Face front, True Believers! Or something like that. Yours truly just trekked up to Atlanta, GA for the first ever State of Black Science Fiction convention! What’s that, you ask? Why it’s a gathering of dozens of black comic book writers, graphic novelists, and screenwriters in one location to fellowship and meet up with the local nerd population about horror and speculative fiction.

I was invited to be on two panels with immensely talented authors: Black Women in Speculative Fiction, seen below, and The Pros and Pitfalls of Small/Self-Publishing.

(Left to right: Nicole Kurtz, Alicia McCalla, Penelope Flynn, me, Cerece Rennie Murphy, and Valjeanne Jeffers.)

“Why, Kyo,” you say, mildly confused. “Whatever are you wearing?”

“WHAT THE SHIT!” I exclaim, for I am cosplaying as Lana Kane from FX’s hit animated comedy Archer.

“Lana. Lana. LAAANAAAAA!”

I mean, I am a tall black woman with anger issues, huge Hulk hands, and a disposition for emotionally distant dark-haired men, so it seemed like the logical choice.

I also had a little table of my own to sell books and chat with readers. I almost felt like a real author and everything.

“Stories about murder, self deprecation, and pretty men! Get ’em while they’re hot, people!”

Further details about the con can be seen on their website posted above and in the Facebook group. It was an unforgettable experience, and if it becomes an annual thing, please stop by and see me! I promise not to shoot you in the foot. Probably. If any footage of the panels pop up, I’ll be sure to post them here for your enjoyment.

In the meantime, gird your loins. I’ll have more news about my upcoming sci-fi crime thriller Of Cinder and Bone coming to a blog post near you. GET HYPE.