With our first-ever guest co-host, Sierra Elmore, we discuss all things self-publishing. We talked about everything from working with book cover designers, to how you can see your book sales, to getting your books into indie stores! Sierra writes YA contemporary and thriller novels. Her debut novel, DEATH BY SOCIETY, is out now (links below!). You can find Sierra Elmore on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok @SierraWritesYA, and you can visit her website at https://sierraelmore.com/. Links to DEATH B...
Sep 19, 2022•35 min•Season 3Ep. 2
Meet our next hero: Karen Strong Karen is the author of middle grade novels JUST SOUTH OF HOME and EDEN’S EVERDARK. She is the editor of the forthcoming young adult anthology COOL. AWKWARD. BLACK. And she has also written short fiction for Star Wars and other award-winning anthologies. Join us as we discuss Karen's latest novel, Eden's Everdark (out September 6th!), anthologies, and finding balance in your writing life and with social media. You can find Karen Strong on Twitter and Instagram @Ka...
Sep 05, 2022•30 min•Season 3Ep. 1
In this episode of the Afronauts Podcast, we introduce The Naut-y Awards! The Naut-ys aren’t really an award show, there’s no single winner, just a chance to gush about our favorites in a handful of categories. Books/Short Stories/Novellas mentioned in this episode: Legendborn by Tracy Deonn Daughters of Jubilation by Kara Lee Corthron Blook Like Magic by Liselle Sambury The Killing Moon by N.K. Jemisin A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow Imago by Octavia E. Butler My Soul to Keep by Tananar...
Jun 19, 2022•25 min
In this episode of the Afronauts Podcast, we'll discuss writing fight scenes and other types of movement. Resources/books mentioned in this episode: Essa Hansen thread: https://twitter.com/essahansen/status/1525525321557999616, Body Beats to Build On by April W Gardner, Nia Davenport’s THE BLOOD TRIALS, Namina Forma’s THE GILDED ONES and THE MERCILESS ONES, A.M. Ellis’s PERFECT SCORE, Pierce Brown’s RED RISING, Leigh Bardugo’s SIEGE AND STORM Check out our website at http://afronautspodcast.com/...
Jun 06, 2022•35 min•Season 2Ep. 6
Meet our next hero: Liselle Sambury Liselle is a Trinidadian-Canadian YA fantasy author. In her free time, she shares helpful tips for upcoming writers and details of her publishing journey through her YouTube channel. She is the author of Blood Like Magic , and its sequel Blood Like Fate , out August 9th. Join us as we discuss Liselle's debut, food, family, worldbuilding, and what we can expect in the sequel. You can find Liselle Sambury on Twitter @LiselleSambury, on Instagram @lisellesambury....
May 30, 2022•35 min
In this episode of the Afronauts Podcast, we'll discuss: how accurate we want our stories to be, researching before drafting, using our own family history, and tips for keeping track of research. Resources mentioned in this episode: https://www.archives.gov/research/census/online-resources https://www.wordhippo.com/ https://keep.google.com/u/0/ https://www.notion.so/ https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener/overview Check out our website at http://afronautspodcast.com/ for episodes, resource...
May 09, 2022•40 min
Meet our next hero: Nia Davenport Nia is the author of The Blood Gift duology, which starts with The Blood Trials (out now!). She’s an English and Biology teacher and a strong advocate for diverse perspectives and protagonists in literature. Recently, along with co-founder Traci-Anne Canada, she launched StorySpinner Entertainment, a book packager dedicated to amplifying the voices of the Black Diaspora. Join us as we discuss Nia's writing process, her dream projects, her new book packaging comp...
Apr 06, 2022•27 min•Season 2Ep. 8
On this episode of the Afronauts Podcast, we'll discuss: Our favorite black villains and antagonists, our least favorite, what makes a great villain/antagonist, and more! Black Books mentioned in this episode: Cherish Farrah by Bethany C. Morrow Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi Check out our website at http://afronautspodcast.com/ for episodes, resources, and more! Show us a little love today by buying the crew some coffee! https://ko-fi.com/afronautspod...
Mar 14, 2022•46 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Meet our next hero: Brittney Morris Brittney is the author of SLAY, The Cost of Knowing, Spider-Man: Miles Morales - Wings of Fury, and she’s also written for various video games. Most recently, she joined the team at Insomniac Games to write for the upcoming Spider-Man PS5 game. Join us as we discuss Brittney's experience writing novels AND video games, her advice to younger authors, and a new MG series. You can find Brittney Morris on Twitter @BrittneyMMorris and on Instagram @brittneymmorris....
Mar 07, 2022•30 min
On this episode of the Afronauts Podcast, we'll discuss: Picking the best mentorship for you, what to watch out for, our ideal mentorship programs, what to do if you don't get in, and more! Some mentorship programs mentioned in this episode: We Need Diverse Books - Black Creatives Mentorship - https://diversebooks.org/programs/black-creatives-mentorship/ Author Mentor Match - https://authormentormatch.com/ Pitch Wars (Episode recorded prior to the announcement of the program's end. For more info...
Feb 28, 2022•31 min•Season 2Ep. 3
Meet our next hero: Kiah Danielle Norris Kiah is a Young Adult Speculative Fiction writer. She loves drinking bourbon, discussing books, and ruminating about life, imagination, and writing. Kiah earned her MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University of Los Angeles and her Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies from California State University Bakersfield. Join us as we discuss MFAs, Kiah's writing process, her choice to self-publish, her melanin-based magic system, and more! You can find Kiah...
Feb 21, 2022•44 min
Happy Valentine's Day! On this episode of the Afronauts Podcast, we'll discuss: Black romance, black familial love, and black self love in speculative fiction Black books mentioned in this episode: Daughters of Jubilation by Kara Lee Corthron, Legendborn by Tracy Deonn, Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen, A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A Brown, Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi, Wings of Ebony by J. Elle, A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow, Blood Like Magic by Liselle Sambury...
Feb 14, 2022•40 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Meet our next hero: Sheena Williams Sheena is a YA science fiction writer and artist. She is a winner of the Maj. Gen. Keith L. Ware award for Commentary and 2020 Honorable Mention for the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Contest. Join us as we discuss Sheena's querying experience as a marginalized writer, how her background in psychology informs her writing, her book, THE OUTLIER, and more! You can find Sheena Williams on Instagram @she.will.thrive and Twitter @she_will_thrive Check out her...
Feb 07, 2022•45 min
Thanks for joining us for Season 2: Dark Matter! On this episode of the Afronauts Podcast, we'll discuss: #NaNegroWriMo, Our Winter Writing, Self Care, And our 2022 Writing Goals/Resolutions Be sure to check out our NEW WEBSITE at http://afronautspodcast.com/. For more information on the horror anthology Death in the Mouth , visit https://deathinthemouth.com/. Find out more about Black Ink Book Festival at https://www.blackinkcharleston.org/. Additional Resource Links: https://www.essence.com/li...
Jan 31, 2022•46 min
On this episode of the Afronauts Podcast, we'll discuss: The Call - when an agent calls to offer representation Navigating the Industry Feel free to use our template for questions to ask during "The Call" - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zFO9_pMuQs01j9fNTbNJ8JJRQ0-fp1K1Ri0aEru5Pvw/edit. For a link to our Discord Community, follow us on social media and send us an email at afronautspodcast@gmail.com!
Nov 08, 2021•50 min
Meet our next hero: Mike Lee Mike is a sci-fi, cyberpunk and fantasy writer who also does developmental and copy editing. Join us as we discuss: Mike's publishing journey so far, his experience working with critique partners, his favorite thing about editing, and more! You can find Mike on: Twitter - @mikewrites5, Instagram - @mikewrites, or his website at mikeleewrites.com For a link to our Discord Community, follow us on social media and send us an email at afronautspodcast@gmail.com!...
Nov 01, 2021•41 min
On this episode of the Afronauts Podcast, we'll discuss: Twitter Pitch Contests Hard and Soft Sci-Fi & World Building For a link to our Discord Community, follow us on social media and send us an email at afronautspodcast@gmail.com!
Oct 24, 2021•42 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Meet our next hero: Tony Debajo Tony is a civil engineer, digital marketer, and the author of In The Shadow of Ruin which is book one in his The Fractured Kingdom series. Join us as we discuss: Tony's novel, his self-publishing journey, tips for writers interested in self-publishing, and more! You can find Tony Debajo on: Instagram @de_bajo_author, Twitter @tdebajo Check out his website and order your copy of In The Shadow of Ruin at https://de-bajo.com/books/. For a link to our Discord Communit...
Oct 11, 2021•37 min
Meet our next hero: Britney S. Lewis Britney writes YA contemporary and speculative fiction, does competitive West Coast swing dancing, and is documenting her traditional publishing journey on YouTube. Her YA debut, The Undead Truth of Us , will be available Summer 2022. Join us as we discuss: Britney's querying tips, imposture syndrome, her long-term writing goals, the part of the publishing journey that's brought her the most joy so far, and more! You can find Britney S. Lewis on: Instagram @b...
Oct 04, 2021•39 min
Meet our next hero: Eve Williams Eve has been telling stories since she was 8 years old. She got serious about writing in her late teens and in college studied creative writing and English. She is working on her first fantasy novel and is currently in the beta reader stage. Eve is going to start her querying journey this year with hopes to be published within the next two years. Join us as we discuss: Eve's ideal critique partner, her favorite genre, what made her start writing, and more! You ca...
Sep 20, 2021•44 min
On this episode of the Afronauts Podcast, we'll be talking all about experiencing burnout as writers: when we get it, why we get it, how to spot it, and what we can do about it. View the episode transcript at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IvM4gWOiboCoOkchrRMohCLTHK5Dr6P99uE7H2Cq-yo/edit?usp=sharing For a link to our Discord Community, follow us on social media and send us an email at afronautspodcast@gmail.com!
Sep 13, 2021•45 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Meet our next hero: Larissa Irankunda She’s an East African Sci-fi and fantasy writer, an alumnus of the 2018 THREAD at Yale program, and serves as the Executive Producer of the QuirkChat app, a video social network for anime and geek fandom commentary! Join us as we discuss: Larissa's biggest writing challenges, the author she'd love as a mentor, and advice for her younger self. You can find Larissa Irankunda on: Instagram @Lardastarchild & Twitter @LarLarWrites View the episode transcript ...
Sep 06, 2021•34 min
On this episode of the Afronauts Podcast, we'll discuss: Critique Partners on Writing While Black, The One Stop For Writers website on Craft Country, Magic Systems on Genre Galaxies, A Sci-Fi/Fantasy Novel on Black Spec Fic Recs, and Incorporating Food in Our Stories and Self Care for Black Writers on Black Joy Crew Check out the One Stop for Writers website at https://onestopforwriters.com/ . And don't forget to visit https://writershelpingwriters.net/ . View the episode transcript at https://d...
Aug 30, 2021•53 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Meet our next hero: Bethany C. Morrow She’s the author of the adult novel Mem, A Song Below Water, A Chorus Rises, and more! Join us as we discuss: Naema's story in A Chorus Rises, Big moments from A Song Below Water, and Advice for Black writers You can find Bethany C. Morrow on: Instagram & Twitter @bcmorrow Her website - www.bethanycmorrow.com View the episode transcript at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1s1eCJCS2THdmT2Q8DuZKKtaoGB9xzTJix-b1SSno9BI/edit?usp=sharing For a link to our D...
Jun 21, 2021•48 min
Happy Juneteenth Afronauts! Join us as we discuss: What Juneteenth means to us, and This past year's efforts to support black authors in publishing View the episode transcript at https://docs.google.com/document/d/19wEHuTjzijlaTlXN4ZuwW7IzUet5-DER5FXVLy1-VZg/edit?usp=sharing For a link to our Discord Community, follow us on social media and send us an email at afronautspodcast@gmail.com!
Jun 19, 2021•22 min
On this episode of the Afronauts Podcast, we'll discuss: Race Swapping and the "right" to use African mythos on Writing While Black, Dr. Angela Benson's Telling the Tale: The African-American Fiction Writer's Guide on Craft Country, Urban Fantasy on Genre Galaxies, and What makes a book good to us & Us vs our characters on a Friday night on Black Joy Crew View the episode transcript at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1B-30RwXoRFLpoOrvc6ViZF5AWEyigtpADCnH-vcLPXg/edit?usp=sharing For a link...
Jun 14, 2021•40 min•Season 1Ep. 5
Meet our next hero: Prince Shakur He's a queer writer, activist, and YouTuber. Prince has had pieces featured in Teen Vogue, Vice, Catapult, and more! Join us as we discuss: Prince's current projects His long term writing goals The importance of creating black art Writer's block Things to consider before signing with an agent How being a black writer drives him to work You can find Prince on: Twitter: @prshakur Instagram: @sweetblackprince YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMMgrSHWLLU4U_...
Jun 07, 2021•37 min
On this episode of the Afronauts Podcast, we'll discuss: "Issue" books on Writing While Black Magical stories that tackle real world issues on Black Spec-Fic Recs A breakdown of the Snowflake book on Craft Country Utopian and science fantasy on Genre Galaxies, and How many stories we prefer to write at once and using playlists to capture character and setting vibes on Black Joy Crew View the episode transcript at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ikIoBDss7zSl_pNHYCWN2CJdqLLvRT_HHvxUlmaNGwQ/edi...
May 31, 2021•48 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Meet our first hero: Jill Tew She's a mom, wife and fiction writer. Jill was a 2020 #Edits4BlackSFF winner and is part of the Afronauts crew! Join us as we discuss: Jill's current works in progress Book Twitter Her least favorite part of the writing process NaNoWriMo The social impacts of writing Truth on the page The YA novel she thinks should come to life on the screen Cinematic writing styles You can find Jill on Twitter and on Instagram @jtewwrites View the episode transcript at https://docs...
May 24, 2021•25 min
On this episode of the Afronauts Podcast, we'll discuss: What it means to write books that are authentically Black on Writing While Black Investing in MasterClass on Craft Country Black characters alone in foreign worlds on Black Spec-Fic Recs Accessible fiction on Genre Galaxies, and Ideal writing environments and favorite tropes on Black Joy Crew Try MasterClass for 7 days free with our Guest Pass (limited time only) - https://www.masterclass.com/guest-pass/a765eMnw0Mjg0OTM4fDF8fHwyNzg=?utm_so...
May 17, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 3
