💼 Careercow Dhonielle Clayton / BrownBookworm - Author, Sensitivity Reader, Ex-Librarian, Non-Profit COO, Twitter Harasser, Racist

[heathercho]

The books she co-wrote with a Pajeeta are the complete opposite of what one would expect from someone so "concerned" about brown voices. They're the epitome of a white girl fantasy.

Spoiler: Tiny Pretty Things

Good Reads
Black Swan meets Pretty Little Liars in this soapy, drama-packed novel featuring diverse characters who will do anything to be the prima at their elite ballet school.

Gigi, Bette, and June, three top students at an exclusive Manhattan ballet school, have seen their fair share of drama. Free-spirited new girl Gigi just wants to dance—but the very act might kill her. Privileged New Yorker Bette's desire to escape the shadow of her ballet-star sister brings out a dangerous edge in her. And perfectionist June needs to land a lead role this year or her controlling mother will put an end to her dancing dreams forever.

When every dancer is both friend and foe, the girls will sacrifice, manipulate, and backstab to be the best of the best.

Spoiler: Shiny Broken Pieces

Good Reads
June, Bette, and Gigi have given their all to dance at Manhattan’s most elite ballet school. Now they are competing one final time for a spot at the prestigious American Ballet Company. With the stakes higher than ever, these girls have everything to lose… and no one is playing nice.

June is starting to finally see herself as a prima ballerina. However, getting what she wants might cost her everything—including the only boy she’s ever loved. Legacy dancer Bette is determined to clear her name after she was suspended and accused of hurting her rival, Gigi. Even if she returns, though, will she ever regain the spotlight she craves? And Gigi is not going to let Bette—or the other dancers who bullied her—go unpunished. But as revenge consumes her, Gigi may be the one who pays the price.

After years of grueling auditions, torn ribbons, and broken hearts, it all comes down to this last dance. Who will make the cut? And who will lose her dream forever?

The way they portray this white girl fantasy is the same way troons think of women - an outdated concept of "all the good things" mixed with 1950's ideals of what the pretty white blonde girl does. Awful. Not even an original concept or title.

Dhonielle's solo book sounds just as bad. Though, this time she has a Brown Person on the cover!

Spoiler: The Belles

Good Reads
Camellia Beauregard is a Belle. In the opulent world of Orléans, Belles are revered, for they control Beauty, and Beauty is a commodity coveted above all else. In Orléans, the people are born gray, they are born damned, and only with the help of a Belle and her talents can they transform and be made beautiful.

But it’s not enough for Camellia to be just a Belle. She wants to be the favorite—the Belle chosen by the Queen of Orléans to live in the royal palace, to tend to the royal family and their court, to be recognized as the most talented Belle in the land. But once Camellia and her Belle sisters arrive at court, it becomes clear that being the favorite is not everything she always dreamed it would be. Behind the gilded palace walls live dark secrets, and Camellia soon learns that the very essence of her existence is a lie—that her powers are far greater, and could be more dangerous, than she ever imagined. And when the queen asks Camellia to risk her own life and help the ailing princess by using Belle powers in unintended ways, Camellia now faces an impossible decision.

With the future of Orléans and its people at stake, Camellia must decide—save herself and her sisters and the way of the Belles—or resuscitate the princess, risk her own life, and change the ways of her world forever.

This one is some ridiculous romantic fantasy Orleans x We Wuz Kangz crap.
I think she has a right to write about whatever she wants, but if you're going to be a sensitive brown pee o' cee, then maybe don't write about cliche European stuff. Write about Africa. Really, go on Dhoni, write about African princesses. Don't forget the awesome FGM ceremonies!

Also, nobody proofread that blurb. It's dyslexic.

Dhonielle Clayton hails from the Washington, DC, suburbs on the Maryland side. She earned an MA in children's literature from Hollins University and an MFA in writing for children at the New School. She taught secondary school for several years. Clayton is a former librarian and cofounder of Cake Literary, a creative kitchen whipping up decadent-and decidedly diverse-literary confections for middle grade, young adult, and women's fiction readers.

Sounds like she had a pretty "white" upbringing there.

 

[Captain_Asshole]

The books she co-wrote with a Pajeeta are the complete opposite of what one would expect from someone so "concerned" about brown voices. They're the epitome of a white girl fantasy.

Spoiler: Tiny Pretty Things

Good Reads
Black Swan meets Pretty Little Liars in this soapy, drama-packed novel featuring diverse characters who will do anything to be the prima at their elite ballet school.

Gigi, Bette, and June, three top students at an exclusive Manhattan ballet school, have seen their fair share of drama. Free-spirited new girl Gigi just wants to dance—but the very act might kill her. Privileged New Yorker Bette's desire to escape the shadow of her ballet-star sister brings out a dangerous edge in her. And perfectionist June needs to land a lead role this year or her controlling mother will put an end to her dancing dreams forever.

When every dancer is both friend and foe, the girls will sacrifice, manipulate, and backstab to be the best of the best.

Spoiler: Shiny Broken Pieces

Good Reads
June, Bette, and Gigi have given their all to dance at Manhattan’s most elite ballet school. Now they are competing one final time for a spot at the prestigious American Ballet Company. With the stakes higher than ever, these girls have everything to lose… and no one is playing nice.

June is starting to finally see herself as a prima ballerina. However, getting what she wants might cost her everything—including the only boy she’s ever loved. Legacy dancer Bette is determined to clear her name after she was suspended and accused of hurting her rival, Gigi. Even if she returns, though, will she ever regain the spotlight she craves? And Gigi is not going to let Bette—or the other dancers who bullied her—go unpunished. But as revenge consumes her, Gigi may be the one who pays the price.

After years of grueling auditions, torn ribbons, and broken hearts, it all comes down to this last dance. Who will make the cut? And who will lose her dream forever?

The way they portray this white girl fantasy is the same way troons think of women - an outdated concept of "all the good things" mixed with 1950's ideals of what the pretty white blonde girl does. Awful. Not even an original concept or title.

Dhonielle's solo book sounds just as bad. Though, this time she has a Brown Person on the cover!

Spoiler: The Belles

Good Reads
Camellia Beauregard is a Belle. In the opulent world of Orléans, Belles are revered, for they control Beauty, and Beauty is a commodity coveted above all else. In Orléans, the people are born gray, they are born damned, and only with the help of a Belle and her talents can they transform and be made beautiful.

But it’s not enough for Camellia to be just a Belle. She wants to be the favorite—the Belle chosen by the Queen of Orléans to live in the royal palace, to tend to the royal family and their court, to be recognized as the most talented Belle in the land. But once Camellia and her Belle sisters arrive at court, it becomes clear that being the favorite is not everything she always dreamed it would be. Behind the gilded palace walls live dark secrets, and Camellia soon learns that the very essence of her existence is a lie—that her powers are far greater, and could be more dangerous, than she ever imagined. And when the queen asks Camellia to risk her own life and help the ailing princess by using Belle powers in unintended ways, Camellia now faces an impossible decision.

With the future of Orléans and its people at stake, Camellia must decide—save herself and her sisters and the way of the Belles—or resuscitate the princess, risk her own life, and change the ways of her world forever.

This one is some ridiculous romantic fantasy Orleans x We Wuz Kangz crap.
I think she has a right to write about whatever she wants, but if you're going to be a sensitive brown pee o' cee, then maybe don't write about cliche European stuff. Write about Africa. Really, go on Dhoni, write about African princesses. Don't forget the awesome FGM ceremonies!



Sounds like she had a pretty "white" upbringing there.

All of her writing gives the impression of warped and twisted Barbie movies. Oh, and even shallower.

 

[Positron]

Does modern "normal" girl lit focus so much on power play, manipulation, and the desire to step on other people's faces to get ahead? In classics like Sara Crewe, it is the kind, forgiving protagonist who is vindicated in the end, and the mean, psychologically abusive bitch gets her comeuppance. In Donielle's stories it seems everyone is a mean bitch. I doubt anyone would root for any of her characters.

 

[Captain_Asshole]

Does modern "normal" girl lit focus so much on power play, manipulation, and the desire to step on other people's face to get ahead?

No, but SJW tactics do.

 

[RomanesEuntDomus]

What a terrible insinuation that brownskins might be young, literary and hopeful!

 

[Replicant Sasquatch]

Does modern "normal" girl lit focus so much on power play, manipulation, and the desire to step on other people's faces to get ahead? In classics like Sara Crewe, it is the kind, forgiving protagonist who is vindicated in the end, and the mean, psychologically abusive bitch gets her comeuppance. In Donielle's stories it seems everyone is a mean bitch. I doubt anyone would root for any of her characters.

Who would've thought people obsessed with mean girls cliques would write exclusively about mean girls cliques?

 

[GethN7]

I get the feeling this jackass is cynically trying to exploit white guilt to get away with attention whoring herself over white people in the hopes more people will give a shit about her turgid prose.

In truth, all's she doing is making an ass of herself on Twitter, which makes her no more special than the legions of two-bit attention whores that clog that site.

 

[MrLobe]

TFW you need to find a PoC literate enough to edit books and all you can find is this broad.

 

[Kari Kamiya]

The books she co-wrote with a Pajeeta are the complete opposite of what one would expect from someone so "concerned" about brown voices. They're the epitome of a white girl fantasy.

Spoiler: Tiny Pretty Things

Good Reads
Black Swan meets Pretty Little Liars in this soapy, drama-packed novel featuring diverse characters who will do anything to be the prima at their elite ballet school.

Gigi, Bette, and June, three top students at an exclusive Manhattan ballet school, have seen their fair share of drama. Free-spirited new girl Gigi just wants to dance—but the very act might kill her. Privileged New Yorker Bette's desire to escape the shadow of her ballet-star sister brings out a dangerous edge in her. And perfectionist June needs to land a lead role this year or her controlling mother will put an end to her dancing dreams forever.

When every dancer is both friend and foe, the girls will sacrifice, manipulate, and backstab to be the best of the best.

Spoiler: Shiny Broken Pieces

Good Reads
June, Bette, and Gigi have given their all to dance at Manhattan’s most elite ballet school. Now they are competing one final time for a spot at the prestigious American Ballet Company. With the stakes higher than ever, these girls have everything to lose… and no one is playing nice.

June is starting to finally see herself as a prima ballerina. However, getting what she wants might cost her everything—including the only boy she’s ever loved. Legacy dancer Bette is determined to clear her name after she was suspended and accused of hurting her rival, Gigi. Even if she returns, though, will she ever regain the spotlight she craves? And Gigi is not going to let Bette—or the other dancers who bullied her—go unpunished. But as revenge consumes her, Gigi may be the one who pays the price.

After years of grueling auditions, torn ribbons, and broken hearts, it all comes down to this last dance. Who will make the cut? And who will lose her dream forever?

Dhonielle's solo book sounds just as bad. Though, this time she has a Brown Person on the cover!

Spoiler: The Belles

Good Reads
Camellia Beauregard is a Belle. In the opulent world of Orléans, Belles are revered, for they control Beauty, and Beauty is a commodity coveted above all else. In Orléans, the people are born gray, they are born damned, and only with the help of a Belle and her talents can they transform and be made beautiful.

But it’s not enough for Camellia to be just a Belle. She wants to be the favorite—the Belle chosen by the Queen of Orléans to live in the royal palace, to tend to the royal family and their court, to be recognized as the most talented Belle in the land. But once Camellia and her Belle sisters arrive at court, it becomes clear that being the favorite is not everything she always dreamed it would be. Behind the gilded palace walls live dark secrets, and Camellia soon learns that the very essence of her existence is a lie—that her powers are far greater, and could be more dangerous, than she ever imagined. And when the queen asks Camellia to risk her own life and help the ailing princess by using Belle powers in unintended ways, Camellia now faces an impossible decision.

With the future of Orléans and its people at stake, Camellia must decide—save herself and her sisters and the way of the Belles—or resuscitate the princess, risk her own life, and change the ways of her world forever.

Holy fuck, I don't think even the author herself knew what the hell she wrote, I have no fucking idea what these books are even about from those summaries alone (and now I'm worried the ballet itself isn't properly conveyed). Thank God for reader reviews to shine some light on what these books are all abou--

Hahahaha fuck you, Good Reads is nothing but shit, those reviews read like an extension of Tumblr (seems to be a running theme with Good Reads, it sounds like). There seemingly was a ray of hope from this Cesar guy (shocking, I know) who seems to be defending The Belles despite having not read the book, but that's because there were folks bashing it for being "ableist" and shit. It still reads like a Tumblr post especially with all those fucking .gifs, and the comments on his review are just trash.

And now I'm curious how many of those reviews Dhonielle (what the fuck is with that name, seriously) reads and which ones she's talking shit about on her Twitter. There's more asspatting than there is actual constructive criticism, and because of that, she thinks she's hot shit. I'd like to take a look at one of her books with a critical eye, but I don't want to give her money and her Twitter account is already free and shows her raw "talent" for writing and killing of brain cells.

Got some more examples of the Joyce Oates Twitter dogpiling. Looks like she jumped in during all of Christmas. Joy to the world.

What a smug cunt.

 

[Zbk3VmLfujjzjxBd43tL]

I wonder how many of those books are any good (by the standards of their genre) or if they just got picked up and published because diversity? Dhonielle (and anyone who thinks like her) should ask herself if she'd like the books as much if the characters and situations were white middle-class American and the writers were cishet white Americans.

Also, doesn't a black woman like her enjoying/promoting stories about Mexicans/Indians and Mexican/Indian culture count as cultural appropriation/exoticizing a foreign culture? Although I guess that's only if you're white.

 

[RomanesEuntDomus]

Who would've thought people obsessed with mean girls cliques would write exclusively about mean girls cliques?

Where this book starts to drift into the Fiction territory is where the authors describe these acts of bullying from the victim's point of view.

Holy fuck, I don't think even the author herself knew what the hell she wrote, I have no fucking idea what these books are even about from those summaries alone (and now I'm worried the ballet itself isn't properly conveyed).

Do we have someone who's into ballet on KF?
Cause it would be hilarious to have someone proof-read that book from that angle and completely tear it apart for getting ballet wrong.
Also, the summaries sound insanely vapid, like, even in terms of YA literature, it sounds like completely pointless filler start to finish. And since all three characters return for the other books, we also know that absolutely nothing is at stake.

I assume there'll be some minor moments of self-realization of the characters and how they will stand up to whatever is nagging them. Ie: Boring clichées galore.

Just give teenagers some classic literature. Why should they waste time reading this tripe when they could be reading The Count of Monte Christo, Shogun or 1984 instead?

I wonder how many of those books are any good (by the standards of their genre) or if they just got picked up and published because diversity? Dhonielle (and anyone who thinks like her) should ask herself if she'd like the books as much if the characters and situations were white middle-class American and the writers were cishet white Americans.

Also, doesn't a black woman like her enjoying/promoting stories about Mexicans/Indians and Mexican/Indian culture count as cultural appropriation/exoticizing a foreign culture? Although I guess that's only if you're white.

The first book she brings up is literally described as "Jumanji with black characters", what kind of quality would anyone expect?
Also, in terms of inflated ego, smugness and good old-fashioned condescending douchebaggery, she's even giving Dobson a run for his money.

 

[Old Blighty]

This cow hails from Montgomery County MD, which has one of the highest, if not the highest, cost of living in the state, with an average income of nearly 95 grand a year. She grew up in a really nice area and is totally privileged, especially since she went to a private high school that costs 21 grand a year. It's laughable how she acts like she's so oppressed when she grew up in a cushy area (I grew up in the same county around the same time she did, so I know what it is like where she came from firsthand). She's writing about upper middle class to rich petty bitches, so at least she's writing what she knows. So at least she isn't talking about knowing 'the struggle'. Well, not yet.

Also, if she doesn't have a white parent, I'll actually read one of her books. She's so white that if she's photographed in bad lighting, she'd look like a white lady with a bad perm

 

[glass_houses]

Holy fuck, I don't think even the author herself knew what the hell she wrote, I have no fucking idea what these books are even about from those summaries alone (and now I'm worried the ballet itself isn't properly conveyed). Thank God for reader reviews to shine some light on what these books are all abou--

Hahahaha fuck you, Good Reads is nothing but shit, those reviews read like an extension of Tumblr (seems to be a running theme with Good Reads, it sounds like). There seemingly was a ray of hope from this Cesar guy (shocking, I know) who seems to be defending The Belles despite having not read the book, but that's because there were folks bashing it for being "ableist" and shit. It still reads like a Tumblr post especially with all those fucking .gifs, and the comments on his review are just trash.

And now I'm curious how many of those reviews Dhonielle (what the fuck is with that name, seriously) reads and which ones she's talking shit about on her Twitter. There's more asspatting than there is actual constructive criticism, and because of that, she thinks she's hot shit. I'd like to take a look at one of her books with a critical eye, but I don't want to give her money and her Twitter account is already free and shows her raw "talent" for writing and killing of brain cells.

Got some more examples of the Joyce Oates Twitter dogpiling. Looks like she jumped in during all of Christmas. Joy to the world.

View attachment 343003
View attachment 343005 View attachment 343006 View attachment 343004

What a smug cunt.

Is it just me, or is she repeating everything Oates is saying in different packaging?

 

[Replicant Sasquatch]

Holy fuck, I don't think even the author herself knew what the hell she wrote, I have no fucking idea what these books are even about from those summaries alone (and now I'm worried the ballet itself isn't properly conveyed). Thank God for reader reviews to shine some light on what these books are all abou--

Hahahaha fuck you, Good Reads is nothing but shit, those reviews read like an extension of Tumblr (seems to be a running theme with Good Reads, it sounds like). There seemingly was a ray of hope from this Cesar guy (shocking, I know) who seems to be defending The Belles despite having not read the book, but that's because there were folks bashing it for being "ableist" and shit. It still reads like a Tumblr post especially with all those fucking .gifs, and the comments on his review are just trash.

And now I'm curious how many of those reviews Dhonielle (what the fuck is with that name, seriously) reads and which ones she's talking shit about on her Twitter. There's more asspatting than there is actual constructive criticism, and because of that, she thinks she's hot shit. I'd like to take a look at one of her books with a critical eye, but I don't want to give her money and her Twitter account is already free and shows her raw "talent" for writing and killing of brain cells.

Got some more examples of the Joyce Oates Twitter dogpiling. Looks like she jumped in during all of Christmas. Joy to the world.

View attachment 343003
View attachment 343005 View attachment 343006 View attachment 343004

What a smug cunt.

I like how while plugging these books she outright tells everyone they're just ripoffs of better works.

Millennials in a nutshell: they're so creatively bankrupt they can't even describe a new book without comparing it to something they read as a child.

 

[gorky]

I have no fucking idea what these books are even about from those summaries alone

If that's true you have no place criticising others' writing or reading comprehension. They don't sound like stories that would interest me but it is pretty clear what the books are about. But I suspect you do in fact know what the blurbs were saying.

Mildly off topic, this is starting to annoy me a little about the farms. People are so eager to criticise that they start saying untrue/overblown things themselves. Most notable imo was the Alison Rapp thread where people started diagnosing her with various diseases because she has a, er, hairy vulva.

 

[Replicant Sasquatch]

If that's true you have no place criticising others' writing or reading comprehension. They don't sound like stories that would interest me but it is pretty clear what the books are about. But I suspect you do in fact know what the blurbs were saying.

Mildly off topic, this is starting to annoy me a little about the farms. People are so eager to criticise that they start saying untrue/overblown things themselves. Most notable imo was the Alison Rapp thread where people started diagnosing her with various diseases because she has a, er, hairy vulva.

While you have a point, don't go to bat for Dhonielle's literary stillbirths. Anyone with an ounce of literary understanding will read those blurbs and immediately know these books are chock full of the most banal mean girls social clique shit. Dhonielle, like most YA writers, is clearly under the impression teens will only like books about high school stereotypes acting like high school stereotypes. While I will never begrudge teenagers and young adults for actually reading stuff instead of watching cartoons and Harry Potter movies all the time, I will go after Dhonielle and her ilk. These "authors" should really stop acting like they're writing important, relevant stories when it's always the same boring white kid social problems tropes over and over again.

 

[gorky]

While you have a point, don't go to bat for Dhonielle's literary stillbirths. Anyone with an ounce of literary understanding will read those blurbs and immediately know these books are chock full of the most banal mean girls social clique shit. Dhonielle, like most YA writers, is clearly under the impression teens will only like books about high school stereotypes acting like high school stereotypes. While I will never begrudge teenagers and young adults for actually reading stuff instead of watching cartoons and Harry Potter movies all the time, I will go after Dhonielle and her ilk. These "authors" should really stop acting like they're writing important, relevant stories when it's always the same boring white kid social problems tropes over and over again.

Oh I'm not defending her books. I just think the blurb sets the scene reasonably well and alerts the reader that they're in for insufferable dances, poorly drawn characters, first world problems, and endless bitching. In a way, it's terrifically well written...

Dhonielle herself seems like a strange person. Goes on and on about representation and diversity and different voices and then writes the most basic bitch YA novels you could imagine. Perhaps that's an honest artistic reflection of her innermost world-view. Or perhaps writing a good book that's actually about things seemed too much like hard work. I guess we will never know.

 

[Replicant Sasquatch]

Oh I'm not defending her books. I just think the blurb sets the scene reasonably well and alerts the reader that they're in for insufferable dances, poorly drawn characters, first world problems, and endless bitching. In a way, it's terrifically well written...

Dhonielle herself seems like a strange person. Goes on and on about representation and diversity and different voices and then writes the most basic bitch YA novels you could imagine. Perhaps that's an honest artistic reflection of her innermost world-view. Or perhaps writing a good book that's actually about things seemed too much like hard work. I guess we will never know.

I maintain it's just lack of exposure. Outside of the standard assigned reading lists, most people in their early to mid 20s have really only read YA fantasy or drama stories. So that's all they're interested in writing. They never really came out of their shell and got into weightier fare.

 

[Positron]

Do we have someone who's into ballet on KF?
Cause it would be hilarious to have someone proof-read that book from that angle and completely tear it apart for getting ballet wrong.
Also, the summaries sound insanely vapid, like, even in terms of YA literature, it sounds like completely pointless filler start to finish. And since all three characters return for the other books, we also know that absolutely nothing is at stake.

There is hardly a form of art that is whiter than Ballet. To have several (I presume) pee o'sees competing with each other to succeed in a game set up by white people is, dare I say, problematic.

 

[Furina]

She's more a beige bookworm.