BIPOC BOOK FAIR NOW DECEMBER 23

Every kid gets a book for free!

We’re still having a BIPOC book fair and inviting all kids who want to be there to come. But we couldn’t get all the books in time.  So now we’re asking you to join us on Saturday, DECEMBER 23; that’s when we’ll be at Portland, Oregon’s Norse Hall with a bunch of books by and about Black people, Indigenous people, and all kinds of people of color. Each kid’s admission ticket gets them one free book and the chance to buy as many more books as they like. Bay Area and online bookseller Sistah Scifi is providing a wide selection of titles, fiction and nonfiction.

Meet Local Authors

That includes books by award-winning authors Nisi Shawl and K. Tempest Bradford–they’re coming too! Shawl and Bradford plan to read their books’ exciting parts and answer questions about writing, bugs, and ghosts.

Two advantages to this date switch (in addition to having the books on hand for sure).  First, we can entertain and distract any kids on school breaks who may be driving their parents nuts; second we can guarantee blissful last minute present shopping for those who celebrate seasonal gift-giving.

Masks are required. A limited supply will be offered onsite.

  • BIPOC Bookfair
  • Saturday, December 23 from noon to 4 p.m.
  • $5 admission per person, waived on request
  • Every kids’ admission includes one free book
  • Norse Hall is at 111 NE 11th Avenue, Portland, OR 97232
  • Buy tickets via our Eventbrite page (a limited number will be available at the door)

What Octavia gave us

I was privileged to know and love Octavia during her lifetime, and now I get to write about that, and about the aftermath.  Here’s my most recent piece, an essay on Octavia’s legacy commissioned by her epublisher, Open Road Media.  Lots of gorgeous photos and lively links, too.

Award Winners for 2019 — Press Release

The Carl Brandon Society is pleased to announce the winners of our 2019 Parallax and Kindred Awards. “After a hiatus of several years, we’re very proud to once again highlight outstanding works of speculative fiction written by BIPOC authors—the Parallax—and focused on racial issues—the Kindred,” said CBS steering committee member K. Tempest Bradford.

The winner of the 2019 Carl Brandon Parallax Award is Pet by Akwaeke Emezi from Random House Children’s Books. The 2019 Carl Brandon Kindred Award winner is “Doll Seed” by Michele Tracy Berger published in FIYAH Magazine of Black Speculative Fiction. “The jury considers works published in the preceding year. So, these winners were published in 2019 and selected in 2020,” explained Carl Brandon steering committee member Candra K. Gill. “Both authors will receive a $1000 cash prize in addition to the physical award.”

The honors list for the 2019 Parallax Award is “Mister Dog” by Alex Jennings, “Kali_Na” by Indrapramit Das, “The Freedom of the Shifting Sea” by Jaymee Goh, “Harvest” by Rebecca Roanhorse, A Spectral Hue by Craig Laurence Gidney, and David Mogo: God Hunter by Suyi Davies Okungbowa.

The honors list for the 2019 Kindred Award is Queen of the Conquered by Kacen Callender, “Blood Is Another Word for Hunger” by Rivers Solomon, “Burn the Ships” by Alberto Yáñez, and “A Brief Lesson” in Native American Astronomy by Rebecca Roanhorse.

2019 jury members were Jacqueline A. Gross, Julia Rios, J.G. Stewart, and Yang-Yang Wang.

Details of the upcoming online presentation ceremony will be forthcoming soon.

For jury statements on the awards’ winners and honors lists and a list of previous winners, please visit carlbrandon.org/awards. Nominations for the 2020 Parallax and Kindred Awards are now open; access the nominations form there also.

–The Carl Brandon Society Steering Committee