“People have no idea how often this happens. I have seen similar things happen to almost every writer I know who has written characters of color prominent enough so they could be on their covers.

Sometimes these writers get whitewashed covers they are forced to swallow… Sometimes the covers get changed, but if the books sell badly the covers (and the writers) are blamed, and the writer may not get another contract. People are being punished in this way, for writing characters of color, every day.“

- young adult author Sarah Rees Brennan.    

Check out Racebending.com’s full interview with young adult authors Sarah Rees Brennan and Holly Black.  They talk about writing and advocating for diverse characters, non-whitewashed book covers, and more as allies in the industry.   If you’ve ever wondered how publishing or book covers works, read on!