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  Nice couple purchased The Promise and The Friday House  Love it when family shop for my books together.  My table setup. Hopefully it'll be completely bare by the time the conference is over.  I'm not one hundred percent sure but it looks like that kid behind her wants her copy of Taurus Moon: Relic Hunter. Hmm, can't say that I blame him.   
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Original post by K. Ceres Wright
I’ve been a fan of cyberpunk since I first discovered it in 2003. Yeah, I was 20 years behind the times, but I didn’t care. I felt a new generation needed to know all about it, so I wrote a cyberpunk book, Cog. But I prefer the short story medium, and searched for a place that would welcome a cyberpunk story with Black characters. 
Over the course of several years on Facebook, I’ve gathered 1,000+ friends, one of whom was Milton Davis. From the ATL. He was self-publishing African-themed books and anthologies on sword and soul and steampunk. Then one day, an idea came to him about a city where no one could leave. He posted his idea on Facebook in the State of Black Science Fiction, and a bunch of writers ran with it, posting snippets of stories in the thread, and linking characters, generating ideas. Then someone said we needed to publish an anthology of all the stories. Balogun Ojetade wrote the manifesto. An artist came along by the name of Natiq Jalil, and said he would illustrate it. A music aficionado named Otis Galloway volunteered to write sound tracks. And a multimedia, multisensory book of stories was born. The City. Cyberfunk.
NEON GHOST RADIO: Sentient Rhythms by Djo2is Aka Mr. Thoughtcrime on Mixcloud
What is The City? The City began as a sentient organism living inside a large asteroid. For thousands of years, the organism used the asteroid’s gravity to intercept ships from various planets and galaxies, assimilating the crew and wiping their memories, and giving them new jobs, families, and experiences. No one knows why. It just does. The organism used the assimilated information to build The City and its environment. The first beings to be captured were crew on a Nigerian space vessel. Nigeria was the first to achieve intergalactic travel during the Great Race by the major countries of the planet Earth to be the first to venture outside of the Milky Way. 
And if you want to know more about Knowledge Lateef, Street Preacher; the Ooze; and the Tell, you’re going to have to read the book. It’s available on Amazon: http://ow.ly/SDUXc
We are the writers, and we call ourselves the Cityzens:
Jeff Carroll Gerald Coleman Milton Davis Ray Dean Malon Edwards Ashtyn Foster Otis Galloway Keith Gaston Chanel Harry Natiq Jalil Valjeanne Jeffers Alan Jones Brandee Laird Kai Leakes Edison Moody B. Sharise Moore Howard Night Balogun Ojetade Ced Pharoah And Yours Truly, K. Ceres Wright Continuing from my post from yesterday, I wanted to show you some of the artwork the authors used to give folks a visual for his/her stories.  From Gene Peterson. He used the following art to help describe the "Wave Witch" a charcter that appears in his piece "Welcome to Liberty" (artwork): Reality by Eran Fowler  Also from Gene Peterson. The illustration describes "The Purple," basically a brilliant, calculating crime lord. Also for "Welcome to Liberty" (artwork): Terran City by Mark Molnar  From Geral Coleman. (artwork) by Kittrix
 From Kai Leakes. For her character Iset, The Protector (artwork) by Fredaugis (Frédéric Augis)  From Keith Gaston. Partial inspiration for my character Noname in the story The Man With No Name. He also appears in Kai Leakes story.
(artwork): Wasteland Cowboy by DarioFish  In the past several days various authors have written about their individual involvements in the creation of The City anthology. What I like to do is showcase some of the posts the authors had contributed in the creation of The City as they were brainstorming ideas for his/her characters and narratives. (Some of the content may not have made its way into the manuscript since this was during the brainstorming period.) From author Gerald Coleman I tried to tell her about The City. But she was too trusting. It's always been that way ever since I met her at the Dril, down by the Platforms, you know, over in the Nine's. I couldn't believe she was there by herself. Something deep inside me told me this day was coming. But I thought - nah, that's just my own cynicism talking. But I know The City. It's all angles and sharp edges. There's nothing soft about life in this place. Yeah, people talk about The Lush, but that's a dream. The City is always watching. And man, it's patient. But, the moment you slip it's there. Not to catch you, but to devour you like it hasn't eaten in weeks. I should've known falling in love was stupid. Not here, not in The City. Because once you show The City a hint of weakness, it's coming for you. Now, she's gone. They took her last night. Delve said they snatched her right off the street, in front of a zbonji hover truck. She loves gallic sauce on her munda. That was 2 hours ago. I almost killed him for waiting so long to tell me. Even though I know it's stupid to think you can take something back from The City, I'm on the hunt now. Because even though The City took her, I'm going to get her back. Why? My name is Zel, I'm a Hell Hunter, and I love her. From author Balogun Ojetade The City is full of people who never get to speak to the dead. Speak WITH the dead, that is. It’s one thing to talk down at a grave, tears raining onto the headstone, staining it cobalt gray. It’s another thing to talk to the Shedders that claw their way out of the muck, slow of step and speech garbled; filled with thoughts and feelings that once belonged to someone else…and those newly endowed. Nonetheless, the talking dead keep us mindful of those who have passed on…and that death is just as impermanent as life. - Lazani Blaq, Body Banker  From author Kai Leakes Where can I go? Where can I hide? All I do is run. Running has become so common that it scares me when there is a moment, no a fleeting second of peace. See in this world, in this place, The City, people like me are only good as objects sought out for our body parts, or those like me, with gifts to bring change. That's why I was a protector and also why the Militia was after me hard. Well that's not true, the disk I carry with the coordinates to the refugee camp where we all hide is what they want. But they can't have it. I won't allow it! So I run. I run and I fight. Screaming with the angst of my people through these shifting labyrinth based streets, the Militia and the City can't have me. And soon they will understand and feel the reason why they will never be able to touch me. Iset - The Protector  From author Ced Pharaoh From the base of sleepless nightmares to the hallelujahs of heaven's arch lies in between The Lives that dwell in the reality of The City. Around every corner ? Under every keystroke ? between spells of craft are more questions than answers. Existence breathes doubt. And Fear. And Excitement. What is this place? Where can a Soul go to find refuge and security? Understanding? Among many In a Crowd Still Lost Alone Watched by Everyone and Everything Ignored. Fate is stingy uncaring Destiny is rude selfish. A wicked disposition. And this is a good day... in The City. - Resident of The City. From author Chanel Harry This is the biggest nightclub here in the City, heck it's the only nightclub. Everyone whose a partygoer comes here to let loose and shed their inhibitions. The music is dope, the DJ's have the livest music. Each floor has it's own theme. The owner though, I won't talk about him. He does his business while I let people through the doors. One thing I heard about him is that he does business with the runners. I don't know what but that's the rumor. Probably not a rumor because I saw a couple of runners in his office. I don't want to speak to much on him; he's my boss and I need a job. Wyse, The Bouncer. Club Ooze (Named after the drug).  From author Milton Davis 'You just won't go away will you? How do they watch us? We all have Tells, everyone of us. Not tails, Tells. Reach behind you head. Now touch the back of your neck. Right there, that's where it is, or rather that's where it starts. The old books...I mean the old vids say It used to implant them right after we were created. But It figured how to make it a part of us, just like your heart, you lungs, your brain. It automatically connects you to the Wave...and to The City. Can it be removed? Yeah. You can have it surgically removed, if you can find a Scalper brave enough to do it. But even the best Scalper can't get it all. It grows back. But you can Purge it. Purging will scour your brain of every bit of the Tell. If you survive it, you'll most likely go crazy. Most do. Those that don't become Runners. But then most folks think Runners are crazy, just controlled crazy. Now that's it. No more questions. You're going to get us snatched.' -Knowledge Lateef. Street Priest. From author Natiq Jalil Contemplating murder... To murder all of those who murdered me was a simple thing. Especially with Them at my back. But, to add insult to injury, that required a plan. And I had one. I first had to stop by The River. Make a withdrawal, so to speak. Before I was killed, I'd used The River as my own personal banking system. That's where I kept the dirt on the scum in high society that my family catered to. My mother was a master of the high society social circuits. Politicians and corporate heads, well-to-do families, they all came to her when their influence wasn't enough. She used her smiles and beauty like a sword. And I was her constant companion, learning all that she had to teach. But where my mother was light, I was her shadow. By the time I was ten, I'd already learned how I could help her every endeavor reach fruition. I started with kids my age. The sons and daughters of the rich and powerful. I'd drive them into corners that they'd have to stain themselves to escape. I forced them to commit crimes that could ruin their families. Then, I kept their secrets. I became their best friend in the worst way. Almost brings a smile to my face. Then, there was my father. My father was famous... and infamous. He'd led the Culling that took place 20 years ago. With him at the head, thousands of Believers across 30 wards were slaughtered. Over a thousand by his own hands. He'd become a legend that night. That monster under the bed and in the shadows that never went away, but was never there when you turned on the lights. The Sun Tower was the epicenter of a night of death like no one had ever witnessed before. Not that anyone really remembers anything before then, anyway. All anyone remembers anymore is The City, and the infectious fear that invaded even the wards that were untouched by the Culling. That was the birth of the taboo that no one escapes, except through death. My father raised me to believe that The City was everything. He'd risen to heights that caused envy in those around him by brutality and cold calculation. It was because of his brutal nature that he'd been given command of The Left Hand, the group that watched and dealt swift "justice" to those whose who dreamed of escape. Those who hoped. I am definitely my father's son. With the death of my father and myself, The Left Hand was dissolved and They began to fuel the fear that kept The City breathing. Funny how the politicians and corporate heads can't even imagine that They are in my hands. And that They are coming for the light. They've pissed me off. I've been pissed for five years, now. And it's about time that these bitches realize. ~Ososi~ on the way to The River  From K. Ceres Wright Rain pattered the empty street, almost washing away the plumes of fetid odor from the piles of trash that heralded the unresolved garbage collector’s strike. Despite the rain, the smell rose up like thin tentacles to the upper floors of the Four Seasons building, which had to open its windows to the night because the air conditioning was off—a result of the City’s electricity rationing. As an organic building, the Four Seasons itself decided when to turn off people’s air and water—when it had the electricity to do so. Sometimes residents loudly cursed the building’s decisions, their yelling echoing in the hallway, but they could do nothing to reverse the decision. Some said the building was going insane, turning on the heat in 90-degree weather, or turning off the hot water when it was 20 degrees, but I knew better. She—I called it a she—was punishing wayward parents and cheating spouses with her own brand of justice. People were just too stupid, or stubborn, to figure it out. My name is Concordat. Formally, a concordat is an agreement between the Holy See and some sovereign government relating to matters of mutual interest. But the Holy See has abandoned its True Purpose, so I took it upon myself to carry it out. I seek the lost, the bedraggled, the poor, the forgotten, and the lame, and make sure nobody f*cks with them. Cuz that’s what the rich and powerful do. F*ck over everyone who’s not in their circle in order to maintain the status quo. But I’m sick of the status quo. And I’m about to f*ck with it. From author Gene Peterson Rhodes Another shift, another mess. You would think with half the nastiness that goes down in the low levels, where the Sun Towers light doesn’t reach eyes, you would think that something as…bloodless as this would be a relief but…it’s not. At half past 3rd shift, just outside Trinity, the Soors tried a take down. They went after the new guy…the Rebel who’s been going after the gangs. Six of them set him…or HER up. There was a rumor going around that the Silvers Cartel were moving into the 215 and had built an outpost at Trinity. Turned out to be bogus; the Soors wanted to go after the Rebel and figured after all the trouble he’s been giving them… …and the Lords… …and York’s people… …and of course us… …well they figured he’d go after the new outpost, which he did. But they failed to get him at Trinity…or maybe that’s what he wanted them to think, ‘cause he lead them down, deep down into the lowers, beneath Trinity. All the way down to the hollows in the understructure. And that’s where one man took out six of the Soors best hitters. Or one woman… or maybe one of the breeds…but never met breeds that work alone like this guy. Can’t be borged up either because a week prior the Lords tried to get him with an EMP. Idiots shut down the 4th level processor in the process but they didn’t even slow him down. Or her… Six Soors…they’re not all that’s down here though. Looks like a small security contingent. Hardware is wiped but I’ve seen the Purples people before. Killers dressed like business men but armed like hellcats. They clearly came down here to make a try at the Rebel as well. Looks like he got them first. That’s nine total hitters, all taken down by one guy. Taken down but not killed. And that’s what bothers me. This guy has disrupted the drug trade, busted two slave nests and brought down a body shop all in less than a month. All without killing a single one of the bastards. Ward Law couldn't do any better even if half of us weren't on the take to one of the major players. Certainly could not have down it without killing anyone. But that won’t stop the rumors. They’ll begin thinking this guy is just the tip of some kind of phantom task force of do-gooders; cops looking to actually do the job, just without the paper work. That means they think I’m involved. …(sigh)… Been Ward Law in the 215 for longer than most have survived without crossing over to the dark. Tried to be a good cop…figured I was the only one who went against the flow of the CITY…but here’s a guy looking to upset the system. They’re all gonna think I’m helping him alright. And the regs? They’re gonna dare to hope and dream…they’re gonna be inspired. …Right up until the CITY notices. Ward Law Detective in Command, Naj Rhodes. Deep below From author Keith Gaston A glint from the ceiling lights reflected off the dark spherical visors as he stepped out of the shadows to reveal himself to the four patrons sitting at the table. Wearing black from head to toe, the stranger looked totally out of place in the bright cyber café. Cladded in a Stetson hat, long leather trench coat, armor-plated vest, an utility belt draped around his waist equipped to the hilt with gadgets, and an assault rifle slung over his right shoulder; he knew he made an impression on folks. But what stood out most about him was the full face mask with mirror lenses. When people gazed into those glass eyes of his, all they could perceive were their own stares. The effect chilled most and he reveled in knowing that. --No Name So now that you've had a taste of The City, pack your mental bags, jump on the mothership and head into The City anthology for the ride of your life.   (Original post by Howard Night)
Somewhere in this universe exists The City. It’s sprawling, cavernous, mazelike... a riot of bio-organic steel superstructure, plasticrete roadways, neon lights and digital…virtual madness. Its streets are filled with throngs of tricked out urban adventurers, mutated, cybernetic bullies and scheming would be emperors all in a game of techno-cat and cyber-mouse. Yet The City itself is…alive. It moves and plays in the same game as its inhabitants. It Watches and changes the game board as it sees fit. It maintains control. Classic cyberpunk right? Yet the denizens of The City are Funkateers! Still the loners struggling against the BIG CONTROL, still the cyber hopping, data stealing hackers living as digital rats in a virtual world yet these players have steel hearts forged from the trials of thediaspora. Funkateers have found their way to cyberpunk……check that;CyberFUNK! Cyberpunk has always had a cool, urban vibe to it. As it’s tapped into a vision of a multi-cultural future though, the African American perspective has often fallen flat. As a fan of all things science fiction I felt the gap even as I noticed the urban landscape was a familiar one. So why not close the gap? A little while ago the “Hardest Working Man in Spec Fiction”; Milton Davis posted a tempting writing prompt…as he’s prone to do: 'The City. No one knows how it began or when it will end. No one knows how we came to be here, 20 millions souls, 1500 different species all crammed together in plascrete and biosteel. No one's been in or out of the city in 20 centuries. Some have their theories why, some don't care. But no matter who you are, or what you are, you have a story, don't you? The trick is finding someone that cares to listen...' –Milton Davis. And quickly there came a rush of equally tantalizing responses. Speculative fiction authors from across the diaspora began dropping equally tantalizing dark cyber vignettes onto the pages of The State of Black Science fiction. Even better, these creators linked their techno-noir visions by referencing each other’s creations. I couldn’t help but to join the fun…: The Wall? Yea...I been up the wall...up and over. Up past the shell heads...past the tweekers...past the wild girls and past the Blue Authority. Up through Angel Bay with the haughty golden kids and the richy riches... Higher than the Sweepers and farther than runners go... High enough to look down on the Sun Tower and the carrier ships... Past the smog where even the drones don't go. Got to the top...the wide scarred metal and crossed the antennae fields, the dish lake and looked over beyond and up above. You know what I saw? ...more CITY. Kit Henson, Henson Repairs. Looking up Soon an anthology was announced…The City…and the vignettes bloomed into the beginning of something special. There’s a good mix of veteran writers and new among the voices telling tales from The City! The Cityzens!! Jeff Carroll, Gerald Coleman, Milton Davis, Ray Dean, Malon Edwards, Ashtyn Foster, Otis Galloway, Keith Gaston, Chanel Harry, Natiq Jalil, Valjeanne Jeffers, Alan Jones, Brandee Laird, Kai Leakes, Edison Moody, B. Sharise Moore, Balogun Ojetade, Ced Pharoah, K. Ceres Wright and of course myself; Howard Night. The City is availible right now for pre-order in KINDLE format on Amazon HERE! And will be availible for print September 25th! Also on Amazon!  (Originally posted by Jeff Carroll)
Black Sci-fi's Hottest writers unite to create The City! Atlanta September 25, 2015 MV Media is proud to announce the release of The City the first Cyberfunk anthology edited by Milton Davis. The City anthology is a unique creation. It’s a concept anthology, a collection of stories where eighteen different authors share their vision of a single idea. It’s Cyberfunk, stories that play with future concepts from an Afrocentric perspective. Most of all it’s engaging, exciting, thought provoking and fun. “Began, as a random idea in the middle of the day. I’m sure there are underlying concepts that sparked these words, and a closer examination of those concepts would bring forth a deeper discussion but at the time it was just a statement. Soon afterwards I posted these words on the State of Black Science Fiction, a group dedicated to the creation, support and distribution of science fiction and fantasy by and about people of African descent. The response was immediate and amazing. Other writers added their own ideas and linked them with images that helped convey their thoughts. Soon we had a continuous thread of ideas and concepts orbiting the central theme. Balogun Ojetade combined these ideas then created a City Manifesto, a guideline for stories based on this new creation. The next step was inevitable; the creation of an anthology,” Milton Davis. The authors who are the Cityzens of the City are as follows. The Cityzens (in alphabetical order) Jeff Carroll is a writer and a filmmaker. He is pioneering what he calls Hip Hop horror, Sci/fi and fantasy. His stories always have lots of action and a social edge. He has written and produced 2 films, Holla If I Kill You and Gold Digger Killer which won BEST Picture at the International Hip Hop film festival. He has published 3 books the novelization to Gold Digger Killer, Thug angel Rebirth of a Gargoyle and It Happened on Negro Mountain. His short stories have appeared in both The Black Science Fiction Society’s anthology and their magazine. He writes out of South Florida where he lives with his wife and youngest son. Jeff Carroll is also the author of the non-fiction book The Hip Hop Dating Guide. When he is not writing Sci-fi stories he enjoys speaking on Healthy Dating to college and high school students everywhere and goes by Yo Jeff. Please connect with him on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and his blog http://hhcnf.blogspot.com/ Gerald L. Coleman is a Philosopher, Theologian, Poet, and Author residing in Atlanta. Born in Lexington, he did his undergraduate work in Philosophy and English at the University of Kentucky before completing a Master's degree in Theology at Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville. His most recent work appears in, Pluck! The Journal of Affrilachian Arts & Culture Issue 9, Drawn To Marvel: Poems From The Comic Books, Pine Mountain Sand & Gravel Vol. 18 and he is the author of the scifi/fantasy novel When Night Falls: Book One of The Three Gifts. He is a co-founder of the Affrilachian Poets. You can find him at http://www.geraldlcoleman.co or follow him on Twitter @Iconiclast. Milton Davis is a research and development chemist, speculative fiction writer and owner of MVmedia, LLC, a micro publishing company specializing in Science Fiction, Fantasy and Sword and Soul. MVmedia’s mission is to provide speculative fiction books that represent people of color in a positive manner. Milton is the author of Changa’s Safari Volumes One, Two and Three. His most recent releases are Woman of the Woods and Amber and the Hidden City. He is co-editor of four anthologies; Griots: A Sword and Soul Anthology and Griot: Sisters of the Spear, with Charles R. Saunders; The Ki Khanga Anthology with Balogun Ojetade and the Steamfunk! Anthology, also with Balogun Ojetade. Milton Davis and Balogun Ojetade recently received the Best Screenplay Award for 2014 from the Urban Action Showcase for their African martial arts script, Ngolo. His current projects include The City, a cyberfunk anthology, Dark Universe, a space opera anthology based on a galactic empire ruled by people of African American descent, and From Here to Timbuktu, a steamfunk novel. Ray Dean was born and raised in Hawaii where she spent many a quiet hour reading and writing stories. Performing in theater and working backstage lead her into the delights of Living History, creating her own worlds through writing seemed the next logical step. Historical settings are her first love, but there is something heady about twisting the threads of time into little knots and creating new timelines to explore. There are endless possibilities that she is just beginning to discover. Malon Edwards was born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, but now lives in the Greater Toronto Area, where he was lured by his beautiful Canadian wife. Many of his short stories are set in an alternate Chicago and feature people of color. Ashtyn Foster has had a deep love of literature since she was two and has been writing since she was six years old. She loves telling stories, whether they be her own through words or others via the stage. SF was engrained in her at an early age while watching the Star Trek tv shows and Batman movies with her parents. She thanks them for their gift of aliens, space/time travel and superheros and to her best friend for teaching her the true meaning of deadlines, as well their love and support. Otis Galloway has an insatiable wanderlust. He started out in Bermuda, then subsequently left there for Worcester, Massachusetts. After that, a move to Boston, then after collecting ex-wife#1, a move to the West Coast, with stints throughout California, in San Francisco, Albany, Berkeley, Palm Springs, Los Angeles and San Diego. After collecting ex-wife #2, he decided to stop collecting ex-wives (because they’re expensive) and instead returned to his first love, collecting music. Otis currently lives and works in Glasgow, Scotland. He is working on his first book, which is nonfiction and very sweary. Occasionally he is known to put together quite a decent DJ set. Keith Gaston was born in Detroit, Michigan. After earning a Bachelor’s in Computer Science and two Masters degrees, he decided to pursue his passion of writing. D K Gaston is known for writing books in different genres that are filled with action and adventure. He writes mysteries, crime, thrillers, and speculative fiction. He has written over a dozen novels since 2007 and shows no signs of slowing down. D K Gaston is a devoted husband and father residing in Michigan. He is currently working on his next novel. Chanel Harry is an up and coming science fiction, fantasy and horror writer that hails from The Bronx New York. “The Score” is her first work that will be published in the anthology. However, she is in the process of working on her debut novel “Fire Lady: Tales of the Soucouyants. Natiq Jalil is a self-taught, emerging visual artist who specializes in watercolor, acrylics, oils, and digital media. He focuses his work on human form and emotion, and often includes organic shapes and written words in pieces. Though originally from Montgomery, AL, he has lived all over the US, including Denver, Pittsburgh, and most recently New York City. He has sold work to many businesses and private collectors throughout the world, including Italy, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Japan, UK, and various states in the US. There is also a documentary in production centering around the paintings he completes on the subway trains of New York City. Though he is finding success in visual arts, Natiq also considers himself a storyteller. Much of his success in visual arts is due to the fact that he easily recants the individual stories of each of his visual works. He is a lifelong fan of sci-fi, fantasy, manga, and anime, not to mention an avid reader. He writes short stories of urban speculative fiction in his spare time, and hopes to pursue his writing in addition to fine art as a career. His short story in The City is his first published written work. Valjeanne Jeffers is a graduate of Spelman College, and a member of the Carolina African American Writer’s Collective. She is the author of Voyage of Dreams; Immortal; Immortal II: The Time of Legend; Immortal III: Stealer of Souls; The Switch II: Clockwork; Immortal IV: Collision of Worlds; Mona Livelong: Paranormal Detective; and Colony: Ascension. Her fiction has been published in Pembroke Magazine; Steamfunk!; Griots: A Sword and Soul Anthology; Genesis Science Fiction Magazine; PurpleMag; LuneWing; Griots II: Sisters of the Spear; Possibilities, and The City (in press). Book I of The Switch II: Clockwork was also nominated for the best ebook novella of 2013 by the eFestival of Words; and her short story Awakening (from Griots I) was published as a podcast by Far Fetched Fables. Valjeanne is co-owner of Q&V Affordable Editing. Preview or publish her novels at: www.vjeffersandqveal.com Alan Jones Born and raised in Atlanta, GA. Alan attended Georgia Tech and Ga. State, obtaining his MBA from the latter. In addition to writing on the student newspapers at these institutions, Alan worked as a columnist for The Atlanta Tribune. Alan continues to write and his latest work, Sacrifices, is available on Amazon. When not writing, Alan, a former Wall Street Consultant, currently works as an Oracle Business Software Consultant. Brandee Laird is a warrior-poet from Seattle, WA, USA. She is a dedicated parkour athlete, one of the founders of the 501(c)3 non-profit organization Parkour Visions, and acts as the Coaching and Curriculum Director of their Seattle facility. She lives her life exuberantly and with the intent to write it down, constantly collecting experiences and ideas from the world around her. In the daytime you can generally find her in the parkour gym or in the trees, or frequenting the urban shadows at night. Kai Leakes Born in Iowa, but later relocating and raised in Alton, IL and St. Louis, MO, Kai Leakes was a multifaceted Midwestern child, who gained an addiction to books at an early age. The art of imagination was the very start of Kai’s path of writing which lead her to creating the Sin Eaters: Devotion Books Series. Since a young child, her love for creating, vibrant romance and fantasy driven mystical tales, continues to be a major part of her very DNA. With the goal of sharing tales that entertain and add color to a gray literary world, Kai Leakes hopes to continue to reach out to those who love the same fantasy, paranormal, romantic, sci/fi, and soon, steampunk driven worlds that shaped her unique vision. You can find Kai Leakes at her website: www.kwhp5f.wix.com/kai-leakes Edison Moody AKA B. Sharise Moore Published author, poet, certified educator, and budding screenwriter B. Sharise Moore is a New Jersey native and graduate of Rutgers University. At present, B. Sharise is working on the completion of a short film based on her collection of short stories, Djinn and Tonics, to be published later this year. Howard Night Author of "The Serpent Cult" and Head Writer of Dark Universe: Interregnum Speculative Fiction Books, Howard Night loves setting his characters in warped versions of his hometown of Philadelphia and neighborhood; Mt. Airy. His next novel, King's Bounty, set in the DARK UNIVERSE will be available summer 2015. Balogun Ojetade is an author, master-level martial artist in indigenous, Afrikan combative arts and sciences, a survival and preparedness consultant, a former Communications and Asst. Operations Sergeant in the U.S. 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) and a priest in several Afrikan spiritual traditions. Balogun is Master Instructor and Technical Director of the Afrikan Martial Arts Institute, which has branches in the Unites States, England and Ghana, West Afrika and Co-Chair of the Urban Survival Preparedness Institute. He is the author of the bestselling non-fiction books Afrikan Martial Arts: Discovering the Warrior Within and The Afrikan Warriors’ Bible and eight novels, including the Steamfunk bestseller, MOSES: The Chronicles of Harriet Tubman (Books 1 & 2); the Urban Science Fiction saga, Redeemer; the Sword & Soul epic, Once Upon A Time In Afrika; a Fight Fiction, New Pulp novella, Fist of Afrika; the gritty, Urban Superhero series, A Single Link and Wrath of the Siafu; the two-fisted Dieselfunk tale, The Scythe and the “Choose-Your-Own-Destiny”-style Young Adult novel, The Keys. Balogun is also contributing co-editor of two anthologies: Ki: Khanga: The Anthology and Steamfunk. Finally, Balogun is the Director and Fight Choreographer of the Steamfunk feature film, Rite of Passage and co-author of the award winning screenplay, Ngolo. Ced Pharaoh was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. A lifelong bookworm; his earliest favorites were comic books/graphic novels, mysteries (Encyclopedia Brown, Sherlock Holmes etc), thrillers, poetry, non-fiction biographies and sci-fi/fantasy! Ced has a blog, 360BEYOND where he highlights indie artists and other creative ideas. Also, he has written several comic book scripts for indie publishing companies that are slated for release. Ced is working on his series, The Legacy Chronicles and in 2012, he published the collection of dark fantasy poetry, Watch The Shadows: The Legacy Chronicles Book 1. He is busy working on the novel, Urban Mage | The Legacy Chronicles Book 2 slated for 2015. K. Ceres Wright is the author of the cyberpunk book, Cog. Her short stories, articles, and poetry have appeared in Hazard Yet Forward; Genesis: An Anthology of Black Science Fiction; Many Genres, One Craft; 2008 Rhysling Anthology; Diner Stories: Off the Menu; and Far Worlds. Contact her on Twitter: @KCeresWright The City is available at http://www.mvmediaatl.com
(Original post by Kai Leakes) Now, The City: A Cyberfunk anthology. I'm always looking for ways to test myself in the fantasy/scifi genre and "Free Your Mind" was that test. It started out as me joining a post on Facebook in the State of Black Science Fiction group. That post mainly was about writing small shorts shaped around specific sci-fi images we found, it then turned into this awesome project that I was lucky enough to be a part of. "Free Your Mind" tells the story of a Runner Iset with a unique mission and her dear friend/protector Orion. In their, fight to protect a missive she will struggle with her past and present in order to free the minds of many. I wasn't sure how I was going to go with this story. I knew that with everything I write, I like to add a touch of romance, or sex and this one I did that. But outside of that, I was writing in an incredible world set in the future, doing things I had no idea if they would make sense. I hoped to educate a little and add a lot of action to the piece. In it all it challenged me to the point that I'm still nervous about it. I'm excited to share it with you all, but like any writer, I'm nervous. Iset is a rebel and you'll learn that in the short piece I wrote. I was able to write with a fellow contributor and we had a ball. D.K. Gaston's character is featured in my story, so for those who enjoy his short and want to see more of his character, check out mine. We both bounced off each other and linked our story in an exciting way. With all of that, please make sure to grab both anthologies. I've been busy and I hope that my work translated into something entertaining. This blog is also now part of a blog tour for The City, so visit my fellow participants and see how they created their stories and world as Citizens. Also, please support this effort especially due to the fact that there are not that many women acknowledged in sci-fi writing. This novel features a few women like myself and we all need your support. The City will be available as an e-book via Amazon, Barnes and Noble (Nook) and Kobo on September 25th and as a paperback at MVmedia (www.mvmediaatl.com) and wherever books are sold by October 15th. Visit fellow Blog Tour Citizen's:- Milton Davis's Blog (Story: Knowlege) - Zig Zag Claybourne 's Blog (Story: Move) - Balogun Ojetade's Blog (Story: The Verdict) - Jeff Carroll's Blog (Story: Dreamer's ReCall) - Ray Dean's Blog (Story: Washed Pure, Washed Clean) - D K Gaston's Blog (Story: Man With No Name) - K. Ceres Wright's Blog (Story: Mission: Surreality) - Ced Pharaoh's Blog (Story: Edge Of Innocence)   (Original post by ZIG ZAG CLAYBOURNE)
Energy = Mic-dropped Squared Knowledge Lateef... is watching the watchers. The City. Alive. Teeming. Whirling through the unknown cosmos carrying the descendants of heroes, villains, poets, and revolutionaries. Carrying us. A diaspora spread across species, tech forms, and a living, sentient world. This is a special project on many levels. It’s the largest MMO “game” black speculative fiction has seen yet, taking 18 visions and making it one world. Fiction, artwork, music, energy, blended as surely as Parliament merged universal fabrics into funk. Welcome to the Future. CyberFunk. This is a project I was proud to join. This isn’t bubblegum dystopia, these stories are riffs on Earth’s current major chords. Overpopulation. Love. Systemic corruption. Exploration. Hope. Resilience and truth. Identity when the gene pool is a constant swirl of wonder. The City represents stories that actually want to say something to the world in the way that good science fiction should demand it be said: with an eye toward a better life under truthful skies. But if your first thought is “Blacks as a major presence in space?” – maybe this isn’t the bus you’re looking for. This is The City, not The Burb. Still here? Cool. There’s work to be done. Livin’ just enough for The City won’t do. Knowledge Lateef can’t do it all. You've got 18 warriors spitting words at you. My contribution is entitled Move, for as we know, funk not only moves it can remove. Energy equals mic-dropped, squared. *** The City anthology will be available as an e-book via Amazon, Barnes and Noble (Nook) and Kobo on September 25th and as a paperback at MVmedia and wherever books are sold by October 15th. Ready to wander the streets of The City? Lose your Tell at https://www.facebook.com/groups/cyberfunk/  The City: A Cyberfunk Jazz Session (Original post by Milton Davis) It began as a random thought in the middle of the day. I was sitting at my desk during lunch when words popped into my head. ‘The City. No one knows how it began or when it will end. No one knows how we came to be here, 20 millions souls, 1500 different species all crammed together in plascrete and biosteel. No one’s been in or out of the city in 20 centuries. Some have their theories why, some don’t care. But no matter who you are, or what you are, you have a story, don’t you? The trick is finding someone that cares to listen…’ As I normally do I posted the statement on The State of Black Science Fiction Facebook page. What happened next is an example of why I love writing so much. A writing improv session began, with different writers adding words to the narrative and supporting those words with artwork. At some point it was inevitable, The City would become an anthology. Balogun Ojetade (http://chroniclesofharriet.com/) gathered the thoughts then organized them into a manifesto, creating an outline of the city and it’s wide range of characters. We shared the document with everyone then put out the call. In the beginning I worked to make the stories follow a specific path, but then I decided to drop that idea. I wanted to keep the same jazz-like improvisational vibe we experienced at SOBSF. So I took the stories as they came, accepting every story as the writer submitted them. Every story. Some writers collaborated, joining the stories of their characters, some wrote stories about the same characters. The result is an anthology containing a wide variety of interesting stories that stretch the boundaries of what some people call Afrofuturism, but what we choose to call Cyberfunk. But it doesn’t stop there. The City is a multi-sensory experience. Edison Moody and Natiq Jalil added their amazing artistic skills to the project, creating amazing images for the anthology. Otis Galloway, a DJ from the UK inspired by the improv session, created mixtapes reflecting the moods and emotion of this mysterious urban space. It’s a project unlike any I’ve worked on and it’s a project that you’ll enjoy experiencing. For the next week you’ll read about the development of The City from its ‘Cityzens,’ the artists that have brought this world to life. Get ready. The City will be available as an e-book via Amazon, Barnes and Noble (Nook) and Kobo on September 25th and as a paperback at MVmedia (www.mvmediaatl.com) and wherever books are sold by October 15th. Welcome to The City. I hope you enjoy your stay.  |
AuthorD K Gaston is the author of mysteries, thrillers, and paranormal fiction. He is a resident of Michigan, and married with children. He is currently working on his next novel. Archives
February 2021
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