Hey y’all.

August has come and gone and left us in the future. So much happened in the month. So here’s a roundup.

I went to Madrid and Granada, and Glasgow and Malaga. A pretty great (and hot!) mostly-Spanish summer with a bit of Scotland sandwiched in there because, well, Worldcon.

So about Worldcon. I already shared my Worldcon schedule ahead of time and I am grateful for for everyone I met at the convention. Its only my second in-person convention ever and it was great. I cannot capture how many wonderful moments there were, how many great conversations, how many hugs, how much good wine and whiskey and food. Thank you everyone who shared a moment with me. At interviews. On panels. At dinners. During readings. In the dealers room. During Awards. At Barcon. On the tours. At the parties. On the streets of Glasgow. Thank you. So much happened and I was constantly running from place to place but I have such good memories (and not enough pictures but I have shared some below)

And if you follow me on social media, you probably know that just as Worldcon was ending, I found out that SHIGIDI AND THE BRASS HEAD OF OBALUFON was nominated for the World Fantasy Award.

I was speechless. The World Fantasy Award is one of those major SFF awards that I have always been aware of but never truly thought I would be considered for. Its an honor to be recognized. Previous winners include such African SFF luminaries like Nnedi Okorafor and Sofia Samatar and it would be something special to win and find myself in that kind of company. Its a wonderful shortlist, full of deserving books and for now, I am thoroughly enjoying being a World Fantasy Award nominee and…

A British Fantasy Award nominee as well!

Because just a few days after SHIGIDI AND THE BRASS HEAD OF OBALUFON won the Nommo award and was nominated for the World Fantasy award, I also got the news that it was also shortlisted for the British Fantasy Award for best novel!

This makes it nine major awards nominations for SHIGIDI – The Crawford, Nebula, Locus, BSFA, Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize, Nommo (won!), Igntye, World Fantasy and British Fantasy awards. Wow. Nine!

It’s truly stunning and beyond my expectations. I don’t know what to say except thank you to every reader, writer, reviewer, blogger, voter, society member, and juror who has supported this book so far. Thank you, truly. I just hope these award recognitions get more people to read the novel. And congratulations to all my fellow nominees.

Just as wonderful as all this success for my novel, is my joy at seeing that MOTHERSOUND: THE SAUÚTIVERSE ANTHOLOGY was also shortlisted for the British Fantasy Award for Best Anthology. Its a fine shortlist and I’m so glad for the entire Sauúti collective. While the title of editing duties fell to me, we worked together as one body to build this world and put this book together and the nomination is for all of us and our wonderful contributors. So congratulations collective members Cheryl Ntumy, Stephen Embleton, Adelehin Ijasan, Kalejaye Akintoba, Dare Segun Falowo, Jude Umeh, Xan van Rooyen, Eye Kay Nwaogu, Fabrice Guerrier, and contributors Oghenechovwe Ekpeki Donald and Somto Ihezue, Tobias S Buckell and TL Huchu. Also, big thanks to Android Press for bringing this book to the world. Sauúti to the world!

In other news, The amazing and wonderful author Lauren Beukes gave a great interview on the BBC show Listed Londoner where she gave SHIGIDI a shoutout! Listen to it, its a great interview with the most Lauren-anecdotes ever. And go get her novel Bridge! It was one of my favorites from last year.

What I’m reading:

A SONG OF LEGENDS LOST by MH Ayinde and it’s great so far – epic, moving and well written. I am also dipping in and out of DEEP DREAM: SCIENCE FICTION EXPLORING THE FUTURE OF ART edited Indrapramit Das which I have a story in. The opening story by Vajra Chandrasekara is mind-blowing stuff. And the other stories I have read so far have been great too. I’m honored to be in such a cool and important anthology. I also just started reading HOW BEAUTIFUL WE WERE by Imbolo Mbue which is a very different thing but also very good and moving. 

What I’m watching:

Joko Anwar’s Nightmares and Daydreams – A supernatural horror anthology television series on Netflix by film-critic-turned-director Joko Anwar featuring 7 interconnected stories set in Jakarta. I really like the first two episodes and the overall vibe of the show. And having lived in South East Asia for 10 years, I appreciate how authentic, well thought out, clever and honest every setting and emotional beat of the show comes across. The visual style is also impressive. I’m starting to see some structural cracks in the connectivity across episodes but nothing fatal. I’m looking forward to finishing the show.

More News:

I’m back by popular demand. Haha! After a bit of a hiatus, I will be returning to teach a Lolwe Academy Class on speculative fiction.

I first taught this class back in 2022 and I enjoyed it immensely. It also sold out fairly quickly and I know people have been waiting for the next installment but I was so busy with the day job and writing/promoting books, with helping to create Sauúti, and moving to a new country last year that I just couldn’t do it. This year though, I’m determined to make it happen and I have more to share. If you are interested – sign up here! And tell a friend.

And last but not least… at last year’s Worldcon, I gave a presentation on African Speculative Fiction which was well recieved and after I got many requests for a published version which people who missed the session could read. It was published in early August, just in time for the next Worldcon, in Clarkesworld Magazine. “Motherland Dreaming: Notes on African Speculative Fiction from Past to Present” – Motherland Dreaming: Notes on African Speculative Fiction from Past to Present by Wole Talabi : Clarkesworld Magazine – Science Fiction & Fantasy

It is appropriately in an issue with a Nnedi Okorafor interview. And this version of the material includes updated, bonus material referencing my Ignyte and BSFA nominated analysis of African speculative fiction data in the SFWA blog from 2022.

Check it out.

That’s it for now y’all.