Midwest BSFA Organizes Panel for Virtual Convention

Midwest BSFA members and supporters will participate in a panel called Steampunk Aesthetics Through A Black Lens on Saturday, July 25, at 1 p.m. EST as part of the virtual convention Michigan Magick and Machine (July 24-26)! Black people and other POC interested in steampunk are doing so within a Eurocentric framework that doesn’t really take us into account. Panelists will explore their character back stories and how they navigate the space while still managing to have fun.

Ngolo Diaspora Origin Story

In honor of the launch of the Ngolo Diaspora #1 Kickstarter campaign, co-creator Balogun Ojetade wrote this origin story for the characters Malcolm and Jamela! Ngolo is an African martial arts comic book series based on a screenplay of the same name by Ojetade and Milton Davis.

(Reposted with permission from MVMedia LLC)

TOP FIVE: Wayne Shorter’s Futuristic Tunes

“You know, Wayne Shorter’s really into sci-fi,” local trumpet player Mike Wade told me.

But if anyone took even a cursory glance at Shorter’s late ’70s/early ’80s catalog, the only answer is “duh.”

I asked Mike to give me his top Shorter tunes: “Fall,” “Visitor from Somewhere,” “Infant Eyes,” “Visitor from Nowhere” and “Memory of Enchantment.”

“The titles are futuristic, and Wayne and his cast of musicians that perform this incredible music are playing within that manner,” Wade said. “Always reaching, never settling!”

Excerpt of Nicole Givens Kurtz’s Kill Three Birds

Nicole Givens Kurtz, writer, publisher and educator, works to amplify marginalized voices in speculative fiction and writes stories that explore race, sexism, and the weird. This month, she’s generously giving Midwest BSFA readers a sneak peek at the first chapter of her novel, Kill Three Birds, which is currently available for pre-order.

Kurtz’s work has appeared in Stoker Finalist Sycorax’s Daughters, Baen’s Straight Outta Tombstone, and her Cybil Lewis SF Mystery Series. You can support diverse voices in speculative fiction by joining her Patreon.

Interview with Author/Artist Sarah A. Macklin

We recently spoke with author/artist Sarah A. Macklin about her forthcoming sword & soul novel, The Royal Heretic, which drops in July. We discussed her future plans, her favorite authors and following your dreams.

Midwest BSFA Co-Founder Named SHE Fellow

Photo by NyteVisions Photography

Midwest BSFA co-founder Aiesha Little has received Super Heroines, Etc.’s first SHE Fellowship. The program is designed for people who want to redirect their career paths and get some experience in areas outside of their expertise, some of whom may have been affected by pandemic-related layoffs. During the month of June, Aiesha will help the organization beef up its content on social media platforms as well as its website. For more information about the group, visit superheroinesetc.org.

 

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Interview with Playwright Roger Collins

Author/playwright Roger Collins recently had his stage play “Humanoid Traffic Stop” published in the spring 2020 issue of Astral Waters Review. We spoke with him about relations between the African-American community and the police, Afrofuturism, and his 2020 goals.