The Wickedness of Sterotypes by Karina Bartow
WICKED WEDNESDAY
Please welcome my guest, Karina Bartow to Wicked Wednesday on Discover... She presents us with a wicked theme we see and hear all too often.
My new mystery novel, Accidental Allies, features several pretty wicked schemes andvillains, but for the sake of keeping the mystery intact, I won’t reveal them.Instead, an underlying “wicked” theme wove into the story is one I know all toowell: stereotypes. Along with its forerunners in the Unde(a)featedDetective Series, Accidental Alliesfollows Minka Avery, a detective who’s deaf and wears a cochlear implant. ThoughMinka’s faced stereotypes throughout the first two books in the series, thisinstallment truly shines a light on how other people’s biases about herdisability have factored into her career, both in the past and the present.
Nobody personifies this better than Chief of PoliceDoug Friedman. Despite Minka’s history as an accomplished detective, ChiefFriedman manifests a low opinion of her. In one exchange, he’s even bold enoughto tell her that he only views her as a showpiece that attracts mediaattention.
The mistreatment she faces may make many readers’mouths drop, but in truth, I don’t have to reach too far to imagine this kindof rude behavior. Because I was born with Cerebral Palsy, I’ve struggled withbeing stereotyped for my whole life. Even in school, some attributed myhonor-roll-worthy grades to the fact that I had an aide to attend to myphysical needs, who must’ve been givingme academic help, as well. The majority of my aides readily admitted, however,that they didn’t wrack up the grades I earned, which propelled me to graduate seventhin my high school class.
As I was writing AccidentalAllies, I faced a similar prejudice, which hurt yet more. My spirits were soaring high because I’daccomplished my dream of becoming a published author with the release of mydebut novel. I thought my success would overturn the stigmas attached to me. Tomy disappointment, however, a guy who purchased my book at a signing had theaudacity to imply that my mom wrote the book but gave me the credit! Given Itype with just one hand and rarely, if ever, enlist assistance, this was quitea brutal insult.
Just the same, I don’t enjoy sharingexperiences like this. I’ve also had many positive relationships with peoplewho do appreciate my capabilities and treat me with respect. Thus, I never wantto come off as ungrateful or even like I have a chip on my shoulder.
In fact, I told my editor those verywords when she suggested I highlight some of the prejudices Minka encounteredthat contributed to her insecurities in Husbandin Hiding, the opening novel of the series. Her encouragement to do so,though, helped me to realize what I could achieve with my platform as anauthor. While I wouldn’t load my books full of such negative instances, I couldscatter a few in the plot to highlight the impact of stereotypes, in hopes ofhelping people view and treat others in a different light.
AccidentalAllies Blurb:
With many disillusioned with thejustice system, several brow-raising suspects emerge right away. Minka and hernew partner, Renee, follow several tips that lead to dead ends, until they zeroin on the courthouse's former security guard. Their attempts to apprehend himsend the city and police department into chaos. Meanwhile, Minka contends withthe lingering suspicion of another party being involved. Could his accomplicebe closer than she thinks?
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