We’re continuing our tradition of exploring the work of Octavia Butler during our next Black Sci-Fi Book Club with “Bloodchild” from her collection of science fiction stories and essays, Bloodchild and Other Stories. Join us at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 25, at the Groesbeck branch of the Public Library of Cincinnati Hamilton County to discuss the story! Read More
We recently talked to Midwest BSFA member Napoleon Maddox about his Dec. 18 event “A Dance Between Dana Franklin and Millie-Christine,” a performance that will merge the real lives of Millie-Christine McKoy (subjects of his upcoming show, Twice the First Time) with Octavia Butler’s science fiction character, Dana, from the novel Kindred. Read More
Science fiction writer extraordinaire Octavia Butler died 10 years ago this February. In honor of this legend, I’ve been re-reading Parable of the Sower, which split my dome wide open when I first encountered it 16 years ago. Read More
On Oct. 21, we held the second installment of our Black Sci-Fi Book Club, featuring writer and Cincinnati native Dani McClain! She discussed her story “Homing Instinct” in the anthology, Octavia’s Brood: Science Fiction Stories from Social Justice Movements. It was an honor to have one of the anthology’s contributors and a hometown girl walking us through her story and what Octavia Butler’s legacy means to her. A small group came out to Sweet Sistah Splash to discuss the story, their interest in speculative fiction, their favorite authors and more.
October is Black Speculative Fiction Month and next week, the Midwest BSFA is hosting a reading/discussion of Octavia’s Brood: Science Fiction Stories from Social Justice Movements with one of the anthology’s contributor’s Dani McClain! We talked to her about her story “Homing Instinct,” the difference between fiction writing and journalism, and defining home on your own terms. Read More
Kathy Y. Wilson, freelance journalist, author and the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County’s first writer-in-residence, will lead a discussion on Octavia Butler’s short story “The Evening and The Morning and The Night” from Bloodchild and Other Stories during the first installment of the Midwest BSFA’s Black Sci-Fi Book Club!