Sumiko Saulson’s “Ghouls Just Wanna Have Fun: Queer Ghoul Clans + Sires” has been published in  Girls Write These Worlds (@GirlsWriteWrlds) PRIDE ISSUE Z3: Pride and Resistance.  

Queer Ghoul Clans + Sires- taking characters from their novel Warmth, Sumiko has adapted the ancestry and clans for TTRPG! 6 playable clans to bring flavor to your ghoul rp! Ghouls Just Wanna Have Fun – The six major Queer Ghoul Clans and their Sires run the gamut from the hoity-toity traditionalist Afflicted (who pretend to be vampires) to the peaceful cottage-core Eaters of the Dead (who would never consume the flesh of living humans); from the fierce Warriors of Seraphim to the cloak and dagger hacktivist Shadow Army; from the near-feral Lizbet of Legion to the kinky leather House of Fadrique. All of them are just trying to stay alive – now that most of humanity is on to them!

This all-LGBTQIA+ author and artist ‘zine is themed around pride. From stories, items, and locations of triumph, joy, and equality, to NPCs of resistance, and every authentic representation in between, this ‘Zine is system agnostic. This Zine is so full of PRIDE that it burst through the word count & filled 76 pages of original TTRPG content created entirely by a 2SLGBTQIA+ team! From authors and artists to editors, layout, sensitivity readers, and admin! 

Pick up your copy of this downloadable zine at  https://t.co/s13xRDFdc9

Posted in Everything Else

Sumiko Saulson’s “The Denouement of Freeze-Dried Coffee”  has been published in “We’re Here: An Anthology of LGBTQ+ Horror” released on Gloom House Publishing on June 16, 2023.

“The Denouement of Freeze-Dried Coffee” by Sumiko Saulson is an evocative and disturbing dystopian tale of horrors both all too real and all too possible.” – Bibliophilia Templum

For the marginalized and oppressed, the expression of dread varies greatly. There has been no safer place than art to communicate such powerful thoughts and feelings. And never have these voices been so embraced as in the horror genre. Hence, the existence of this important book—We’re Here: An Anthology of LGBTQ+ Horror. Comprised of twelve stories, We’re Here boldly speaks its mind, presents old and new horrors, and celebrates the beautiful spectrum of otherness. Even in fiction, we live our truths.

Contributing authors: Judith Sonnet, Hailey Piper, Angelique Jordonna, Sumiko Saulson, Michael R. Collins, Pippa Bailey, Ruth Anna Evans, Evan J. Peterson, Dan B. Fierce, James Lefebure, Anton Cancre and Jason LaVelle

“We’re Here: An Anthology of LGBTQ+ Horror is everything the title promises and everything you want it to be. All the stories are by exceptional LGBTQ+ authors, and these stories range from horrifying to evocative to impactful, and all things in between.” – Bibliophilia Templum

‘We’re Here’ delivers twelve exciting tales spanning horror, dark fantasy, and a bit of futuristic science fiction” – James G. Carlson

“Horror is speculative, but it is also a spectrum, and this anthology offers a wide variety of that spectrum through tales of the supernatural, creature features, religious trauma, and even psychological horror.” – Samantha Hawkins

Posted in Everything Else

Sumiko Saulson’s short story “A Confusion of the Gods” is in Blackened Roots: An Anthology Of The Undead, released June 23, 2023.

In the horror comedy “A Confusion of the Gods,” DeathCon, the Annual Convention of the Gods of Death taking place in Pittsburgh this year, had been interrupted by an unexpected uprising of the dead! Ravenous, ambling corpses have resurrected and are roaming the earth. Who authorized this? No one seems to know! These Gods need to find out. Someone has got to pay.

Mocha Memoirs Press and Nightlight Podcast are proud to present Blackened Roots: An Anthology of the Undead – a groundbreaking anthology celebrating nontraditional zombie stories from the African diaspora. The anthology is co-edited by Stoker-nominated and award-winning editor and writer Nicole Givens Kurtz and 2022 World Fantasy Award® Winner and 2022 Ignyte® Winner, producer, and editor Tonia Ransom at NIGHTLIGHT.

Blackened Roots is a unique collection and will be a must-have for zombie lovers. Blackened Roots takes the zombie mythos back to its roots. Drawing from a variety of cultural backgrounds, Blackened Roots imagines a world of horror and wonder where Black protagonists take center stage – as zombies, as hunters, as heroes. From a haunting recipe to sibling rivalry, a singing zombie cowboy, a slave ship, and disobedient gods stories, Blackened Roots is a groundbreaking Afrocentric zombie anthology celebrating the rich cultural heritage of the African Diaspora.

Featuring stories by award-winning authors Eden Royce, Craig L. Gidney, Milton Davis, Sumiko Saulson, Marc Abbott, Moustapha Mbacké Diop, Steven Van Patten, Brandon Massey, and Errick Nunnally.
Pick up a copy at https://mochamemoirspress.com/product/blackened-roots/

Posted in Everything Else

Saturday, June 24 at 1pm Locus Awards Panel “The Idea Factory: Strategies for Invention” with Ysabeau S. Wilce, Audrey T. Williams, Emily Flummox (Chris Hughes) Locus Publications, 655 13th St. #100, Oakland CA 94612,

Saturday, July 8 at 1pm – Workshop on Erotic Storytelling and Writing at SOMA Second Saturdays, 12th Street between Folsom and Harrison near Eagle Plaza in San Francisco

Sunday, July 9 from 2pm to 9pm Haight Street Speakeasy at Haight Ashbury Free Clinic 558 Clayton St, San Francisco, CA 94117 (Princess Chris Hughes) is also reading there.

Thursday, July 13 – Saturday, 15 ReaderCon 32 – Boston Quincy Marriott in Quincy, MA

Friday, July 21 – 4pm Berkeley ZineFest, Workshop “How to Write and Create Comic Zines” Berkeley Public Library – Central Branch – 2090 Kittredge St, Berkeley, CA 94704

Friday, July 28 – Sunday, July 30 – Midsummer Scream Horror Convention, Long Beach Convention Center, 300 E Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90802

Posted in Everything Else

Thursday, June 15

Come by the Dealer’s Room and catch me at the Black Women in Horror Booth!

Friday, June 16

9:00am EDT
Perspectives on Mental Health in Horror
Lee Murray • Sumiko Saulson • Brian Matthews • Anton Cancre • Jessica Peter • Tim Waggoner

10:00am EDT
Author Reading
Rachel Searcey • Sumiko Saulson • Carol Gyzander • Rachel Harrison

1:00pm EDT
Quoth the Raven: The Rise of Dark Poetry
Marge Simon • Timons Esaias • Sumiko Saulson • Colleen Anderson • Stephanie M. Wytovich • S. Alessandro Martinez

6:15pm EDT
Mass Author Signing
Michael Potts • Francesca Maria • Colleen Anderson • Ken McGregor • Denise Tapscott • John Palisano • Christopher Hawkins • Dianna Sinovic • Jacob Moon • Brad Center • Joe Radkins • Corey Niles • Edward Flora • Lee Allen Howard • Dutch Pearce • Bil Richardson • Mike Allen • Dacia Arnold • Michael Bailey • barbara barnett • Sally Bosco • S.A Bradley • Kenneth W. Cain • Anton Cancre • Christa Carmen • James Chambers • Michael Cieslak • Darcy Coates • Garrett Cook • Holley Cornetto • Ellen Datlow • Craig Davidson • Charlene Elsby • Thom Erb • Stephanie Feldman • Patrick Freivald • Teel James Glenn • Jewelle Gomez • J. L. Gribble • Carol Gyzander • Sarah Hans • Brad Hodson • Timothy G. Huguenin • Gabino Iglesias • Scott Johnson • John Kachuba • Lisa Kastner • Alma Katsu • Todd Keisling • Brandon Ketchum • Pamela K. Kinney • Rae Knowles • Vanessa Lanang • John Edward Lawson • CJ Leede • P.L. McMillan • Bridgett Nelson • Steven Van Patten • Nelson Pyles • Michael Allen Rose • Zachary Rosenberg • Rebecca Rowland • Sumiko Saulson • Kathleen Scheiner • M. Lopes da Silva • Tommy B. Smith • Jeff Strand • Richard Thomas • Tamika Thompson • Jared Vickery • Catriona Ward • Rebekah L Webb • Jaye Wells • Wrath James White

Saturday, June 17

Catch me in the Dealer’s Room at the Black Women in Horror Booth!

4:00pm EDT
A Decade of Black Women in Horror
Tamika Thompson • Kenya Moss-Dyme • Sumiko Saulson • Linda D. Addison • Rhonda Jackson Garcia AKA RJ Joseph • L. Marie Wood • Paula D. Ashe • Jewelle Gomez

Posted in Everything Else

1pm – I am teaching a class on how to write erotica at SOMA Second Saturdays in San Francisco (12th Street between Harrison and Folsom by Eagle Plaza, outside the Eagle SF)

2pm – The first ever live and in person Erotic Storytelling Hour, with readers from the Bay Area Bisexual/Pansexual Alliance, including Dominique Leslie, Mila Guerrero, Princess Chris Hughes, Pangressive, and GenericPica! You won’t want to miss this stellar lineup of talented, amazing, and amusing writers, readers and performers!

7pm – I will be reading at A Celebration of Queer Zines at Tamper Room in Fremont opening reception for an art exhibit featuring art from local queer zinesters!

Posted in Everything Else

Saturday, June 3

8:00am PST/11:00am EDT Inclusive Cosplay1

How can cosplay be more inclusive to people of all backgrounds? Is there a line where someone shouldn’t cosplay a character? Our panelist discuss this often polarizing topic. Moderator: Chris Shrewsbury Panelists: Mera Rose, Angel Bradford, Sumiko Saulson

2:00pm PST/5:00pm EDT Body Positive Cosplay
Advocates will discuss cosplay inclusivity and body positivity as they celebrate and empower geeks to have fun while cosplaying.
Moderator: Mera Rose
Speakers: Lois Fitzpatrick, Sumiko Saulson

Sunday, June 4

10:30 PST/1:30pm EDT
Mars Wants What?
Despite what so many books and movies have insisted, aliens are probably not interested in our water, our women or our gold. What are some legitimate reasons for alien contact or invasion? Are there any writers or filmmakers who got the aliens’ motivations right? And what was that green flash in the sky last night?

Moderator:
Edward McKeown

Panelists: Michael Mammay, Ian Randal Strock, Sumiko Saulson, R.M. Hamrick

Posted in Everything Else

Check out my comics for free online:

7 Principles of Kwanzaa https://www.theduckwebcomics.com/7_Principles_of_Kwanzaa/

Agrippa https://www.theduckwebcomics.com/Agrippa/

Dreamworlds https://www.theduckwebcomics.com/Dreamworlds/

Mauskaveli https://www.theduckwebcomics.com/Mauskaveli_in_Full_Color/

Tales of an Iconoclast: The Carolyn Saulson Story https://www.theduckwebcomics.com/Tales_of_An_Iconoclast/

Posted in Everything Else

2023 Nebula Conference & Awards Ceremony

• Start12 May 2023
• End14 May 2023
• LocationAnaheim, CA & Online

https://membership.sfwa.org/page-1462889

Sat, May 13, 2023 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Black Speculative Fiction: Urban Fantasy and Beyond

From Octavia Butler’s “Kindred” to LA Bank’s Vampire Huntress series, Urban fantasy (fantasy that takes place in modern cities) is a subgenre frequently embraced by Black authors who write science fiction, fantasy, and horror authors, and especially by African American authors, but it is not the only thing we write. Why is the genre so popular with Black authors? And why is the popular genre, which is particularly associated with African Americans, so often maligned?

Alaya Dawn Johnson

James Beamon

Endria Richardson

Sumiko Saulson

Pegasus: Panel A – Zoom

Sun, May 14, 2023 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM

Sating the Need: Writing a Satisfying Romantic Subplot

Want to perfect that romantic subplot to add character depth and, potentially, heat to your story? Panelists will discuss the purpose of romantic subplots, how to use them effectively, and what makes them satisfying for cross-genre readers.

Greta K. Kelly

Meghan Ciana Doidge

Alicia Hilton

Linden Tarr

Sumiko Saulson

Sunshine: Panel B – Zoom

Posted in Everything Else

Join me for my public appearance, poetry reading, and Q&A Session: at the Central Branch of the Berkeley Public Library, 2090 Kittredge St, Berkeley, CA 94704, just three blocks away from the Downtown Berkeley BART Station!

Dark Poetry Reading
Saturday, April 29, 2023 – 3:00pm-4:00pm
Central Branch Art & Music/5th Floor

Calling all fans of poetry, tragedy, horror, and Bay Area lit for an introduction to the poignant and sometimes macabre world of dark poetry! Come hear award-winning local author Sumiko Saulson read from their Bram Stoker Nominated poetry collection, The Rat King: A Book of Dark Poetry. The reading will be followed by an audience Q&A with Saulson and a discussion on how poetry can be used to explore the darker side of life.

Sumiko Saulson is a Bram Stoker Nominated poet for their 2022 collection The Rat King: A Book of Dark Poetry (Dooky Zines), and an award-winning author of Afrosurrealist and multicultural sci-fi and horror whose latest novel Happiness and Other Diseases is available on Mocha Memoirs Press. They are also the winner of the HWA Scholarship from Hell (2016) BCC Voice “Reframing the Other” contest (2017), Mixy Award (2017), Afrosurrealist Writer Award (2018), HWA Diversity Grant (2020), HWA Richard Laymon Presidents Award (2021), and Ladies of Horror Fiction Readers’ Choice Award (2021). Sumiko has an AA in English from Berkeley City College, writes a column called “Writing While Black” for a national Black Newspaper, the San Francisco BayView is the host of the SOMA Leather and LGBT Cultural District’s “Erotic Storytelling Hour,” and teaches courses at the Speculative Fiction Academy.

Posted in Everything Else