Contrast this to the weeks prior to our symposium. I spent way too much time ‘discussing’ politics, the implications of multiculturalism in fantasy and the proper approach for African Americans in science fiction and fantasy fiedl. I also spent way too much time listening to people whose perception of their status stretches far beyond the reality. It occurred to me that something dreadful was happening, something that I thought I’d protected myself from but was now sinking in up to my neck. My hobby was becoming like a job, and not a good job at that.

I write because I love to. I share my books with others because I think I have something to say that others might be interested in and enjoy. I have no profound messages or life changing revelations, just hopefully good stories that will bring a few minutes of enjoyment to those that read them. To say that I’m ambitious about what I do would be true to a certain extent. I like a good discussion like the next debater, but I find myself getting involved more and more into discussion that were destined to lead nowhere from the start. And then I see this room full of young children, picking up my books and smiling with wonder and then rushing over to me to purchase them. There is no discussion of if they should read them, or what are the ramifications of such books to the genre, or whether or not the genre that they claim is legitimate. They see something they like, they get it, they read it, they enjoy it.

The State of Black Science Fiction Youth Symposium reminded me of where I need to be. It’s the same place I was when I first began writing my books and a place where I somehow slipped away. I always believed that the most important relationship is that between the writer and the reader. Everything else is in the way. It’s time to get back to the fun. So if you see my avatar pop up in the middle of a heated discussion, please forward me a link to this blog. I’ll appreciate it.

This exciting novel takes place in the late 1800’s and drops us right into the action, with Harriet Tubman rescuing the child Margaret who has been kidnapped from her father, Secretary of War Edwin E. Stanton. The fun begins in the first scene, where we find Harriet not only aided by her visions from the Lord, which serious Harriet Tubman followers are familiar with, and her handling the six kidnappers with the skills of a trained martial artist, which took me pleasantly by surprise. The book continues at a break neck pace, introducing historical characters that are familiar by name but not by attitude. Balogun puts his own spin on each of these personalities, a spin that turns toward the supernatural and horrific. Harriet finds herself pursued by John Wilkes Booth who seeks Margaret for his own nefarious reasons, as well as Stanton himself.

And then there’s steampunk.  Balogun is a fan of steampunk and he incorporates it into this action tale. The chase takes us across the American North, South and all the way to Mexico, where the story takes us to the next level.

Mainstream publishing dictates staying between the lines in order to make a book easier to market. Independent publishers and writers break this rule, resulting in books that are exciting mixes that keep a reader entertained and pleasantly off balance. Moses: The Chronicles of Harriet Tubman is one of those books, a gumbo of historical, horror, action and steampunk fiction that feels like a roller coaster ride. It’s a great mash up that I highly recommend.

Nowhere during that time were we exposed to many black heroes. There was Black Panther, Storm, Luke Cage and Brotherman. That was it. We accepted it, because we were children of the ’60s and had become accustomed to being ignored. Our heroes were our mothers, fathers, aunts and uncles. We worked hard to be like them and sometimes, better than them, as they worked hard for us to be. But there were some things we never imagined. We never imagined ourselves as superheroes.

It wasn’t until I was in college that I realized the possibilities and almost twenty years after that when I realized I could do something about it myself. So I began writing Speculative fiction to create the heroes I missed as a child and to make sure that black children after me wouldn’t have to reach far beyond their experiences to experience what I was deprived of.

Some people question the importance of children reading speculative fiction but to me there is no question that they should. A child should be exposed to all the possibilities.  The mind is a muscle and it must be exercised to reach its maximum strength. Speculative fiction teaches a child to imagine, to look beyond the limits and see the possibilities of the present and the future. It the case of Sword and Soul it links a child to history in an entertaining way and introduces them to a history full of accomplishments and pride. I don’t know about you, but  I want my children to have the strongest foundation possible, and speculative fiction adds to its strength.

So I look forward to the State of Black Science Fiction Youth Symposium with excitement and enthusiasm. I’m anxious to share my knowledge and I’m excited about hearing the young folks in attendance express their dreams and expand their imagination. I hope y’all come out to see and contribute as well.

Check out my fellow writers and read what speculative fiction has taught them:

Ed Hall – Alabama escapee Ed Hall writes journalism, poetry, and fiction. He serves as host of Eyedrum’s monthly literary forum, Writers Exchange, and as an organizer of Eyedrum’s annual Experimental Writers Asylum (which is part of the Decatur Book Festival). His work has appeared in Newsweek, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Code Z: Black Visual Culture Now, and the Dictionary of Literary Biography. He plans to have his first novel, a sf-pionage story for young adults, come out soon.

L.M. Davis – L. M. Davis, Author–began her love affair with fantasy in the second grade.  Her first novel, Interlopers: A Shifters Novel, was released in 2010, and the follow-up Posers:  A Shifters Novel will be released this spring. For more information visit her blog http://shiftersseries.wordpress.com/ or her website www.shiftersnovelseries.com.

Alan Jones – Alan Jones, a native Atlantan, former columnist for the Atlanta Tribune and Wall Street Consultant, writes a brand of science fiction suitable for both adults and young adults. His brand of science fiction blends fanciful characters and scenarios with generous doses of philosophy and social commentary.  His book, To Wrestle with Darkness, is available on Amazon, at Barnes & Noble and most major retailers. Visit Alan at http://wrestlewithdarkness.ning.com/profile/Alan.

Alicia McCalla – Alicia McCalla is a native of Detroit, Michigan who currently resides in Metro Atlanta, Georgia.  She writes for both young adults and adults with her brand of multicultural science fiction, urban fantasy, romance and futurism. Her debut novel, Breaking Free is available in print and for immediate download on Amazon and other booksellers. The Breaking Free theme song, Keep Moving, created by Asante McCalla is available for immediate download on itunes and Amazon. Visit her at: www.aliciamccalla.com

Balogun Ojetade – Author of the bestselling “Afrikan Martial Arts: Discovering the Warrior Within” (non-fiction), “Moses: The Chronicles of Harriet Tubman” (Steampunk) and “Redeemer” (science fiction); and screenwriter, director and producer of the feature film, “A Single Link” (martial arts drama). Visit him: http://chroniclesofharriet.wordpress.com/

Wendy Raven McNair – is a wife, mother, artist and author of the Young Adult novels, Asleep and Awake. Visit her athttp://wendyravenmcnair.com/page19.php.

I also love to read, which is why I love independent writing. Up until very recently my only source for books was the local bookstore and my only choice was books by writers supported by the major publishers. That wasn’t a bad thing; I’ve read some great, good and terrible books over the years. Up until recently a family tradition was to go to the local Barnes and Noble on Fridays to peruse the shelves and purchase books. Our local B&N has since closed and I miss it terribly, but that’s fuel for another discussion.

As a long time science fiction and fantasy fan I’ve noticed the homogenization of the genres over the years. It was hard to select a book because, quite frankly, they all looked and read the same. There was also a growing sense of dissatisfaction as well. I wanted to see books with people of African descent as the main characters, and in science fiction and fantasy that was nearly non-existent on the shelves. I became so disillusioned that I abandoned both genres, restricting my reading to non-fiction, mainly history.

It wasn’t until I decided to self publish my own books that I discovered independent writers in the science fiction and fantasy genre. These writers not only pulled me back into reading fiction, they also drew me back to reading mainstream science fiction and fantasy as well. I was now presented with a situation that resembled my search and enjoyment of music. Not only was I exposed to thousands of new writers, I also discovered writers who focused on characters of African descent as well as offered fresh and exciting perspectives to the genre I love so much.

Now I’ve heard all the arguments against the independent market and here’s what I think. I appreciate the gatekeepers protecting me from bad writing and inferior product, but I must remind them that I’ve bought some well edited and beautiful books that sucked. Quality is an issue with many independent books but it hasn’t devolved my reading experience. Then there’s the argument about how will the poor reader sift through this mass of independent product.  I purchase independent books the same way I purchase mainstream books; through word of mouth, reviews and instinct.  And as much as major publishers are proud of their status, I’m just a reader and like my music it doesn’t matter to me what the source is, as long as it’s good.

So writers, keep writing and I’ll keep reading. It doesn’t matter to me how your books get to me as long as they get to me. If it’s good, then I’m good. It’s really that simple.

That book was Griots. A short time after Charles Saunders and I met I came up with the idea of a Sword and Soul anthology. My idea was that for the genre to expand and grow we needed to seek out other writers and authors who had a passion for African-based heroic fiction. So that’s what we did. The call was made and answered. As I mentioned earlier, Griots debuted at Onyx Con III and the response was excellent. It was the best release of my books thus far, a large portion of that due to the number of people involved in its creation. With 14 writers and artists contributing it definitely got a lot of buzz. Add to that very favorable reviews and you have a book that has become the go to source for people wanting to know what exactly is Sword and Soul.

2011 was also the year I made a move toward ‘mainstream’ venues. Up until that year I concentrated on local book signings and Onyx Con. Last year I ventured out and tested the waters at a couple of other events. I participated in Atlanta Sci Fi Summer Con(http://sfscon.tripod.com/), a small con but a good one for making contacts. I also attended Dragoncon for the first time. I was a guest of Terminus Media (http://www.terminusmedia.com/) so I got to see the lay of the land and sell a few books, too. Results were encouraging; I’m seriously considering a booth in 2013.

So what about sales? Well, book sales are still not where I would like them to be but they are increasing. I sold 336 books total last year, a modest increase from the year before. Two items are worth noting; last year was the first year I sold books every month and it was also the year I began selling e-books and e-stories. Since beginning with e-books in August 2011 they have become a significant portion of my monthly sales. That trend has continue this year as well.

So what’s in store for 2012? A lot if all goes according to plan. This year will be the year I become a true publisher. I plan to publish two books by other authors. The first book will be Once Upon A Time In Afrika by Balogun.  I met Balogun recently and we have immediately become Sword and Soul brothers. His writing talents and deep knowledge of Afrikan, particularly Yoruba, culture and history make Afrika a rich and exciting read. Afrika is due for release this May. The other book I hope to release this year is by my other Sword and Soul brother and mentor Charles R. Saunders. Abengoni: First Calling is the first book of a brand new trilogy by Charles and I am proud and humbled that he has allowed me to present these novels to the world.  I hope I can debut Abengoni for Onyx Con 4, but realistically if will probably be end of the year. I’m also anticipating the release of Blood of Titans by C. Michael Forsyth.  Michael has written an exciting book that will definitely add to the library of Sword and Soul books.  As for me, I’m working on Woman of the Woods, my first Sword and Soul novel with a female main character, Sadatina. I’m also working with Balogun and artists Eugene Peterson, Wayne Parker, Kris Mosby and Stan Weaver on a Sword and Soul RPG titled Ki-Khanga. And then there’s the anthologies. Right now I’m working on three; Griots II: Sisters of the Spear, Dark Universe, and Steamfunk! I’m too early in the process to say when these will release, but they are all in different stages of development. Where do I find the time? I have no idea.

That being said, I hope you all continue to follow us. I’m still having a ball and I hope you are too. Thanks for your continued support and your patience. Sword and Soul Forever!

This explains my attitude toward Street Lit. After bursting onto the literary scene from the streets of New York years ago, Street Lit had become the dominant form of African American literature on the market today, for better or worse. As a black science fiction and fantasy writer, I constantly listen to my fellow writers complain about the genre, how it is lowering the standards of black readers and stealing shelf space from not only our works but those of ‘more literary writers’ like Terry McMillian and Tony Morrison.  While there are complex reasons why this is happening, the obvious reason to me is simple: hustle.

Street Lit wasn’t created by mainstream publishers. It wasn’t nurtured by small press publishers. The Street Lit market was created by self publishing writers who wrote their stories, printed their books and took to the streets to sell them. They called on beauty shops, barbershops, street corners, any place where they thought they could sell their books. They didn’t pursue the traditional outlets because they either didn’t know how to or didn’t want to. They pursued the readers. In the process they founds readers who responded to their words and who overlooked details such as editing, spelling and grammar.  In the end these entrepreneurial wordsmiths created a lucrative market that mainstream publishers couldn’t ignore. And as much as book store managers complain about the content, these books still fill the shelves. Why? Because they sell.

So what has Street Lit taught us? That’s it as much or more about hard work as it is about skill. The lesson should resonate more among independent writers such as myself than my mainstream published kin, although they too should take note.  Like my mentor taught me long ago, don’t concentrate on what you feel the Street Lit writer is doing wrong, focus on what they’re doing right then apply it to your efforts. And as far as converting the millions of Street Lit fans to science fiction and fantasy? Don’t waste your time. There may be a few that would warm up to a Sword and Soul epic or lose themselves in a YA post apocalyptic yarn, but they are already reading what they prefer. Get out there and find your own audience. The process has been created; all you have to do is adapt it to your needs.

So get out there and get your hustle on.

Amazons in Atlanta

Her sandaled feet slapped against the brick pavement as she and her sisters crept cautiously up Peachtree Street. The Union guns rumbled in the distant north, driving the confused and weary confederates toward the city in ragged ranks. The greycoats did not know what waited for them.

She worked the glowing bracelet around her wrist, a strange talisman that did not match her other accoutrements. She could not remember where she procured it, whether it was given to her or whether she sought it from a powerful shaman. It comforted her at that moment, just  as it had during the long journey in the belly of the British man-o-war, as it had when they stormed the docks of Savannah, and as it had when they hard marched through swamps and farmland to Atlanta. The British told them if they captured Atlanta this new land would be theirs to control.

She slipped into the darkness with her sisters and waited. Their banners appeared first, ragged red flags criss-crossed with blue bars inlaid with white stars. Dirty bearded men in tattered uniforms trudged up the road as their officers shouted encouragement from their horses. She worked her hand around the stock of her musket as she raised it to her shoulder. The strange world she’s entered months ago became familiar as she set her sight on one of the officers. This was what she was trained for; this was her destiny.

A piercing scream came from the darkness and she squeezed her trigger. Smoke blinded her for a moment; when it cleared the horse twirled about rider less. Together she and her sisters shrieked, dropping their rifles and unleashing their machetes from their leather sheaths. They charged into the streets, barreling into the stunned soldiers; hundreds of black skinned woman warriors attacking with unbridled fury. In moments the battle was done.  But there was no time to celebrate, no time to claim trophies. The Union soldiers would not be far behind. She returned to the shadows, picked up her musket and reloaded. The bracelet felt warm against her sweating skin. This land would be theirs. This land would be New Dahomey…

My State of Black Sci Fi Grand Prize Winner is Alicia McCalla! Alicia will receive a free signed copy of each of my books.

Make sure you visit my fellow bloggers and discover more possibilities.

Winston Blakely, Artist/Writer– is a Fine Arts/Comic Book artist, having a career spanning 20 years, whose achievements have included working for Valiant Comics and Rich Buckler’s Visage Studios. He is also the creator of Little Miss Strange, the world’s first black alien sorceress and the all- genre anthology entitled – Immortal Fantasy.  Both graphic albums are available at Amazon, Barnes and Nobles and other online book store outlets. Visit him:   http://blakelyworks.blogspot.com/or  http://blakelyworkstudio.weebly.com/

L. M. Davis, Author–began her love affair with fantasy in the second grade.  Her first novel, Interlopers: A Shifters Novel, was released in 2010, and the follow-up Posers:  A Shifters Novel will be released this spring.  For more information visit her bloghttp://shiftersseries.wordpress.com/ or her website www.shiftersnovelseries.com.

Ja Ja (DjaDja) N Medjay , Author—DjaDja Medjay is the author of The Renpet Sci-Fi Series. Shiatsu Practitioner. Holistic AfroFuturistic Rising in Excellence. Transmissions from The Future Earth can be found at: http://authordjadja.wordpress.com/ ,www.renpetscifi.com or on Facebook - www.facebook.com/RenpetSciFiNovel or on Twitter - https://twitter.com/#!/Khonsugo .

Margaret Fieland, Author– lives  and writes in the suburbs west of Boston, MA with her partner and five dogs. She is one of the Poetic Muselings. Their poetry anthology, Lifelines http://tinyurl.com/LifelinesPoetry/ is available from Amazon.com  Her book, “Relocated,” will be available from MuseItUp Publishing in July, 2012. The Angry Little Boy,” will be published by 4RV publishing in early 2013.  You may visit her website, http://www.margaretfieland.com.

Valjeanne Jeffers, Author – is an editor and the author of the SF/fantasy novels: Immortal, Immortal II: The Time of Legend and Immortal III: Stealer of Souls. Her fourth and fifth novels: Immortal IV: Collision of Worlds and The Switch: Clockwork will be released this spring. Visit her at: http://valjeanne.wordpress.com , http://wwwsistermoon.blogspot.com/andhttp://qandvaffordableediting.blogspot.com/

Thaddeus Howze, Author – is a veteran of the IT and Communications industry with over 26 years of experience retooling computers to best serve human needs. Unknown to humanity, our computers have another agenda. Thaddeus recently released his first collection of short stories, Hayward Reach. In a coded format, he has secretly informed Humanity of the impending computerized apocalypse. You can read parts of the code here: http://ebonstorm.wordpress.com or http://ebonstorm.weebly.com

Alicia McCalla, Author—writes for both young adults and adults with her brand of multicultural science fiction, urban fantasy, and futurism. Her debut novel, Breaking Free is available in print or immediate download on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, and other booksellers. The Breaking Free theme songcreated by Asante McCalla is available for immediate download on iTunes and Amazon. Visit her at: www.aliciamccalla.com

Carole McDonnell, Author–She writes Christian, speculative fiction, and multicultural stories. Her first novel is Wind Follower. Her short fiction has appeared in many anthologies and have been collected in an ebook, Spirit Fruit: Collected Speculative Fiction. Visit Carole: http://carolemcdonnell.blogspot.com/or http://writersofcolorblogtour.blogspot.com/

Balogun Ojetade, Author—of the bestselling “Afrikan Martial Arts: Discovering the Warrior Within” (non-fiction), “Moses: The Chronicles of Harriet Tubman” (Steampunk) and the feature film, “A Single Link”. Visit him: http://chroniclesofharriet.wordpress.com/

Rasheedah Phillips, Author–is the creator of The AfroFuturist Affair in Philly. She plans to debut her first spec/sci-fic novel Recurrence Plot in Spring 2012. You may catch her ruminating from time to time on her blog, AstroMythoLosophy.com.

Nicole Sconiers, Author-is also a screenwriter living in the sunny jungle of L.A. She holds an MFA in creative writing from Antioch University Los Angeles, and she recently published Escape from Beckyville: Tales of Race, Hair and Rage. Visit her:http://nicolesconiers.com/index.html

Jarvis Sheffield, M.Ed. is owner & operator of TheDigitalBrothers.com, BlackScienceFictionSociety.com & BlackCommunityEntertainment.com. Visit him: http://www.blacksciencefictionsociety.com/profiles/blog/list?user=2stjwb1h216fd

I’m not going to go into detail here on how we met. We both described that experience in our introductions in Griots as well as on our individual blogs. What I will restate is that I am not the kind of person to lay praise on anyone I don’t know personally.  Although we have never met face to face, I am proud claim Charles R. Saunders as a friend. Since the first time we made contact he has been friendly and supportive. His words and advice have guided me since my first book, and his wisdom and support had been invaluable. I’ve met a number of published writers since entering this field but I’ve met few as encouraging and helpful as Charles.  It’s because of him that the genre of Sword and Soul exists, and it’s because of his continued writing and nurturing that it will continue to grow.

So my admiration and respect goes to my Sword and Soul brother, Charles R. Saunders. Sword and Soul Forever!

Next week signals the end of the State of Black SciFi 2012 blog tour and we have a special treat for y’all. Make sure you check out the posts of my fellow bloggers:

Winston Blakely, Artist/Writer– is a Fine Arts/Comic Book artist, having a career spanning 20 years, whose achievements have included working for Valiant Comics and Rich Buckler’s Visage Studios. He is also the creator of Little Miss Strange, the world’s first black alien sorceress and the all- genre anthology entitled – Immortal Fantasy.  Both graphic albums are available at Amazon, Barnes and Nobles and other online book store outlets. Visit him:   http://blakelyworks.blogspot.com/ or  http://blakelyworkstudio.weebly.com/

L. M. Davis, Author–began her love affair with fantasy in the second grade.  Her first novel, Interlopers: A Shifters Novel, was released in 2010, and the follow-up Posers:  A Shifters Novel will be released this spring.  For more information visit her bloghttp://shiftersseries.wordpress.com/ or her website www.shiftersnovelseries.com.

Ja Ja (DjaDja) N Medjay , Author—DjaDja Medjay is the author of The Renpet Sci-Fi Series. Shiatsu Practitioner. Holistic AfroFuturistic Rising in Excellence. Transmissions from The Future Earth can be found at: http://authordjadja.wordpress.com/ ,www.renpetscifi.com or on Facebook - www.facebook.com/RenpetSciFiNovel or on Twitter - https://twitter.com/#!/Khonsugo .

Margaret Fieland, Author– lives  and writes in the suburbs west of Boston, MA with her partner and five dogs. She is one of the Poetic Muselings. Their poetry anthology, Lifelines http://tinyurl.com/LifelinesPoetry/ is available from Amazon.com  Her book, “Relocated,” will be available from MuseItUp Publishing in July, 2012. The Angry Little Boy,” will be published by 4RV publishing in early 2013.  You may visit her website, http://www.margaretfieland.com.

Valjeanne Jeffers, Author – is an editor and the author of the SF/fantasy novels: Immortal, Immortal II: The Time of Legend and Immortal III: Stealer of Souls. Her fourth and fifth novels: Immortal IV: Collision of Worlds and The Switch: Clockwork will be released this spring. Visit her at: http://valjeanne.wordpress.com , http://wwwsistermoon.blogspot.com/ andhttp://qandvaffordableediting.blogspot.com/

Thaddeus Howze, Author – is a veteran of the IT and Communications industry with over 26 years of experience retooling computers to best serve human needs. Unknown to humanity, our computers have another agenda. Thaddeus recently released his first collection of short stories, Hayward Reach. In a coded format, he has secretly informed Humanity of the impending computerized apocalypse. You can read parts of the code here: http://ebonstorm.wordpress.com or http://ebonstorm.weebly.com

Alicia McCalla, Author—writes for both young adults and adults with her brand of multicultural science fiction, urban fantasy, and futurism. Her debut novel, Breaking Free is available in print or immediate download on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, and other booksellers. The Breaking Free theme song created by Asante McCalla is available for immediate download on iTunes and Amazon. Visit her at: www.aliciamccalla.com

Carole McDonnell, Author–She writes Christian, speculative fiction, and multicultural stories. Her first novel is Wind Follower. Her short fiction has appeared in many anthologies and have been collected in an ebook, Spirit Fruit: Collected Speculative Fiction. Visit Carole: http://carolemcdonnell.blogspot.com/ or http://writersofcolorblogtour.blogspot.com/

Balogun Ojetade, Author—of the bestselling “Afrikan Martial Arts: Discovering the Warrior Within” (non-fiction), “Moses: The Chronicles of Harriet Tubman” (Steampunk) and the feature film, “A Single Link”. Visit him: http://chroniclesofharriet.wordpress.com/

Rasheedah Phillips, Author–is the creator of The AfroFuturist Affair in Philly. She plans to debut her first spec/sci-fic novel Recurrence Plot in Spring 2012. You may catch her ruminating from time to time on her blog, AstroMythoLosophy.com.

Nicole Sconiers, Author-is also a screenwriter living in the sunny jungle of L.A. She holds an MFA in creative writing from Antioch University Los Angeles, and she recently published Escape from Beckyville: Tales of Race, Hair and Rage. Visit her:http://nicolesconiers.com/index.html

Jarvis Sheffield, M.Ed. is owner & operator of TheDigitalBrothers.com, BlackScienceFictionSociety.com & BlackCommunityEntertainment.com. Visit him: http://www.blacksciencefictionsociety.com/profiles/blog/list?user=2stjwb1h216fd

So until I took my own foray into speculative fiction I’d never attended any type of speculative fiction event, not even the famous Dragon Con, which had been held for over twenty years ‘up the street’ from me. And then came Onyx Con (http://www.onyxcon.com/). For those of you who don’t know, Onyx Con is an annual convention held in Atlanta to celebrate and display the creative diversity of the African diaspora. It was created by Joseph Wheeler, III after being inspired by similar events in Chicago (The Black Age) and Philidelphia (ECBACC). My initial participation was partially mercenary; here was an opportunity to sell my books to my focus audience. I also know Joseph and responded to his call for volunteers to help him put on this event.

Maybe I’m partial to Onyx Con because I’ve been involved since it’s inception, but I think the reason is that it offers a unique experience of combining all the visual and literary arts to create a unique vibe. I’ve attended a number of local cons since then, including Dragoncon, but Onyx Con is still my number one. There’s a feeling of family, especially as we move into our fourth year. To fellowship with returning attendees and to interact with the young and old people experiencing what we offer for the first time is a rewarding and encouraging experience. I hope to attend The Black Age and ECBACC in the near future, but for now my home is Onyx Con.