Thank you for your comments. They were not only interesting, but thought provoking as well. They make me think of all of the books I have read over the years (and believe me that's more than a lot!). Some with characters of color and some that included only characters of the majority culture. What stands out most in my mind is the quality of their writing.

The temptation is then to assume that if the writing is good, then nothing else matters. I don't think that is so. So then what does matter? Do I expect all books to include characters of color? Should books only be about things that address ethnic and racial differences and be a vehicle to social change? The answers to these questions are: quite a bit, no,no, and no.

Of course I can't let it just go at that, I have to tell you what I think. I'll try to be as brief as possible. Let me start with the first question, what really matters in writing.

A good storyline, good writing, and believable characters. That means if the author attempts to include characters of color then that author must be careful to do their research. Nothing irks me more than for any character to be presented in a stereotypical manner. Part of that ire is due to stereotypes being, for the most part, false, or at best a misunderstanding of a half-truth. What it tells me is that the author does not respect the culture that is being portrayed nor does that author respect the readers. In short, I wouldn't read much more of that book and I would be loathe to read anything else written by him or her.

I do not expect all books to include characters of color, however if the setting is metropolitan and the scenes revolve around more than four characters then the likelihood is that in real life someone of color would be involved. Unless of course the story happens to be about a bigoted individual that orchestrates his or her life to take place only around people like themselves. Even then I have to think the author would include someone of color if only to enhance the portrayal of the main character's prejudice. After all ever story needs some conflict (she says, tongue in cheek).

If every book had as its plot the workings of or even the changing of ethnic and racial differences, I have to tell you my reading would slow down considerably. As for using plot line as a vehicle to right social injustices, OMG! give me a break. A story should be just that, a story. It should come from the author's imagination, yet contain enough of a connection with reality to hold the reader's interest.

So I guess the bottom line is we should write what is real to us and at the same time be respectful of those cultures we represent in our writing.