at 9:33 pm ¶
NoSunlight wrote:
I recently fell in LOVE with this site, but reading this post and these comments have me confused – should white people not be involved here? Should I kick my pale butt out of town?
Posted 25 Jun 2008 at 9:51 pm ¶
Latoya Peterson wrote:
@NoSunlight -
The fact that you thought to ask that kind of question means you can stay.
You’re on PoC ground, but cool white people are welcome to hang.
Posted 25 Jun 2008 at 9:56 pm ¶
NoSunlight wrote:
Thank you, Latoya. I’m not going to claim to have a PoC understanding of the posts, but that doesn’t mean my interest isn’t genuine.
Hello, Racialicious!!
Posted 25 Jun 2008 at 10:13 pm ¶
Le wrote:
“Stuff White People Dislike” and the cover features pictures of people of color.
Ha ha ha! Okay that was racist. Sorry white people.
Posted 25 Jun 2008 at 10:37 pm ¶
chrissy wrote:
@ no sunlight
believe me, you are not the only “whitey” reading this site. I may not fit into the “racialicious demographic” , but isn’t that a part of what this site is about?
Posted 25 Jun 2008 at 10:44 pm ¶
Nia wrote:
I really like “Addicted to Race” as a title, but I would also vote for “New Demographic, Same Sh*!@#.” I love this blog, btw.
Also, what about “Unearthing Cultural Minefields”? I know it sounds real serious, but that is kind of how I think of calling the realities of race in the US how you see ‘em.
Posted 25 Jun 2008 at 10:46 pm ¶
Anonymous wrote:
how about:
Racialiciousness or
Racial.icio.us
Posted 25 Jun 2008 at 11:29 pm ¶
Minotaar wrote:
The book should contain a serious section with a neutral but point by point discussion of all the fallacious arguments that you always hear about interracial dating among asian people. So that the average level of informed-ness on the issue isnt zero, and so future discussions dont have to start from the ground floor. You know better than I, but I’d definitely say the relationship between racism and sexism and how it plays in the interracial dating issue, the interracial dating preference of whites explicitly, and not simply “all other races”, as is the case of general interracial dating, the case of men claiming “their” women, and a summary of all the fallacious rhetoric.
I think a keanu reeves worship chapter would be hilarious too. Who knows it might get keanu’s attention (come on, who wouldnt be intrigued by a whole chapter of worship?) and he might learn something about antiracism! He might comment on addicted to race via the voice message! He might ask for a signed copy from the authors!
On a more serious note, I think you should seriously consider adding components and discussions from the podcast too. The intersectionality discussion, regarding how racial disalignments among feminists lead to a wide range of debate within feminism, would be great. I think a discussion about how sexism also negatively affects men would also be great, because I think that aspect never gets enough attention, and could open some eyes and minds. (and I dont just mean that oh boo hoo men get conscripted or men have to pay alimony so its “reverse sexism”)
Instead of an academic book with few pictures, I think you should do more of a coffee table book with lots and lots of a-stereotypical pictures of hot couples in unusual pairings (AMBF, AMAF, BMAM, BFAF, etc) in cute poses, like pillowfights and other stuff. Or students hanging out, but with photography focussing on individuality – a lot of close ups and cameos, and classic black and whites, none of the rainbow token pictures from the cover of college brochures.
A section on barack obama, too, perhaps. They might even let you use his pictures.
Posted 25 Jun 2008 at 11:45 pm ¶
Minotaar wrote:
clarification – perhaps add as an edit to my post? add to the end of the first paragraph: “and why it is wrong.”
Posted 25 Jun 2008 at 11:46 pm ¶
octogalore wrote:
Personally, I think Racialicious! would be a great title. Maybe:
Racialicious: Where Race Meets Pop Culture
Now I’m worried about the requirement that the white people here be cool. Hmmm… must contemplate navel.
Posted 26 Jun 2008 at 12:40 am ¶
wendi muse wrote:
blinded by color
Posted 26 Jun 2008 at 12:41 am ¶
octogalore wrote:
PS –kudos on doing the book, that’s great!
A couple of friends of mine put together a list of WOC-friendly presses at the time the whole Seal thing was going down. If you are interested I could locate it. I wouldn’t assume you couldn’t get an advance! I’ve bought many anthologies that probably did, and think this site is much more readable.
In any case, I think “Racialicious” should definitely be in the title. The cross-marketing between book and blog is really key.
Posted 26 Jun 2008 at 12:45 am ¶
Fiqah wrote:
Racialicious Dishes? Too cornball/cookbooky?
Posted 26 Jun 2008 at 1:24 am ¶
justin wrote:
“bi, Racialicious”
Posted 26 Jun 2008 at 2:40 am ¶
justin wrote:
Just trying to be less explicit “by racialicious” or “Racialicious Edition” to embrace the whole notion of self publication.
Posted 26 Jun 2008 at 7:56 am ¶
Carmen Van Kerckhove wrote:
Thanks for all the great title ideas, everyone, keep ‘em coming!
I may have to give out a couple runner-up prizes too because there are some real gems in this thread!
@Rob Schmidt and @Black Canseco – thanks for the suggestions about Poynter’s books! I just ordered “Self-Publishing Manual”
@Minotaar – I hadn’t thought of incorporating aspects of the podcast but I’ll definitely consider it. The coffee table idea is cool but I think that’s more Kip Fulbeck’s realm than mine.
@octogalore – Thanks for the tip re: WOC-friendly presses! I have no doubt that we could get this book published by a traditional press and get an advance, but I just can’t be bothered with the long and laborious process it would involve. For this particular project I’d rather take a DIY approach – which as you can probably tell is my general M.O. anyway. I do have other book ideas that I’d want to do the traditional route, but I’m not quite ready to take the plunge yet with those.
Posted 26 Jun 2008 at 7:59 am ¶
The Cruel Secretary wrote:
::drops by before heading off to own blog::
@ Carmen–Go on, wicha bad self! I think the book is a *magnificent* idea, friend. Please let us readers/commenters/compatriot bloggers know how we can help you get the word out about the book.
Co-sign with Nia, wendi muse, and octogalore–”Racialicious” should stay in the title, either by itself or with a subtitle. Though I’m really digging Arturo’s New Demographic, Same Sh*!@#: Tuning In To ‘Post-Racial’ America.
@ NoSunlignt– Hello, Racialicious
I like.
@ wendi muse–Blinded by Color Likes it.
Other ideas, some with “Racialicious” in the title, some not:
Check Your Racism–No, Seriously
No More Melting Pots, Salads, and Other Metaphors for Multiculturalism
Racialicious: Posts from the Multiculti Range
Crossing the Intersections: Writings from Racialicious (Sounds kinda a tome from an academic press, but I’m brainstorming here, friends)
Intersectional Licks: The Best Riffs from Racialicious
Okay, friends, I’m outta here to do some HTML editing.
Posted 26 Jun 2008 at 8:37 am ¶
Diana wrote:
I like the title, “Race-O-Rama”
Posted 26 Jun 2008 at 8:40 am ¶
Jess wrote:
Excellent news
Posted 26 Jun 2008 at 9:31 am ¶
kerrita k. wrote:
i don’t care what you call it – but i am really, really excited about it!
:0)
Posted 26 Jun 2008 at 9:44 am ¶
Lauren wrote:
I like the melting pot thing. Maybe something like, “The Melting Pot Isn’t Melting: A Racialicious Look Under the Creamy White Surface.” Is that going too far? I’m imagining a fondue pot in which the cream is rising to the surface, but there are still some huge fuckin’ pieces of unmelted cheese underneath.
Or possibly something playing off the “some of my best friends…” thing. “Not Your Black Best Friend: blah blah Racialicious blah.”
The word Racialicious needs to be in there somewhere, I think. But there are so many clever things you could do with the title– if I were you, I wouldn’t put the word Racialicious there. Just let it hang out in the subtitle.
I like “A Racialicious Look….” It’s funny because -ous is an adjective ending, yet all the suggestions have used it as a noun because it’s the name of the blog. Going back to using it as an adjective is not only satisfying from a word-ending standpoint, but also exciting (for me, at least) because of how many times it switches between grammatical categories.
Posted 26 Jun 2008 at 9:45 am ¶
MS WORLD wrote:
I DON’T HAVE A TITLE. BUT I WILL BUY IT! I JUST DISCOVERED YOUR WEBLOG AND PODCAST A FEW WEEKS AGO — AND I LOVE THEM! MS WORLD
Posted 26 Jun 2008 at 10:32 am ¶
StuffBlackPeopleLike wrote:
Title: Race+Pop Culture=Racialicious
Subtitle: You Don’t Want the Truth
Posted 26 Jun 2008 at 11:52 am ¶
Angel H. wrote:
How about:
_I can’t be racist, I have interracial sex!: The Realities of Race Relations in the U.S._
Also, I love StuffBlackPeopleLike’s suggestion!
Posted 26 Jun 2008 at 12:41 pm ¶
Arturo wrote:
Thanks for the kind feedback so far
Here’s a couple more:
* “Turn Down Your Stereotypes! A Racialicious Look At America”
* “Some Of My Best Friends Are ____: Exploring America’s New Demographics”
Posted 26 Jun 2008 at 12:46 pm ¶
Elton wrote:
@Minotaar
“The book should contain a serious section with a neutral but point by point discussion of all the fallacious arguments that you always hear about interracial dating among asian people.”
I wrote something like this over at http://www.racialicious.com/2008/06/24/quoted-jeff-yang-on-interracial-dating/
Search for “festival of clichés.” It’s basically a checklist of all the bullshit arguments by know-it-alls that I’m tired of hearing get recited time and time again in discussions of the Asian male and IR relationships. I’m thinking about getting little yellow cards printed and selling packs of them with a whistle and golf pencil. (On second thought, “little yellow cards” might be a double entendre in this case. I mean, uh, HUGE, STIFF, MANLY YELLOW CARDS.)
Oh wait, you said “serious” and “neutral.” I guess I’m out, then.
Posted 26 Jun 2008 at 1:25 pm ¶
Elton wrote:
@Lauren
“I like “A Racialicious Look….” It’s funny because -ous is an adjective ending, yet all the suggestions have used it as a noun because it’s the name of the blog. Going back to using it as an adjective is not only satisfying from a word-ending standpoint, but also exciting (for me, at least) because of how many times it switches between grammatical categories.”
I like the way you think, Lauren. I woulda said, “A Racialicious Look…” just sounds awesome, but all that grammatical stuff is super-sexy, too.
Posted 26 Jun 2008 at 1:38 pm ¶
Lizzie(greeneyedfem) wrote:
I like Lauren and Arturo’s riffs on the “some of my best friends” excuse.
What about “Some of My Best Friends Read Racialicious: Posts from the Intersection of Race and Pop Culture”?
And I will also definitely buy a copy!
Posted 26 Jun 2008 at 1:40 pm ¶
gothic guera wrote:
Hey I’m white and I like that titile. “Different shades of Pop culture” or “Racialicious America” “Racialicious” “Race Premium”
Question can you promote the book on the dailyshow or the colbert report? (or possibly both?) I would feel like I just went to heaven!!!!!!!
Posted 26 Jun 2008 at 4:39 pm ¶
pocahontas_smith wrote:
Mmmmmmmm…
… Racialicious!
and i think the yummy gummies in the heading should be featured somewhere… front cover? back cover? spine?
Posted 26 Jun 2008 at 10:25 pm ¶
Torontonian wrote:
Yeah, I think ‘Racialicious’ needs to be in the title, at or near the beginning, because people read from left to right.
“Racialicious: The Intersection of Race and Pop Culture” is actually a good title.
Your target audience is going to be mostly PoC’s, and you’re not trying to reach out to / convert racists with the book title. So I’m going to vote down these suggestions by others:
“Stuff Non-White People Like: The Racialicious Guide To Pop Culture” – White POV, may be offensive to PoC
“America has gone Racialicious.” – American-centric
“America + Race= Racialicious.” – American-centric
“America’s Gone Racialious!” – American-centric
“Stuff White People Dislike” and the cover features pictures of people of color. – Still White POV
“Check Your Racism–No, Seriously” – Offensive to white people; PoC may also think the book is for white people
“No More Melting Pots, Salads, and Other Metaphors for Multiculturalism” – too academic-sounding
“Pass the popcorn: Looking at pop culture through the lens of the others.” – White POV
“You Don’t Want the Truth” – Not appealing to people who might want to buy the book
“Turn Down Your Stereotypes! A Racialicious Look At America” – Maybe offensive; American-centric
“Racialicious America” – American-centric
Yeah, I guess the title should be “preaching to the choir” so that they buy the book instead of trying to make it into a teaching moment for colorblind racists.
Posted 27 Jun 2008 at 12:47 am ¶
Lauren wrote:
Torontonian- I think you’re right in that we need to watch our frames. But you’re also making the connection of American=white, which seems like one of those things we should be trying to combat.
Posted 27 Jun 2008 at 7:36 am ¶
The Cruel Secretary wrote:
@ Torontonian–Thanks again for inspiring Carmen to do this project in the first place. Oh, and thanks for voting down others’ suggestions. But, if I’m not mistaken, I thought this was a brainstorming session, which means all suggestions are welcome and not so quickly judged. So, we’re all just helping her out. Carmen has the ultimate up-or-down vote in the title, not you. With that said…
…do you have anything that you wanted to vote up or on–besides the one title that you liked–or just wanted to add title-wise?
Posted 27 Jun 2008 at 8:13 am ¶
hopethink wrote:
just wanted to put in my two cents
- taking it out of the margins: racialicious talks back
- this land is our land: voices from racialicious (kinda confrontational maybe)
- you think you know but you have no idea: the race world (does that pun work? ha) or maybe
- you think you know but you have no idea: the racialicious world
i’m impressed by the suggestions so far!
i think some sort of pop culture jamming in the title would be clever.
oh and @ torontonian, it is correct to point out that many of the suggestions suggest an american frame, but it is my impression from reading this blog that the content often does as well. so perhaps it makes sense.
Posted 27 Jun 2008 at 10:11 am ¶
Torontonian wrote:
Oh, I’m not trying to be an a-hole. I just tend to see the glass half-empty in general.
@Lauren: I’m not making the connection American=white. I’m just Canadian, and I find book titles with the word ‘America’ in it kind of annoying. I think the topics brought up on Racialicious are not exclusive to the United States. They often apply to Canada, at least.
@The Cruel Secretary: Vote up:
“Racialicious: Tasty Tidbits from the Intersection of Race and Pop Culture”
and
“Racialicious: Where Race Meets Pop Culture”
@hopethink: Yes, it does. When there’s a del.icio.us post about Canada, it’s tagged ‘international’, which I find American-centric and funny. I think it would be appropriate to refer to America in the blurb or something, but if it’s in the title, it seems kind of insular. Maybe it’s because American pop culture is so widely exported, but most Americans aren’t aware of this.
Posted 27 Jun 2008 at 9:23 pm ¶
Latoya Peterson wrote:
@Torontonian –
Anything that takes place outside of the US is tagged international, even things that are in close proximity to us. That’s more for my benefit than yours, in case I need to quickly reference articles about how race plays out in other countries.
Posted 27 Jun 2008 at 9:27 pm ¶
london wrote:
The Colouring Book – Where Race Meets Pop Culture..
you could have colouring in pages at the beginning of each chapter… provision of pencils excluding pink optional!
BOC by POC
A Book of Colour by People of Colour
Where Race Meets Pop Culture
Posted 28 Jun 2008 at 2:09 am ¶
Torontonian wrote:
@Latoya Peterson:
That’s not my point.
Of course Canada is a different country from the US; it’s not about the location. It’s funny to me because you are dividing all the countries in the world into two groups: America is its own group, and all the rest of the world is grouped into ‘other’ or ‘international’.
People from Canada or Australia or the UK would also not tag their own news as ‘international’, as American news would be ‘international’. So tagging non-American news as ‘international’ is taking the point of view of being located in the U.S.
Of course, you are located in the U.S., but I can also find the tagging system funny.
Posted 28 Jun 2008 at 10:29 am ¶