What is Black Speculative Fiction, anyway? For me, speculative fiction has two definitions. One overarching definition includes texts that use unreal elements in a story. This includes fantasy, alternative histories, magical realism, science fiction, some mysteries, and some horror. The second definition is more genre-specific and involves texts that propose a "what-if" scenario. I typically think of it as a literary experiment in which the author poses a question to society and uses variables to conduct the experiment.

I finally have the words to describe one of my most anticipated and favorite reads of 2025. Yes, the literary horror novel On Sundays She Picked Flowers by Yah Yah Scholfield (they/ them) was traditionally published by Saga Press on January 27, 2026, but a version of the book had been circulating for some time. It became a viral TikTok hit shortly after its indie release in October 2020. I remember wanting to read it because it had everything I love: it addressed generational trauma, personal reckonings, and nature in a speculative horror narrative. By the time I got my hands on the book, Saga Press had snapped it up, with plans for a traditional release. So yes, I begged for this ARC and couldn’t have been more satisfied with the beauty, patience, and horror of On Sundays, She Picked Flowers.

I don't want to see white folks with a stack of books by Black authors for Black History Month. Every year, it’s the annual showcase of all the Black stories the white reading community plans to read in February. They morphed into a version of Vanna White, parading their Black Book Collection to the interwebs, smiling brightly because they, of course, truly care about the cause.

The 2024 Scholastic Graphix, semi-autobiographical Timid is a coming-of-age story that follows Cecil Hall, a black middle schooler, as he navigates his new hometown of Boston, Massachusetts, and finds a friend group that appreciates his intersecting interests and beliefs. Originally from a predominantly black town in Florida, Cecil learns about code switching in predominantly white spaces, unspoken rules around race, identity, business, and value. Cecil, advocating for himself in his own way, becomes the beautiful heartbeat of this relatable and delightful tale.

In October 2025, I finally decided to go to grad school. The time felt right. I was more secure in what I wanted to research and had built a solid network of friends, peers, creatives, and academic/ research idols. I was also being bullied in the best way by people I admire to get my behind back in school. They want to see me succeed, and while I really try not to focus on external motivation (I'm an unfortunate people pleaser), it felt really good to be recognized that way.

It’s a journal ecosystem! At least that's the trending terminology on YouTube. Thousands of monthly and annual journal prep videos are available on YouTube, especially in the last year, as more people seek to sever themselves from society's obsessive use of technology. It’s part of the analog lifestyle, simplifying technology to be more present in real life. And for some, it has the added bonus of unlearning habits and whitewashed histories that only benefit capitalism, white supremacy, and toxic patriarchal systems.

Neon Hemlock has another hit on its hands with The Dead Withheld by L.D. Lewis. Published in 2025, the sapphic paranormal neo-noir novella follows Desdemona “Dizzy” Carter in her quest to find the murderer of her wife, Lonnie, the Fallen Angels serial killer. Dizzy is a Private investigator and a deadwalker witch, one who can talk to the dead, and she gets a lead on Lonnie’s case for the first time in years. With the help of her dolls, I, II, and III, she travels all over the Vegas-inspired city of San Guin, determined to finally put her past behind her and bring peace to Lonnie’s ghost. The Dead Withheld is an uproarious story of grief and the community that loves us through it all.

Lawrence Lindell is brilliant. Every Lindell book I’ve read manages to pull at the depths of my being, reminding me how beautiful, heavy, messy, and hilarious life can be...and so, I am deeply honored to interview Lawrence Lindell about his origin story, craft, and his family-owned imprint, Laneha House. I hope you learn about and love his work as much as I do.

It is with great sadness that my favorite comic of the year may be a Superman graphic novel. I know. I see the disappointment etched across your face, but please, have faith in me. Know that the rare occasion of such mainstream treachery has a point founded in the social commentary you associate with The Blerd Library. This phenomenal DC young adult graphic novel, Superman Smashes The Klan, written by Gene Luen Yan with art by Gurihiru, needs to win a ton of awards and be the center of a literary curriculum that addresses race, immigration, the Ku Klux Klan, and Superman’s powerset and real-life popularity.

Now that a few months have passed, I interviewed Ayinde again, after the well-deserved international praise to see how things have changed and possibly get a sneak peek into Book 2!!

I woke up with pain under my right shoulder blade. It's an old Wii Just Dance injury that I revive every few months while sleeping awkwardly. My husband pulls out our trusty muscle massager and massages the injured part of my back for a few minutes, our tradition after these hard mornings. We talk about a host of things during this time: mostly the decimation of the Voting Rights Act, where we would move, and what would need to happen to make it so.

At the end of the Black Book Bash, a group of creators sat and ate one last meal together. Each of them ordered some variation of meals they enjoyed throughout the weekend, hoping to maintain the good vibes now imbued in their lemon pepper wings, mimosas, cheesecakes, and burgers. They talked about the event and the successes they got: one author was able to clear up preconceived notions surrounding his book, another author was given career-changing introductions and advice, and the social media creators at the table made a pact to be more intentional and consistent. But one creator, yours truly, gained so much more.

“Heeeeeeyy…How ya’ll doing???” she says nervously as she plays with her hair, hoping her beloved community didn’t take offense to her unscheduled absence. It’s been a while, but as I reflect on my 37th trip around the sun today, I wanted to give some updates (and I finally found inspiration to write while doing my hair, go figure). 

My parents weren't particularly religious until it was time to place judgment on others. But that didn't stop my aunt from trying to convince me otherwise. I remember one of the few times she took me to her church. We woke up before sunrise to make a trek from Brooklyn to the Bronx to an old Baptist church that felt like it was carved into the side of a mountain. Yes, my favorite person in the world was a devout woman who attended church every Sunday, sang in the choir, cooked breakfast and lunch for the congregation, and assisted with church administration. And even she couldn't change my mind. But I always enjoyed going with her. Not for the religious experience, obviously. But to see how others interacted with religion. How do you get a God to pay attention to you and your troubles?

I chose this short story after a recent conversation about the author, Ken Liu. While sharing book recommendations and current reads, I said, "Dandelion Dynasty is the greatest series I never finished." In fact, The Wall of Storms is easily one of the top five books I have ever read. I wanted to convince myself to dive back into his writings, and for me, that means starting small with a comic or short story.

I have a new reading goal and want to share it with the world to find like-minded readers. For the foreseeable future, I want to read one speculative fiction short story, written by Black, Indigenous, and other Authors of Color every week and analyze them here! I have always loved short stories. As a reader, I naturally gravitate to shorter sotries (under 450 pages) because of my attention span and memory (If I'm not annotating, how am I supposed to remember the whole story!!).

Eve and the Faders has a complex, amazingly depicted main character in Eve Cooper. Eve is a queer woman in a Black polyamorous relationship, and I LOVED it so much. The couple (Eve, Zoe, and Gabriel) are not perfect, yet the authors explore the difficulties that can come with being in a poly relationship in a healthy way. Through Zoe and Gabriel, we experience jealousy and some insecurities regarding Eve and where she stands with the married couple. And at every turn, love and open communication conquers all of those negative emotions.

I wouldn't call myself an arc reader because I rarely get to them in time, but I have two arcs I will have read and reviewed before they release! It's the small wins in life that bring me joy these days. This first ARC is from Tor Books and is slated to be published on May 27, 2025. Harmattan Season by Tochi Onyebuchi is an exceptional postcolonial fantasy noir that follows a down-on-luck, biracial veteran determined to suss out the secrets of his segregated city while figuring out his identity and reconciling with his past actions.

This year, Tatiana is blessing us with the sequel to Sistah Samurai, titled Return of the Sistah Samurai: A Champloo Novel on Juneteenth, and I am so excited to share the cover with you here!!!

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