Blog: May to August 2015

Some key news for the past few months:

I am thrilled to have sold my book ‘Azanian Bridges’ to NewCon Press, due to be released in 2016. The book was discussed here, in an earlier blog-hop to support the ‘disability’ themed SF anthology ‘Accessing The Future’.

Talking about ‘Accessing The Future’, this wonderful anthology has subsequently just been released and further info can be found at ‘The Future Fire’ here. Further to ‘The Future Fire’, I am very pleased my story ‘The Paragon of Knowledge’ has been published there. TFF celebrate ten years of publication (TFFX) and are gearing up for an anthology to herald their socio-political perspective on SF.

Other news of note, the African SF online magazine ‘Omenana’ is both going -and growing – strong and is well worth supporting!

Cat Hellisen‘s book ‘Beastkeeper‘ is a treat, both for 10-14 year olds AND adults! There has also been a great review of a couple of ground-breaking books for African SF at the LA Review of Books, viz. Dilman Dila‘s ‘A Killing in the Sun‘ and SSDA’sTerra Incognita‘ anthology (edited by Nerine Dorman). Look out, too, for Tade Thompson’sMaking Wolf’ next month, cover illustration from the amazing Capetonian Vincent Sammy!

Kudos are also due to Stephanie Saulter with the launch of her final book ‘Regeneration‘ in her ®Evolution trilogy. I’ve started the series and look forward to what feels like a great ride ahead! Also recently out is ‘The House of Shattered Wings‘ by Aliette de Bodard and there is much anticipation for Zen Cho’s ‘Sorcerer to the Crown‘. I’m looking forward to Rochita Loenen-Ruiz adding a novel eventually, to her range of beautiful short stories too!

Moving from fiction to ‘fact’ and on the theme of intersectionality, I have an essay in the WisCon Chronicles vol.9,Intersections and Alliances’ entitled ‘ On the Puncturing of Identities and the Pouring In of the World.’  And, given the importance of supporting and fostering intersectional diversity in the world, the American Psychological Association have (rather belatedly, but better late than never) published guidelines on ‘Psychological Practice with Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming People.’

Finally, but certainly not ‘leastly’, ‘Stories for Chip‘ is out, a celebration of the fantastic life and work of the great Samuel R. Delany, the powerful TOC line-up is here:

So Go. Buy. Read…and Celebrate!

Nick Wood

August 2015