— the online incarnation of the annual Bay Area Book Festival, which fills Downtown Berkeley with hundreds of notable authors and tens of thousands of readers, starts tomorrow.
#UNBOUND programs present authors and activists at the top of their game to inform, inspire, console, and engage you. Each program (pre-recorded) has a “premiere” showing, which allows for live audience chat, then remains on the site for free viewing.
Berkeley Book Fair’s #UNBOUND Virtual Festival
On Sunday, October 4, the Bay Area Book Festival presents Berkeley #UNBOUND, an all-day, free, virtual mini-festival — kicked off with a ticketed keynote program on Saturday night, October 3.
“The Bay Area Book Festival’s big fall event, Berkeley #UNBOUND, features a diverse group of world-renowned thinkers, writers, academics, and trailblazers, including U.S. Representative Barbara Lee, Stephen Best, john a. powell, and Ishmael Reed, to offer bold visions for the future of California and our nation,” – Julia Drake, Wildbound PR & Literary Management
In addition to U.S. Representative Barbara Lee, the festival features a number of prominent African American / African Diaspora speakers of particular interest to San Francisco BayView readers. They include W. Kamau Bell, host and executive producer of the Emmy Award winning CNN docu-series “United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell,” young adult fiction author and a long-time executive at Walt Disney Studios R.C. Barnes, author of “None Like Us: Blackness, Belonging, Aesthetic Life” Stephen Best, Poetry for the People director Aya DeLeon, the Director of the Othering & Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley john a. powell, and National Book Award winner and Pulitzer Prize finalist Ishmael Reed, the author of Mumbo Jumbo.
When I remember you sweetly, and Softly touching your feet… If your foot was in my hand And I massaged toes, long and lean And ran fingers over seams Of two layers of stockings One fishnet, one plain To prevent the slippage of toes Between fishnet in hose Made of black lace windows
And in these, and in those… And in noisy repose If I cat-booped your nose If I blew bubbles on your navel And heaven in those Air blown against skin, and then You within…
Not taken away, but Forever remaining beyond trouble And pain and my memory stained With port-wine marks of you within On me deeper than skin Deeper than tattoo ink or pen On the paper I carry to bury necessary
Memories of you, we one, we two Me wrapped in you… Part and parcel of you… Memories too true to dismiss them Or dismiss you when You’re part of my system
Automatic writing.. both enlightening And frightening and pages I crafted Inside me you laughed, it Was under my skin Where I still hold you within
I am thrilled to be one of the authors at the San Mateo Library “Tales of Horror” program which starts today!
October opens with horror writers reading from their scary works for the Fourth Annual Tales of Horror, a collaboration between San Mateo Public Library and HorroAddicts.net. View the videos posted to this page or subscribe to the City of San Mateo’s YouTube channel to see and hear costumed HorrorAddict authors put you in the mood for Halloween all month!
Emerian Rich kicks off the Fourth Annual Tales of Horror today with a poem “The Plague Ship” from the book “Darklings Beast and Brew” which also includes fun spooky recipes!
Stay tuned for more short stories, poems, and excerpts by Loren Rhoads (October 5), RL Merrill (October 8), me, Sumiko Saulson (October 12), Alanna McFall (October 15), Jonathan Fortin (October 19), Laurel Anne Hill (October 22), Jay Hartlove (October 26), and Ben Monroe (October 29).
I just received this lovely letter in my email inbox from poet and aspiring fellow literary cultural archivist Rabia Shay, a self-described blerd (black nerd):
Hello, Sumiko Saulson.
My name is Rabia Shay and I’m inquiring about your book 100 Black Women in Horror. I was very happy to have come across such a resource and thought I’d like to create my own (not in horror btw). I just wondered how to go about it? A great deal of information is included in your book and I wondered if you had to seek permission from those mentioned. Thank you very much for your time and hope to hear back from you soon.
Rabia Shay
Dear Rabia,
100 Black Women in Horror started out as a blog series right here for Women in Horror Month. Women in Horror Month is in February, so I decided to combine it with Black History Month, which is how I came up with the idea.
I started out with the blog post 20 Black Women in Horror, which was pretty simple since I could rely on my own personal knowledge of black women who wrote horror, such as LA Banks, a personal favorite. But as the list expanded to 60 and then 110 women, I had to use other methods.
I started with “Dark Matter: A Century of Speculative Fiction from the African Diaspora,” and then worked my way through other similar African Diaspora anthologies that included horror authors. I read through the table of contents first, collected names, and then, went over their stories to see if they had a substantial body of horror work.
Since the first three lists of approximately 20 women each were posted on my blog, I was starting to get a reputation as someone who did this kind of work – so I started to have women from the African Diaspora contact me through my blog.
D.L. Russell has been published in various publications since 2007. His horror anthology, Hell is An Awfully Big City was later released in 2009. One thing that stood out for D.L. was the fact there didn’t seem to be enough markets for the creative talent he came across within the genres of Speculative Fiction. His answer to this was to found the ezine, Strange, Weird, and Wonderful Magazine and later SSW Publishing and Black Books Publishing, Inc.
Today, D.L. is continuing his quest to prove “there’s talent everywhere” through D.L. Russell Books, which is primarily an anthology publisher of all forms of Speculative Fiction, including Erotica and its many sub-genres.
About Nobody Goes Out Anymore
The 1st title from D.L. Russell Books is NOBODY GOES OUT ANYMORE, an anthology of Futuristic Speculative Fiction – Post Covid-19. As the Coronavirus the end of the world, or just the end of the world as we know it? No matter how you view tomorrow, the consensus is nothing will ever be the same.NOBODY GOES OUT ANYMORE asked 16 of today’s most diverse creators of Speculative Fiction to show us their visions of the future and the results ranged from hopeful to full blown Conspiratorial Paranoia. NOBODY GOES OUT ANYMORE explores tomorrow with a critical, unflinching eye. A tomorrow we know we have jeaporized with our actions of the past. Is COVID-19 our Extinction Level Event or just another step in our Evolution?CONTRIBUTORS – Joanna Michal Hoyt – D.L. Russell – David R. Mellor – R.D. Doan – Eartha Watts-Hicks – Bil B. Peters – Anna Lindwasser – Katherine LE White – Kahn Brown Jr. – Rhashaa Price – Josh Carson – Chris Rodriguez – Veronica Smith – Nigel Anthony Sellars – R. Maureen
Interview with DL Russell
Q. What prompted you to make an anthology about post Covid-19 futures?
A. For me, it was seeing all the pro sports teams shutting down that made me realize Covid-19 was going to change the world. And as a writer I began to imagine other changes, in the long and short term and before I knew it the idea for the Anthology was born.
Q. Would you say the tone of your anthology is dark and twisted? Or are there upbeat stories?
A. Well, as I say in the introduction of the book, these stories are not where we want to be tomorrow. They are quite dark in their view of man in a crisis, but there are enough healthy doses of humor to keep the them honest.
Q. Did you have some favorite stories in the anthology?
A. As a writer I would say my own story contribution was my favorite because it was inspired by an actual event involving my daughters cat. As an Editor I would have to say I don’t think there is a bad, dull, or even predictable story in the bunch. I love them all equally.
Q. What other projects are you working on that our readers might be interested in?
A. D.L. Russell Books is primarily an Anthology Publisher of all forms of Speculative Fiction including Erotica and all its Sub-Genres. We are currently seeking submission for a themed erotica Anthology and a horror/dark fantasy anthology.
Q. Where can our readers find out more about you?
A. www.dlrussellbooks.com is our site and there you’ll find more info about me, the titles currently available, future projects, and a few contributor bios. Our FB page is currently under construction as well.
SLAY: Stories of the Vampire Noire is an anthology of vampire stories from the African Diaspora. Mocha Memoirs Press is proud to present SLAY: Stories of the Vampire Noire — a revolutionary anthology celebrating vampires of the African Diaspora. SLAY is a groundbreaking unique collection and will be a must-have for vampire lovers all over the world. SLAY aims to be the first anthology of its kind. Few creatures in contemporary horror are as compelling as the vampire, who manages to captivate us in a simultaneous state of fear and desire. Drawing from a variety of cultural and mythological backgrounds, SLAY dares to imagine a world of horror and wonder where Black protagonists take center stage — as vampires, as hunters, as heroes. From immortal African deities to resistance fighters; matriarchal vampire broods to monster hunting fathers; coming of age stories to end of life stories, SLAY is a groundbreaking Afrocentric vampire anthology celebrating the rich cultural heritage of the African Diaspora.
Samantha Bryant Biography
Samantha Bryant teaches Spanish to middle schoolers. Clearly, she’s tougher than she looks. She writes The Menopausal Superhero series of novels, and other feminist leaning speculative fiction. When she’s not writing or teaching, Samantha enjoys family time, old movies, baking, gaming, and walking in the woods with her rescue dog. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram @samanthabwriter or at: http://samanthabryant.com and subscribe to her newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/bwgsxD
Samantha Bryant Interview
1) What inspired your story in SLAY: Tales of the Vampire Noire?
The story of the ten plagues of Egypt always scared me. The G-d of my childhood was a terrifying deity, full of vengeance, punishment, and judgment. When he came for the first-born sons of Egypt, slaughtering children for the sins of the leader of their land, I shivered as I might reading any horror story. “His Destroyer” is a telling of the events of that night, imagining who and what exactly G-d sent to do his dirty work.
2) What do you think makes your story different than other vampire stories?
I’ve never read another one in this setting, or wherein a vampire was called into the service of the Lord. It feels like a unique take to me and I’m anxious to see what readers think!
3) Did you learn anything new about African Diaspora vampire stories while you were working on your story or coming up with ideas for SLAY?
I learned there’s a sad shortage of vampire stories of this sort. I’m really looking forward to reading the other stories in this anthology just to see the unexpected angles and new interpretations of tropes that have traditionally featured pale Europeans alternating preying on and falling in love with their human food.
4) Who is your favorite black vampire and/or what is your favorite African Diaspora vampire type and why?
Sadly, I haven’t read or seen that many. Wesley Snipes’s Blade still holds up well to rewatching, but Blacula is more than a little dated at this point. Octavia Butler’s Fledgling gets points for the kid-as-monster theme, one of my favorites. I’ve been added to my TBR pile as I learn about more characters and authors that I haven’t yet explored through my inclusion in this project.
5) What is your favorite romantic vampire story?
I like Sunshine by Robin McKinley and there was that one summer when I read all the Sookie Stackhouse books, but mostly I’m less interested in romantic vampires, especially if they’re in love with humans less than a quarter of their age.
6) What is your favorite scary vampire story?
I love Let the Right One In. I’m especially fond of scary children in horror stories and this one definitely fits the bill. Though they don’t really scare me anymore, I also have a fondness for 80s vampires like The Lost Boys, Salem’s Lot, and Fright Night.
7) What is your favorite funny vampire story?
Once Bitten really entertained me when I was a teenager, probably in part because it was full of sexual innuendo I was only just beginning to understand and I felt like I was getting away with something by watching it. More recently, I’ve enjoyed Rick Gualtieri’s Bill the Vampire series and John Hartness’s Quincy Harker series.
8) What other kinds of stories and books have you put out into the world already?
I’m best known for my Menopausal Superhero series, which imagines what might happen if the people suddenly gifted with superpowers weren’t footless and fancy free fifteen-year-olds skipping Algebra to learn to use their powers, but women with careers, responsibilities, partners, and maybe an axe or two to grind.
I like to play in different genres, so my published work also includes some ghost stories, fairy tale reinterpretations, mad scientist adventures, weird suburban tales, and horror.
You can find my work by checking out my website/blog http://samanthabryant.com or by following me on social media: @samanthabwriter on Instagram and Twitter and @samanthadunawaybryant on Facebook.
9) What are you working on that our readers might look forward to?
Right now, I’m writing the fourth novel in the Menopausal Superhero series, due out in 2021 from Falstaff Books. I’ve got stories coming out in two more horror anthologies in upcoming months: “The Cleaning Lady” in Stories We Tell After Midnight 2 from Crone Girls Press and “Margaret Lets Her Self Go” in Outsiders Withinfrom Abstruse Press.
I’ve got several projects on my back burner I’m anxious to get back to including some historical fiction, a gothic romance, a middle grades witch story, and a dystopian adventure. I hope I live long enough to finish writing it all!
Who is in Slay?
Featuring anchor stories by award winning authors Sheree Renee Thomas, Craig L. Gidney, Milton Davis, Jessica Cage, Michele Tracy Berger, Alicia McCalla, Jeff Carroll, and Steven Van Patten.
Additional Contributing Authors: Penelope Flynn, Lynette Hoag, Steve Van Samson, Ekpeki Oghenechovwe Donald, Balogun Ojetade, Valjeanne Jeffers, Samantha Bryant, Vonnie Winslow Crist, Miranda J. Riley, K.R.S. McEntire, Alledria Hurt, Kai Leakes, John Linwood Grant, Sumiko Saulson, Dicey Grenor, L. Marie Wood, LH Moore, Delizhia D. Jenkins, Colin Cloud Dance, and V.G. Harrison.
SLAY: Stories of the Vampire Noire is an anthology of vampire stories from the African Diaspora. Mocha Memoirs Press is proud to present SLAY: Stories of the Vampire Noire — a revolutionary anthology celebrating vampires of the African Diaspora. SLAY is a groundbreaking unique collection and will be a must-have for vampire lovers all over the world. SLAY aims to be the first anthology of its kind. Few creatures in contemporary horror are as compelling as the vampire, who manages to captivate us in a simultaneous state of fear and desire. Drawing from a variety of cultural and mythological backgrounds, SLAY dares to imagine a world of horror and wonder where Black protagonists take center stage — as vampires, as hunters, as heroes. From immortal African deities to resistance fighters; matriarchal vampire broods to monster hunting fathers; coming of age stories to end of life stories, SLAY is a groundbreaking Afrocentric vampire anthology celebrating the rich cultural heritage of the African Diaspora.
Nicole Kurtz Givens Biography
Nicole Givens Kurtz’s short stories have appeared in over 40 anthologies of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Her novels have been finalists for the EPPIEs, Dream Realm, and Fresh Voices in science fiction awards. Her work has appeared in Bram Stoker Finalist, Sycorax’s Daughters, and other fine publications.
Interview with Nicole Kurtz Givens
Q. What inspired you to put together SLAY: Tales of the Vampire Noire?
A. The inspiration for SLAY came about due to many conversations I have had with authors about the lack of Black vampire stories in the wake of L.A. Banks’s death. Sure, there have been other Black vampires, but they remained on the perimeter, in the background, window dressing. We wanted stories like Banks wrote, that centered Black people, Black vampires and Black slayers in the forefront. What would that look like now? So, the idea was born to seek out short stories for an anthology to answer that question and to fill the void.
Q. Who is behind the striking cover art for the anthology?
A. The amazing Taria Reed! She’s a fantastic artist, not just cover artist. People can check out her work at http://www.tariareed.net/
Q. What is your favorite vampire story, and why?
A. My favorite vampire story is Minion by L.A. Banks. It featured Black people in many of our various glories. I loved it. It was set in Philly and it was a lot of set-up, but the mythology that’s created is fantastic.
Q.Who is your favorite African Diaspora vampire?
A. Blade.
Q.What are some of your favorite stories in the anthology and what stands out about them?
A. Oh, this is definitely asking a mother to pick her favorite child! I loved them all, for various reasons, but the stories that lingered the longest after I read them were, Craig L. Gidney’s “Desiccant,” Steven Van Patten’s “The Retiree,” L. Marie Wood’s “The Dance,” and Alledria Hurt’s “Uijim.”
Q. Which story do you think is the scariest one in the anthology, and why?
A. The scariest story in the anthology has to be Gidney’s “Desiccant.”
Q. What is your favorite romantic vampire story?
A. My favorite romantic vampire story is Interview with the Vampire. It’s heartbreakingly beautiful.
Q. What is your favorite scary vampire story?
A. Gary Oldman as Dracula in the Kenneth Braghan version. I’m such a 90s girl. LOL.
Q. What is your favorite funny vampire story?
A. “The Retiree,” by Steven Van Patten is the most funny, but it also made me cry.
SLAY: Stories of the Vampire Noire is an anthology of vampire stories from the African Diaspora. Mocha Memoirs Press is proud to present SLAY: Stories of the Vampire Noire — a revolutionary anthology celebrating vampires of the African Diaspora. SLAY is a groundbreaking unique collection and will be a must-have for vampire lovers all over the world. SLAY aims to be the first anthology of its kind. Few creatures in contemporary horror are as compelling as the vampire, who manages to captivate us in a simultaneous state of fear and desire. Drawing from a variety of cultural and mythological backgrounds, SLAY dares to imagine a world of horror and wonder where Black protagonists take center stage — as vampires, as hunters, as heroes. From immortal African deities to resistance fighters; matriarchal vampire broods to monster hunting fathers; coming of age stories to end of life stories, SLAY is a groundbreaking Afrocentric vampire anthology celebrating the rich cultural heritage of the African Diaspora.
L Marie Wood Biography
L. Marie Wood has had a love for writing horror and suspense tales since she was a child. A Rockland County, New York native, she attended Howard University in Washington DC and, after graduating with a Communications degree in 1995, began writing with a focus on publication. Initially, her approach was through poetry, where she succeeded in publishing over twenty pieces under the pen name elle wood. She went on to write four screenplays and a novella before settling down to write the horror novel that dwelled within her for years.
Her debut novel, Crescendo,received critical acclaim from such entities as Midwest Book Review and Buried.com. The novel was called “a highly complex work” by Book Publicity, LTD.
L Marie Wood Interview
Q. What inspired your story in SLAY: Tales of the Vampire Noire?
A. “The Dance” represents a different take on vampire work, at least coming from me. I set my vampires in a place I don’t normally use which changed the dynamic exponentially. In my quest to try something different and stretch myself, I came up with the tale and loved every minute of it.
Q. What do you think makes your story different than other vampire stories?
A. “The Dance” is written from a psychological horror standpoint. Since that is my bailiwick, I used the vampire antagonist in that space to see what would happen. The result is a tale that gets very introspective, but not in the ways you might think, and makes you challenge your senses. “The Dance” will definitely stick with you when you are done.
Q. Did you learn anything new about African Diaspora vampire stories while you were working on your story or coming up with ideas for SLAY?
A. No, not for this story. This piece is set in contemporary US and does not dive into the diaspora.
Q. Who is your favorite black vampire and/or what is your favorite African Diaspora vampire type and why?
A. I am partial to Queen Akasha from Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles series because of the strength she brings to the table. Her dominance brought everyone – from fledglings to centuries old vampires – to their knees.
Q. What is your favorite romantic vampire story?
A. Don’t have one!
Q. What is your favorite scary vampire story?
A. Dracula by Bram Stoker – I’m a bit of a traditionalist… sometimes.
Q. What is your favorite funny vampire story?
A. Not a book, but the original movie Fright Night, but I don’t think that one was designed to be as funny as it is to me! I love so much about that movie – I can quote lines from it… Roddy McDowell is amazing in this movie (sometimes I root for the vampire slayer and the vampire at the same time!)
Q. What other kinds of stories and books have you put out into the world already?
A. I am mostly a psychological horror author but my second novel, The Promise Keeper, is a vampire tale and it won the Golden Stake Award in 2019. My first novel, Crescendo, is a ghost tale, and my third novel coming out on October 29th of this year is a horror / sci-fi mashup.
Q. What are you working on that our readers might look forward to?
A. I am working on a few things – a horror romance mashup novel and a purely psychological horror piece among them. And definitely more vampires (started a short story tonight!).
If you want to learn more about me, please visit my website www.lmariewood.com or find me on Twitter: @LMarieWood1
Who is in Slay?
Featuring anchor stories by award winning authors Sheree Renee Thomas, Craig L. Gidney, Milton Davis, Jessica Cage, Michele Tracy Berger, Alicia McCalla, Jeff Carroll, and Steven Van Patten.
Additional Contributing Authors: Penelope Flynn, Lynette Hoag, Steve Van Samson, Ekpeki Oghenechovwe Donald, Balogun Ojetade, Valjeanne Jeffers, Samantha Bryant, Vonnie Winslow Crist, Miranda J. Riley, K.R.S. McEntire, Alledria Hurt, Kai Leakes, John Linwood Grant, Sumiko Saulson, Dicey Grenor, L. Marie Wood, LH Moore, Delizhia D. Jenkins, Colin Cloud Dance, and V.G. Harrison.
In case you didn’t know, a month ago the Leather & LGBT Cultural District announced that I had been hired as the new host for the Erotic Storytelling Hour! Bicoastal Beth left some mighty big shoes to fill, and Cal Callaghan, the new District Manager, picked up most of her job. Now, Cal, David Hyman and I are the crack team hosting the Erotic Storytelling Hour every other Tuesday from 8pm to 9pm.
Last night was a first, as all of the readers agreed to be recorded! We were so fortunate as to have Jewelle Gomez, author of the double Lambda Award winning Gilda Stories, as our guest of honor. Also reading were Tristissima Et Alia, Ev Joy Lokadottr, Dominique Leslie, and mrPam.
Missed it? Well, luckily, it was videotaped!
Our next reading is September 15, 2020
Tuesday, September 15, 2020 at 8 PM – 9 PM Public · Hosted by LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural District Online Event San Francisco’s LEATHER & LGBTQ Cultural District presents a special, 18+ only, online event: The Erotic Storytelling Hour! Come hear some provocative, graphic, sexy, titillating, and funny stories (and more) from selected writers of our community! Be 18+ Hosted by Sumiko Saulson, David Hyman, and Cal Callahan Featured Readers: Danny Thanh Nguyen Element Eclipse Patty Overland Sumiko Saulson Special Guest Reader: Rawiyah Tariq Rawiyah’s most recent published work can be found in “The Politics of Size” co-authored with Juana Tango and edited by Ragen Chastian and their journey documented in interviews in Nia King’s “Queer and Trans Artists of Color”. Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85654652578?pwd=M0pSM1VpanJtY1laeW1SVWZLTEZHdz09 Meeting ID: 856 5465 2578 Password: 007266 Or call 1 408 638 0968 US (San Jose) and enter meeting ID: 856 5465 2578 and password: 007266 (Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcdjuCNy9C ) Want to be a reader for a future event? contact: manager@sflcd.org The event is free; want to thank us? Donate to Bay Area Leather Lifeline: https://ball.leatheralliance.org/ Or become a member: https://join.sflcd.org/ Check out our Website: https://sfleatherdistrict.org
SLAY: Stories of the Vampire Noire is an anthology of vampire stories from the African Diaspora. Mocha Memoirs Press is proud to present SLAY: Stories of the Vampire Noire — a revolutionary anthology celebrating vampires of the African Diaspora. SLAY is a groundbreaking unique collection and will be a must-have for vampire lovers all over the world. SLAY aims to be the first anthology of its kind. Few creatures in contemporary horror are as compelling as the vampire, who manages to captivate us in a simultaneous state of fear and desire. Drawing from a variety of cultural and mythological backgrounds, SLAY dares to imagine a world of horror and wonder where Black protagonists take center stage — as vampires, as hunters, as heroes. From immortal African deities to resistance fighters; matriarchal vampire broods to monster hunting fathers; coming of age stories to end of life stories, SLAY is a groundbreaking Afrocentric vampire anthology celebrating the rich cultural heritage of the African Diaspora.
Alledria Hurt
Alledria Hurt is an African-American author of multiple works. She has appeared in the anthologies: Black Magic Women, Like a Woman, and Deadly Bargain with upcoming appearances in SLAY: Stories of the Vampire Noire and Devil’s Due. She is best known for two series: The Fate Circle Saga and the She Becomes Death series. She is also known for her novellas such as “A Doll’s Life”. When she isn’t written, she’s a full time cat momma and part time actress. Find her many places on the interwebs through http://linktr.ee/alledria.
Interview with Alledria Hurt
Q. What inspired your story in SLAY: Tales of the Vampire Noire?
A. I knew I wanted to tell a family story. That was really all I had was the idea that it would be a family story of two sisters. I’ve written of the two sisters throughout my writing career, either at odds or working together, but it always seems to be 2 sisters.
Q. What do you think makes your story different than other vampire stories?
A. Though they can and do drink human blood, the life source comes from a special gourd which is hung above the Master’s sleeping place.
Q. Did you learn anything new about African Diaspora vampire stories while you were working on your story or coming up with ideas for SLAY?
A. I went looking for the right word to be the title of my story and hit upon “UJIMA” the word for Collective Work and Responsibility from Kwanzaa. I myself do not celebrate Kwanzaa, in my family it is still Christmas, but the word spoke to me, so I wanted to use it. Plus it fit with the theme of sisterhood in my story.
Q. Who is your favorite black vampire and/or what is your favorite African Diaspora vampire type and why?
A. I’ve always been a little bit of a Marvelite, so I enjoy Blade.
Q. What is your favorite romantic vampire story?
A. Do movies count? I very much enjoyed the romantic angle in Bram Stoker’s Dracula filmed in the 90’s.
Q. What is your favorite scary vampire story?
A. I honestly don’t find vampire stories all that scary, so nothing comes immediately to mind.
Q. What is your favorite funny vampire story?
A. Bunnicula. I don’t remember the first time I read it, but just the name makes me laugh.
Q. What other kinds of stories and books have you put out into the world already?
A. I have a couple of different genres of work out there, but it’s all speculative fiction. For Horror: Dark King Rising & Shelter | For Fantasy: The Fate Circle Saga & She Becomes Death series
Q. What are you working on that our readers might look forward to?
A. I have a book coming out in October, about the same time as the SLAY anthology called “ALICE”. I am also working on a Cyberpunk novel called “Dreamless”.
Who is in Slay?
Featuring anchor stories by award winning authors Sheree Renee Thomas, Craig L. Gidney, Milton Davis, Jessica Cage, Michele Tracy Berger, Alicia McCalla, Jeff Carroll, and Steven Van Patten.
Additional Contributing Authors: Penelope Flynn, Lynette Hoag, Steve Van Samson, Ekpeki Oghenechovwe Donald, Balogun Ojetade, Valjeanne Jeffers, Samantha Bryant, Vonnie Winslow Crist, Miranda J. Riley, K.R.S. McEntire, Alledria Hurt, Kai Leakes, John Linwood Grant, Sumiko Saulson, Dicey Grenor, L. Marie Wood, LH Moore, Delizhia D. Jenkins, Colin Cloud Dance, and V.G. Harrison.
