I see the numbers, so I know you’re out there. For two months straight, this blog gets an excess of 500,000 page views. That’s half a million pages being read by a ton of peeps, and this month and last month we reached 100,000+ unique visitors. “Unique,” as in, coming to these parts for the first time, ever. So…who are you? And why are you here? Come out of lurkdome. I’ve got a special holiday gift–a free autographed copy of SWIRLING–for one lucky lad or lady.

Still shy? I’ll go first. My name is Christelyn Karazin, the owner and publisher of Beyond Black & White. I’m also the co-author of “Swirling: How to Date, Mate & Relate, Mixing Race, Culture and Creed.” My favorite color is purple, but I hardly ever wear it. I’m a Cancer. I love puppies but refuse to have one in my house. I’ve been married for over a decade and have four kids. Oh. And my husband is a very, VERY white guy.

And, I’m a chronic smart ass.

And! I like to say, And!

My favorite authors are David Sedaris, Dean Koontz, and when he doesn’t use the n-word, Stephen King.

My favorite made-up word and phrase are “awesome-sauce,” and “what the cuss.” I hardly every use “awesome-sauce,” but liberally pepper “What the Cuss?!” in my writing, because sometimes cuss-word stand ins are just as or even more affective as the oft crass real ones.

Now you.