The following is an essay from the BackList's archives written by Kim McLarin, author of JUMP AT THE SUN (HarperCollins).  Considering the attention currently being given to Terry McMillan's comments on the popularity of urban lit, McLarin's view on the matter seems particularly pertinent. --

THE UNIVERSALITY TRAP

By Kim McLarin 

I received a lovely email the other day from a woman who had read my latest book, JUMP AT THE SUN.

I receive my fair share of emails – fewer than Dan Brown, I’m sure, more than the guy down the street who blogs on his bathroom tile – and they are always welcome but rarely do they give me pause. This one did, not because of what the writer said – loved the book, stayed up all night reading it, the issues of race and class and motherhood you explore hit home for me – but because of who she was.

“My grandparents were Italian and Polish immigrants,” the woman wrote, “And there are family members who act like your characters.”

Since the characters in my novel are neither Italian nor Polish nor immigrants, but the sharecropping grandsons and granddaughters of African slaves, this was, to me, a compelling comparison. I sent the email on to my (white) editor because I knew she would like it. Back when the book was just a sparkle in my eye she spoke about the need to make my third and, hopefully break-out novel a “universal one.” And when the book was delivered she crowed that I had succeeded. Which should have been music to my ears.

But there’s one problem: I’m not certain I want to be dubbed universal by the white publishing industry. It’s vaguely insulting and potentially dangerous. Plus, it’s not going to help me sell books.

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