ASMSG Scifi Fantasy Paranormal Emagazine March 2014 | Page 20

The TV show Arrow introduced a new character, Diggle. Rather than leave him a token black character, he exists as a full character with an
interesting back story.
CONCLUSION
Making Johnny Storm black is not creating diversity. It is a feeble, lazy way for studios to say “Look at how progressive we are.”
If they wanted to be progressive, they would tell Luke Cage’s story. Or Kamala Khan’s. Or Black Panther. Or any of the dozens of other
existing characters of color. Fox is not the only studio to do this. It seems every movie or TV show needs its token black person now. It’s
ticking off the fans and angering people of color.

Interview with Karen Griffin aka Karen
Plaisance

You may be fooling some people Fox, but you’re not fooling me. Shame on you.
Original article with extra graphics on M Joseph Murphy’s Blog.

Brian Patrick McKinley

My series of interviews with the authors of Fresh Blood continues today with the talented (and very funny) Karen Griffin!
1. Tell us a little about yourself. How long
have you been writing? My name is not
Karen Plaisance. Karen Plaisance is the
name I use to hide from the voices. I am a
hack writer/blogger/massage therapist. I
don’t do happy ending. If you ask, I’m
legally allowed to kill you with my t-bar.
I’ve been writing since I was five. To be
fair,A is for Apal wasn’t the bestseller I
thought it would be, but I’m hoping for
better sales with the reprint. I think it’ll do
well with today’s hipster market.
No happy ending! You have been warned.
Brian: Which story did you contribute to
Fresh Blood and what made you want to
write that story?
Karen:
The
story
“Ghosts
and
Houseguests” started out as an unpublished
novel I wrote years ago that I shortened for
the anthology. I got the idea for the
character Dori before I came up with the
plot. A child vampire seemingly dependent
on her elders turns out to be the oldest
known vampire in existence. She runs New
Orleans and who knows what else? And she
likes dumpster diving and can’t keep track
of time to save her unlife. I loved the irony.
Brian: What other work have you done?
Karen: I wrote a book a while back called
Mercy Bound. A fated death oracle is
accidentally blood bound to a vampire
when a job interview goes horribly wrong.
The leader of the New Orleans vamps
wants to use her for her gift, a group of

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vampire hunters wants her on their side so
they can destroy the New Orleans vamps,
and her vegan/witch aunt just wants her
home