Shelfies #33: Maurice Broaddus

The why I do what I do shelf. This is the shelf of books that have inspired me or push me to do what I do. Futureland (Walter Mosley) was the first book that made me re-think my writing trajectory. When I read it, I thought to myself "we can do that?" It was the first sf book I read that had characters who looked like me, that had worldbuilding done through a different cultural lens. Then I went on a deep dive, discovering Octavia Butler and Nalo Hopkinson. These days having my writing pushed by folks like N.K. Jemisin, Dr. Chesya Burke, and Sheree Renee Thomas. Anything I write I know has to sit alongside them, so I'm always pushing and learning and growing.

An award-winning Afrofuturist and librarian, Maurice Broaddus has had over a hundred short stories published in such places as Lightspeed Magazine, Black Panther: Tales from Wakanda, Out There Screaming, Asimov’s, Weird Tales, Magazine of F&SF, and Uncanny Magazine. With over a dozen novels in print, his latest include Sweep of Stars, Breath of Oblivion, Unfadeable, Pimp My Airship, and The Usual Suspects. Learn more at MauriceBroaddus.com

Shelfies is edited by Lavie Tidhar and Jared Shurin. If you are interested in sharing a shelfie, please let us know.