Afronauts Podcast

Catch up with us in our pre chat, then listen as we talk to Kwame Mbalia about writing, publishing, and Freedom Fire Books, an imprint of Disney-Hyperion that will feature stories of black joy and resilience written by black creators.

Kwame is a husband, father, writer, a New York Times bestselling author, a former pharmaceutical metrologist, and a publisher with Freedom Fire Books, an imprint of Disney-Hyperion.

His debut middle-grade novel, TRISTAN STRONG PUNCHES A HOLE IN THE SKY was awarded a Coretta Scott King Author Honor, and it—along with the sequels TRISTAN STRONG DESTROYS THE WORLD and TRISTAN STRONG KEEPS PUNCHING—is published by Rick Riordan Presents/Disney-Hyperion.

He is the co-author of LAST GATE OF THE EMPEROR with Prince Joel Makonnen, from Scholastic Books, and the editor of the #1 New York Times bestselling anthology BLACK BOY JOY, published by Delacorte Press. A Howard University graduate and a Midwesterner now in North Carolina, he survives on Dad jokes and Cheez-Its. 

Learn more about Kwame at https://www.kwamembalia.com/.

Follow him on social media @KSekouM on X (formally Twitter) and @mbalia1 on Instagram.

We had a wonderful chat with Root Literary's Samantha Fabien about her personal agent taste, how she sets her client's submissions up for success, and her personal agent career goals.

Learn more about Samantha at https://www.rootliterary.com/agents

Our esteemed guest, Sheree Renée Thomas, was kind enough to visit us and drop some knowledge. More info on her below!

Sheree is a New York Times bestselling, two-time World Fantasy Award-winning author and editor. A 2023 Octavia E. Butler Award honoree and a 2022 Hugo Award Finalist, she is the author of Nine Bar Blues: Stories from an Ancient Future, a Locus, Ignyte, and World Fantasy Finalist, Marvel’s Black Panther: Panther’s Rage novel, and she collaborated with Janelle Monáe on “Timebox Altar(ed)” in The Memory Librarian and Other Stories of Dirty Computer. Sheree co-edited Africa Risen: A New Era of Speculative Fiction and is an NAACP Image Award Nominee and Editor of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction. Sheree lives in her hometown, Memphis, Tennessee, near a mighty river and a pyramid.

Support F&SF:

https://fandsf.com/

Find Sheree ONLINE:

https://www.instagram.com/shereereneethomas/

https://www.shereereneethomas.com/

https://twitter.com/blackpotmojo 

Leslye Penelope's podcast 'My Imaginary Friends':

https://lpenelope.com/podcast/

Join us as we chat with our guests, Jamaican-American fiction author Shari Pennant and queer horror writer Sami Ellis, all about Anthologies!

Shari's work can be found in the multi-genre YA anthology COOL. AWKWARD. BLACK. You can find Shari on her website at https://www.sharipennant.com/, on Instagram @sharibpennant, or Twitter @ShariWrites.

Sami will be included in the upcoming Black horror anthology ALL THESE SUNKEN SOULS, out this fall. Find Sami at https://www.authorsamiellis.com/, on Instagram @authorsamiellis, or on Twitter @themoosef.

Join us for a real talk chat with two of next year's debut authors!

Avery Cunningham is the author of THE MAYOR OF MAXWELL STREET, a riveting historical drama in which a rich Black debutante enlists the help of a low-level speakeasy manager to identify the head of an underground crime syndicate. Preorder here: https://books.disney.com/book/the-mayor-of-maxwell-street/

Etta Easton is the author of THE KISS COUNTDOWN, a fake dating rom-com featuring a down-on-her-luck event planner and a charming astronaut. Preorder here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/735486/the-kiss-countdown-by-etta-easton/

In our pre-chat, we let you know which books we're reading (bring on the scary vibes!), and catch you up on what else we've been up to.

After that, we chat with our guest: debut horror author, Jamison Shea.

Jamison was once a flautist, violist, anthropologist, linguist, choreographer, dancer, professional fire alarm puller, digital producer, and account executive–but they’ve always been a writer. When Jamison isn’t writing horror, they’re drinking milk tea and searching for long-forgotten gods in eerie places. Their YA debut, I FEED HER TO THE BEAST AND THE BEAST IS ME, is out now! Join us as we discuss Jamison's journey to publication, what it's been like promoting their debut, and how real life horrors inspired some elements of I FEED HER TO THE BEAST AND THE BEAST IS ME.

Jamison can be found on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and Tumblr @wickedjamison or on their website at https://jamisonshea.com/.

In our pre-chat (we're still getting the hang of this), we discuss what we've been up to this summer and what we're excited about for the upcoming week. Spoiler: BEYONCÉ.

Our guest was NYT bestselling author J. Elle, a longtime friend of the pod. We discussed her upcoming dark academia romantasy HOUSE OF MARIONNE, along with many other bookery things.

More info on J. Elle:

J. Elle is the New York Times, Indie bestselling and award-winning author of multiple books, including Against The Tide, an original prequel novel tie-in to The Little Mermaid. Her debut, Wings of Ebony, dubbed “an incredible debut” by NPR and best fantasy book by POPSUGAR, was a 2022 NAACP Image Award Nominee for Outstanding Literary Work for Youth and Teens, an Amazon Editor’s pick for Best Science Fiction and Fantasy, a Barnes and Noble YA Book Club Pick, a First Novelist American Library Association Honor Book and the recipient of a Kirkus starred review. Her forthcoming blockbuster fantasy romance trilogy, House of Marionne is being translated into ten languages across 5 continents. The former educator credits her nomadic lifestyle and humble inner-city beginnings as inspiration for her novels. When she’s not writing, Elle can be found on the hunt for desserts without chocolate, looking for any excuse to get dressed up, and road-tripping her way across the country with her two dogs in tow.

J. Elle is @authorjelle on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and Threads.

In our first-ever seasonal pick: BLOOD DEBTS by Terry J. Benton-Walker is our spring pick! In this episode, we have a deep-dive conversation about this magical book with the author, with both non-spoiler and spoiler sections (there is a spoiler warning!). We talked about:

BLOOD DEBTS, a magical YA contemporary fantasy is out now!

Terry's next book, an apocalyptic middle-grade contemporary fantasy, Alex Wise vs the End of the World, comes out in Fall 2023.

Want more Terry? Here's how to find him:

• Website: www.tjbentonwalker.com
• Instagram: @icecreamvicelord
• Twitter: @tjbentonwalker
• TikTok: @tjbentonwalker

Join us as we celebrate Jill's book deal for her YA Dystopian Romance, THE DIVIDING SKY, out with Joy Revolution next Summer!

Add THE DIVIDING SKY on Goodreads!   

Stay tuned for more info on the Afronauts Podcast's first hosted panel with WriteHive this summer! 

Find The Afronauts Podcast online:

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/AfronautsPod
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afronautspod/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@afronautspod?lang=en
• Website: https://www.afronautspod.com
• Afronauts Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/afronautspod

In this episode, we discuss short fiction, publishing, defining success, FIYAH Literary Magazine, and more with award-winning SF/F writer and editor L.D. Lewis. 

Find her online!

Twitter: @ellethevillain

Website: https://ldlewiswrites.com/2021/11/27/ls-discon-iii-schedule/ 

Support her on Patreon!

https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=16703627

Meet our next hero: Terry J. Benton-Walker

Terry is the author of Blood Debts, a magical YA contemporary fantasy which will be available in April 2023. His apocalyptic middle-grade contemporary fantasy, Alex Wise vs the End of the World, comes out in Fall 2023.

Join us as we discuss Terry's upcoming novels, outlining series, social media, perseverance, and building community as a black author.

Want more Terry? Here's how to find him:

• Website: www.tjbentonwalker.com
• Instagram: @icecreamvicelord
• Twitter: @tjbentonwalker

Voodoonauts is a grassroots Afrofuturist collective for Black SFF writers. Founded by two MFA students, Yvette Lisa Ndlovu and Shingai Njeri Kagunda, and the cocoa-founders, Hugh “H.D.” Hunter and LP Kindred, in response to the under-representation and isolation of Black speculative fiction writers in the SFF landscape.

Follow them on social media:
@voodoonauts on Twitter and Instagram // voodoonauts.com

Yvette: @Lisa_teabag on Twitter and Instagram
Shingai: Twitter - @Shingaibelike // Instagram - @shingai_be_like
Hugh: @hd_tsd on Twitter and Instagram
LP: @LPKindred on Twitter and Instagram

Pre-Order Drinking from Graveyard Wells: https://www.kentuckypress.com/9780813196978/drinking-from-graveyard-wells/

And This is How to Stay Alive: https://www.fantasy-magazine.com/fm/fiction/and-this-is-how-to-stay-alive/

Futureland: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/691135/futureland-battle-for-the-park-by-hd-hunter-illustrated-by-khadijah-khatib/

Meet today's Hero: Britt Threatt

Britt Threatt is a fantasy and speculative fiction writer committed to penning stories that explore the capacity and aliveness of Black youth. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Africana Studies, which informs much of her creative writing around themes of social life and death, intimacy, belonging, and trauma. Britt has a YouTube channel called Britt Writerly, which curates conversations about the relationship between books and culture, and showcases original content. As a Black writer, she is dedicated both to the craft of storytelling and the necessary conversations strong narratives incite.

Want more Britt? Find her here:

• Instagram: @BrittWriterly
• Twitter: @True_Michelle_
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BrittWriterly/

Meet our next hero: Daniel Renjenko

Daniel is a previously agented writer focused on crafting Black main-characters only, and Black-trauma-conscious stories of Afrofuturism and Afrofantasy with some steamy romance weaved in. His main goal is always to empower Black readers, while his personal mission is to change the normalized use of negative black connotations into positivity.

Join us as we discuss Daniel's writing and inspiration, his take on Afrofuturism, parting from his agent, and finding support moving forward.

You can find Daniel Renjenko on @drenjenko. 

Meet our next hero: Tracy Deonn

Tracy Deonn is the New York Times bestselling, Coretta Scott King–John Steptoe Award-winning author of Legendborn, and a second-generation fangirl. She grew up in central North Carolina, where she devoured fantasy books and Southern food in equal measure. After earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in communication and performance studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Tracy worked in live theater, video game production, and K–12 education. When she’s not writing, Tracy speaks on panels at science fiction and fantasy conventions, reads fanfic, arranges puppy playdates, and keeps an eye out for ginger-flavored everything.

Join us as we discuss Tracy's novels, the interconnection between grief and trauma, the Vampire Diaries, and Tracy's fanfic tastes!

Want more Tracy Deonn? Here's how to find her:

• Website: TracyDeonn.com
• Instagram: @TracyDeonn
• Twitter: @TracyDeonn

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 @KarenMusings, and you can visit her website at https://www.karen-strong.com. 

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 Tananarive Due

War Girls by Tochi Onyebuchi

The Necromancer by N.K. Jemisin

The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin

Muted by Tami Charles

Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko

The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton

The Mothers by Britt Bennett

Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark

Cherish Farrah by Bethany C. Morrow

Brown Girl in the Ring by Nalo Hopkinson

Master of Djinn by P. Djeli Clark's 

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

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/ for episodes, resources, and more!

Show us a little love today by buying the crew some coffee! https://ko-fi.com/afronautspod

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. 

Check out her YouTube channel and visit her website at https://lisellesambury.ca/. 

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, resources, and more!

Show us a little love today by buying the crew some coffee! https://ko-fi.com/afronautspod

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 company for marginalized authors, and her strong opinions on peach cobbler and gumbo. 

You can find Nia Davenport on Twitter @Nia_Davenport and on Instagram @nia.davenport.

Visit her website at https://www.nedavenport.com/.

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

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. 

Visit her website at https://www.authorbrittneymorris.com/. 

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, visit https://pitchwars.org/the-future-of-pitch-wars-and-pitmad/) 
• Ancestral Futures Mentorship for BIPOC storytellers - https://ancestralfuturesorg.wordpress.com/
• Write Team Mentorship Program - https://www.writeteammentors.com/
• Be Your Own Mentor - https://byomentor.com/

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

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 

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

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 website at www.shewillart.com.

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/lifestyle/health-wellness/imade-borha-how-to-find-black-therapist/

https://providers.therapyforblackgirls.com

https://www.beam.community 

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/spoon-theory-chronic-illness/

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!

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!

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!

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 Community, follow us on social media and send us an email at afronautspodcast@gmail.com!

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 @britney.s.lewis, Twitter @britneyslewis, & TikTok @britneyslewis

Check out her website at https://www.britneyslewis.com/. 

Follow her on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/user/Britney3Kisses. 

For a link to our Discord Community, follow us on social media and send us an email at afronautspodcast@gmail.com!

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 can find Eve Williams on:

Instagram @Writer.eve & Twitter @WriterEve

For a link to our Discord Community, follow us on social media and send us an email at afronautspodcast@gmail.com!

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!

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 at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1R71Ohin42JfvOGvkdi38r0OALHX3QTUALdV1AFSN9IY/edit?usp=sharing

For a link to our Discord Community, follow us on social media and send us an email at afronautspodcast@gmail.com!

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 Discord Community, follow us on social media and send us an email at afronautspodcast@gmail.com!

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!

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 to our Discord Community, follow us on social media and send us an email at afronautspodcast@gmail.com!

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_FnJ1u10Ug
• His website: https://www.princeshakur.com/

View the episode transcript at https://docs.google.com/document/d/16HAqcE1cYzukUh3OFWo5_wO-sNTrVvHN1ERzd4tFOB4/edit?usp=sharing

For a link to our Discord Community, follow us on social media and send us an email at afronautspodcast@gmail.com!

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_source=Organic-Social-PR&utm_medium=web&utm_content=Share_Copy

View the episode transcript at https://docs.google.com/document/d/10XKXNqk9DoUjQZgtQEEwjiuaalw3wNJ3PeK30l6vhKY/edit?usp=sharing

For a link to our Discord Community, follow us on social media and send us an email at afronautspodcast@gmail.com!