Originally published at Fangs for the Fantasy A gent by the name of Malcolm X once said, “The media’s the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that’s power. Because they control the minds of the masses.” Many people often wonder … More Navigating Through Race- The Plight of Storytellers of Color
So last week Literary Phenom, Nobel Prize Winner, and Black Excellence Personified Toni Morrison celebrated her 85th birthday. This woman has been a guiding light for me both as a speculative fiction author and as a human being. Morrison is one of the catalysts in both Hollowstone and West of Sunset becoming a reality. Case in point:
(Originally published on Black Girl Nerds) When my debut novel, Hollowstone, was released a few years back, I had no idea how far the rabbit hole would go. What began as me publishing a YA novel that I completed during my inaugural NaNoWriMo challenge has resulted in endless opportunities (such as writing for Black Girl Nerds). … More #ICapeForBlackWomen: West of Sunset, My Love Letter To Black Women
Recently I had the honor of penning a guest post for the exquisite ladies at Black Girl Nerds. _________________________________ When my debut novel, Hollowstone, was released a few years back, I had no idea how far the rabbit hole would go. What began as me publishing a YA novel that I completed during my inaugural NaNoWriMo … More West of Sunset: My Love Letter To Black Women and Other Women of Color
Trigger Warning: Sexual Assault and Rape Survivors When I worked as a reporter for a local paper in East Tenn some years back, a story arose about a young woman who had been sexually assaulted at her high school. When the issue was brought to the school board’s attention, they moved heaven and earth to … More Rape Culture: From Grimdark Fantasy To Reality
So in addition to blogging, penning my next story, promoting the release of West of Sunset, and following up on some potential opportunities, I’ve been making the rounds online discussing Black Speculative Fiction Month. During one upcoming interview, I was asked why a month celebrating Black Speculative Fiction is important. I thought my answer warranted … More Why Black Speculative Fiction Month Matters
So let’s discuss movies. Movies previously seen and movies under consideration by yours truly. For the unfamiliar, I should probably explain my criteria for consuming media to provide proper context. And now for our featured presentations:
OMG! This weekend I completely sold every copy of my novel, this is horrible….. said no author ever. Certainly not this one. 😉
This post was recently inspired by a discussion by my beautiful and brilliant internet wife RVC Bard. When marginalized viewers critique arts & entertainment, we often look at how themes of race, gender, orientation, etc. are handled with the marginalized characters and the narrative. Obviously that’s understandable given how little representation we receive, and we … More Complexion for the Protection
So a little over a year ago, something very special happened. My novel Hollowstone was released. To say it changed my life forever would be a vast understatement. From traveling across the country to promote the book, to connecting with extraordinary people all over the globe, I’ve had so many wonderful experiences thanks to … More 21 Lessons Learned As A Debut Novelist
DENNIS R. UPKINS 