Research and Organization Tips For Writing About Complex Worlds
Advice for Authors on Finding the Positive in Rejections
How Setting Goals and Writing Consistently Can Exercise Your Mind
I had the opportunity to be part of a team from my church (Fountain Square Presbyterian) that went to Cluj, Romania. It was a chance to see other expressions of the church in a different cultural context. It was a learning journey that focused on cultivating and deepening relationships.
I was asked “what was the most surprising thing [I] learned?” That’s tough to answer because I’m still processing the trip. My thoughts are centering around two issues:
1. The role of tribalism/shared history and the tension created among people. There are parallels to the issues of race that plague us here in the U.S., the conflicts/issues that go back hundreds of years.
2. The issues surrounding poverty. How we see the same systems undergirding it (politics, self-interest, lack of empathy, etc.). And how hard it is to get people involved in investing in the PROCESS, that is, building relationships as the foundational piece to combating it.
Probably the most profound prayer I heard, which echoed my heart though I hadn’t put voice to it, was when a partner prayed “God, I don’t see your love in this poverty. I don’t see your justice.” But I’m going to trust You anyway and be committed to the struggle and reconciliation process.
Like I said, I’m still processing a lot (so I hope that made sense).
I have a couple of features in the latest issue of Uncanny Magazine. A new story and an interview:
The Ache of Home
The Indy Metro bus came to a shuddering halt and deposited Celeste Burroughs at her stop. A plastic shelter enclosed a bench printed with the words “Embrace Mortality.” Celeste looped the cord of her earbuds around her thumb then unwound it, careful not to pull the cord free from her pocket, where it trailed, not plugged into any device. Listening to music in public violated her sense of personal boundaries. The inserted earbuds were her shield against the catcalls and unwanted attempts at conversation both on the bus and on her walk home.
The bus stop was right across from the construction site of a new park. She jumped at the shrill drone of a drill and the metallic clatter of pieces falling to the ground. She feared the men suspected she could hear just fine. Cordoned off behind a fence, not wanting the intrusion of the neighborhood, hard scrabble men—sun-baked red and wearing fluorescent green T-shirts and hard hats—eyed her like prairie dogs catching a scent. Politicians decided that they needed to pour $5M into constructing a dog park and skate-park, though no one she knew in the neighborhood demanded either. She reminded herself that such amenities weren’t for them. They were for the future residents once the city pushed the current ones out.
Despite dressing in a smart, though unflattering, business suit which covered her from neck to knee, despite the earbuds being in plain sight, despite both a purse and a bag slung over an obviously exhausted body, the men mistook her stride for interest and the braying started. Celeste shrugged her purse higher on her shoulder and walked briskly.
Feeling the call of the Green Space, as she called it, Celeste slowed down. Her mind reached out along what she thought of as the life lines. If she tried had enough, was quiet enough, she could hear the whispers of the plants.
Continue reading over on the Uncanny Magazine site.
And in the same issue, the brilliant Julia Rios poses a few questions to me:
Uncanny Magazine: You’re a community organizer and you’ve lived most of your life in Indianapolis. “Ache of Home” touches on both of those things. How much of your personal experience comes through in the story?
Maurice Broaddus: This is my everyday. I was sitting out doing a writing exercise near my neighborhood, watching a construction crew put in a dog and skate park. I know, like the folks in the neighborhood knew, that they’d been marked for “revitalization” so it’d only be a matter of time before they’d be pushed out.
I work with a group called The Learning Tree, an organized group of neighbors. I thought about my friend Scooter, this massive dude who many would be quick to dismiss as a “thug.” Those folks miss his story of being a devoted dad, a caretaker of the neighborhood, with the soul of a poet. I think about my friend Taisha and all of the gardeners in the neighborhood, working together to fight against this massive food access situation.
Continue reading the interview over on the Uncanny Magazine site.
“In this episode, the deeply wonderful author, Maurice Broaddus, visits Emma in the tea lair. We discuss the lessons learned from being a guest editor for Apex Magazine, childhood toys, and we also discover the reason why Maurice is one of the loveliest people in SFF (if not the world).”
Nisi Shawl guest edited an issue of Fantastic Stories of the Imagination with a People of Color take over FSI special issue (cover illustration by Victo Ngai). It includes:
Fiction
What Futures by Su-Yee Lin
Shadow Animals by Stephen Graham Jones
The Sacrifice of the Hanged Monkey by Minsoo Kang
Darkout by E. Lily Yu
The Executioner by Jennifer Marie Brissett
I Understand by Jermaine McGill
Walking Around Money by Paul Miles
Serving Fish by Christopher Caldwell
Fortitude by Eliza Victoria
Maggie Doll by Alex Jennings
Glass Bottle Trick by Nalo Hopkinson
The Great Leap of Shin by Henry Lien
The Palapye White Birch by Tlotlo Tsamaase
The Ace of Knives by Tonya Liburd
Legacy by Irette Y. Patterson
Recognizing Gabe: un cuento de hadas by Alberto Yáñez
Non Fiction
Must Watch TV: Into the Badlands by S. Qiouyi Lu
Rebirth, Truth-with-a-Tea, and FIYAH by Erin Roberts
Read Me! 7 by Terence Taylor
Hopefulbright to the Rescue! by Darcie Little Badger
For this essay, Nisi dubbed me “the nerd of nerds.” BLACK NERDS RULE!
Also up for pre-order, the anthology Straight Outta Tombstone. “Come visit the Old West, the land where gang initiations, ride-by shootings and territory disputes got their start. But these tales aren’t the ones your grandpappy spun around a campfire, unless he spoke of soul-sucking ghosts, steam-powered demons and wayward aliens.”
Contributors include: David Boop, Larry Correia, Jody Lynn Nye, Sam Knight, Robert E. Vardeman, Phil Foglio, Nicole Kurtz, Michael A. Stackpole, Bryan Thomas Schmidt & Ken Scholes, Maurice Broaddus, Sarah A. Hoyt, Alan Dean Foster, David Lee Summers, Kevin J. Anderson, Naomi Brett Rourke, Peter J. Wacks, and Jim Butcher.
In an unprecedented event, my oldest brother, Maurice, and I are sharing the spotlight for a joint book signing and reading. He writes horror, fantasy, and steam punk, and I write… well… my book is about me, but I promise it’ll still be interesting! It’s a FREE event! And there will be snacks!
From a traditional press to an individual tapping away on a website, authorial siblings, Maurice Broaddus and Rohini Townsend will be discussing their very different writing journeys at their joint book signing, “Sibling Rivalry: Their Roads to Publishing.”
Maurice, a seasoned fantasy and horror author, will have copies of his newest and critically acclaimed books, Voices of Martyrs and Buffalo Soldier available for purchase and signing. His younger sister, Rohini Townsend, a toddler in the writing world, will be showcasing her first autobiographical work, Put Some Shoes On.
If you are a budding ink slinger, curious about the writing process, our just want to shake their hands, join them as they sign books and field questions. And there will be snacks!
Maurice Broaddus A community organizer and teacher, his work has appeared in Lightspeed Magazine, Weird Tales, Apex Magazine, Asimov’s, Cemetery Dance, Black Static, and many more. Some of his stories have been collected in The Voices of Martyrs. He is the author of the urban fantasy trilogy, The Knights of Breton Court trilogy. He co-authored the play Finding Home: Indiana at 200. His novellas include Buffalo Soldier, I Can Transform You, Orgy of Souls, Bleed with Me, and Devil’s Marionette. He is the co-editor of Dark Faith, Dark Faith: Invocations, Streets of Shadows, and People of Colo(u)r Destroy Horror. His gaming work includes writing for the Marvel Super-Heroes, Leverage, and Firefly role-playing games as well as working as a consultant on Watch Dogs 2. Learn more about him at MauriceBroaddus.com.
Rohini Townsend From playing the violin to creating new cheesecake recipes, Rohini Townsend has been donned a Jane-of-all-trades by those she serves. Her varied background in arts, ministry and a myriad of other hobbies and gifts allows her to see the world through a colorful lens. Her passions lie in bringing people together and finding ways for people to identify value in each other. Ro is the visionary and CEO of GRoE, Inc., a community advocacy nonprofit that serves the near westside of Indianapolis. Ro recently completed her first book that is currently available for purchase entitled, Put Some Shoes On. In addition to working on her second book, she does freelance writing and editing for a variety of individuals and organizations.
Transparency is vital to the building and strengthening of every relationship and every ministry. It allows people to see you as approachable and to feel safer when talking to you. Transparency is a gateway to trust, and trustworthiness is an important quality which people seek in a good, ministerial leader. They want to know:
-Is this person trustworthy?
-Is this person honest?
-How do I know I can talk to this person without fear of condemnation?
It is with this in mind that Rohini Townsend approaches writing, friendships, ministry, and life itself. Her desire to see people healed and whole has led to a candor and openness that is sure to tug at the heartstrings of the despondent.
Put Some Shoes On, is an emotional and gripping story of one little girl’s journey through heartache, rejection, abuse, and turmoil. Chronicling her path from scared child to broken, rebellious teen to powerful, anointed woman of God, the author shares the most intimate moments of her life with refreshing transparency and soul stirring honesty. It is not only a story of past hurts, it is a story of learning, growing and seeking a deeper relationship with God — the steps and sacrifices that are required for that level of depth and connection to the Father.
Raw, poignant, and insightful, Put Some Shoes On was written to heal. It was written with your salvation in mind. This is a story of overcoming and, while on that walk, discovering who you are, and more importantly, WHOSE you are. Every step you take was conceived in the mind of the Father to guide you towards recognizing the spiritual gifts He has placed in you. Be not weary in well doing. Do not allow your circumstances to define you. Do not be consumed by trials and heartache. Take your experiences and let God use them to mold you into a powerful Kingdom citizen. Put some shoes on and walk boldly in your Godly identity.
Talk about epic weekends.
Me, Jerry Gordon, and my oldest son pile into a car for a road trip to Brian Keene’s secret lair deep in the hills of Pennsylvania. We have two goals: record an episode of The Horror Show and play Magic: the Gathering. Granted, the latter is the main mission of my son. He has co-opted most of my friends. Keep in mind, when we play with him, this card often gets involved:
(yes, my son is THAT player)
Anyway, we arrive Friday evening. Brian plays the consummate host and after we eat, we do what we do: drink and start telling stories. Apparently, I reach this magical point in my story telling (indicated by how loud I am getting) and Brian jumps up with the announcement “Now we’re ready to do the show!”
We enter his batcave, set a NEW bottle of Knob Creek between us, and do the show while consuming it. This episode is pretty much what happens when old friends have a few drinks and forget the microphone is on. Or, as I’ve been calling it, an exercise in the host asking questions that quickly get derailed by stories. [I love how many people are texting/inboxing me mid-listening to the podcast wanting to know if we survive the interview. Spoilers: we did, the bottle of Knob Creek, however, did not.] That’s all the context you get for this pic to make any sense whatsoever.
MAURICE BROADDUS – The Horror Show with Brian Keene – Ep 120
In what may be our greatest episode yet, Maurice Broaddus sits down with Brian, Dave, Mary, and Phoebe to discuss ghost-writing for celebrities, reconciling religion and faith with genre writing, being a trailblazer for writers of color, his friendships with Wrath James White and Chesya Burke, and much more. Then, his co-editor Jerry Gordon joins the discussion to talk about the art of crafting the perfect anthology, and Maurice’s son reveals an embarrassing story about his father. Also in this episode — a chance to win a complimentary pass to The Ghost Town Writers Retreat!
Saturday, Brian hosts a huge party where we hang out with old friends and make new ones. Some AWESOME new ones. Sunday, I get talked into co-hosting Brian’s interview with Jason Sizemore. Somehow, I sniff out the remaining moonshine (don’t ask) which was supposedly hidden (a secret nook behind the appliances does not count as hiding. It’s like Brian wasn’t even trying). So then this happened:
JASON SIZEMORE – The Horror Show with Brian Keene – Ep 121
Jason Sizemore of Apex Publications sits down with Brian, Mary, and guest co-host Maurice Broaddus for a fascinating discussion on publishing, editing, the importance of libraries, and advice for those wishing to start a small press. Plus: Kip Winger’s Songs From the Ocean Floor. Rick Hautala archived. A double shot of Bryan Smith. Horror writers invade DC Comics. The Twilight Zone emerges from development hell. Eli Roth’s children’s movie. Dave and Phoebe’s hospital adventure. Dungeonmaster 77.1’s new pet. And the Ghost Town Writer’s Retreat winner!
And then more Magic was played. My son … sonned all over our games. So this card got invoked:
Anyway, in short, epic weekend. I’m pretty sure my liver is still pissed at me.
SO HERE’S SOME MORE!
Broaddus shows little interest in predictable adventure narratives. Instead he packs this slim novella with alternate American history, fantastic technology and father-son bonding, for a far more surprising and satisfying result.
[Continue to read in THE NEW YORK-FREAKING- TIMES!]
“Black Steampunk. Yeah!!! I was so bummed I didn’t get a chance to review Nisi Shawl’s Congelese steampunk novel Everfair, so when I learned that Maurice Broaddus had also written a steampunk novella, I snatched it up. And oh, did it not disappoint. It’s not just steampunk, it’s western steampunk!”
[Continue to read LaShawn Wanak’s review over at Lightspeed Magazine]
“Buffalo Soldier is a story about stories. The stories we tell ourselves, the stories we tell others, stories that hold our history and culture, stories that help us find our place in the world. Just as Desmond uses Maroon mythology to keep Lij grounded in his past, so too does Broaddus in using the science fiction genre as a tool for exploring the philosophies and social mores of the real world. It’s not just a steampunk novella with a majority Black and brown cast. Through the genre lens, Broaddus comments on the real world. Racism, white privilege, the uniquely white American form of conquest and domination (i.e.: Manifest Destiny), and intersectional feminism all get play. Power – who has it, who doesn’t, those who use it to exploit and abuse others, and those who fight back against it – is the name of the game.”
[Read the full analysis over on Tor.com]
But it is clear Broaddus’ world-building for Buffalo Soldier is complete and massively detailed. The reader gets just enough historical detail to glean that the American Revolution failed while Jamaican independence was successful, and that what we know as the United States is divided into three main regions: Albion, ruled over by Regents of the British government; Tejas (Texas and environs); and the Six Civilized Nations (various native tribes, occupying fortified holdings in the west after being forced out of the east). The novella is set in what feels like the present day, or close to it…But it’s the characters that draw the readers into this world and keep us there; Desmond Coke, Lij Tafari, and the mysterious Cayt Siringo. Coke’s world-weariness is palpable in the early pages and deepens as the story progresses: he knows he’s doing the right thing for Lij, even though it has meant leaving behind everything he knows, and yet he still questions whether he’s doing the right thing.
[Continue to read Anthony Cardno’s review]
Saturday, May 27th, 1:00–2:15 pm
From Airships to Elder Gods
Tor.com authors and friends deconstruct steampunk, Lovecraftian monsters, and other richly deserving genre tropes. Ruthanna Emrys will read from her new novel Winter Tide. Maurice Broaddus will read from the recently released Buffalo Soldier. Anne M. Pillsworth will read from Redemption’s Heir, her Neo-Lovecraftian YA series. Samantha Lynn, a Long Hidden contributor, will read from her suburban Chicago dystopia-in-progress.
Maurice Broaddus, Ruthanna Emrys, S Lynn, Anne M. Pillsworth
Saturday, May 27th, 7:30-8:45 pm
Gaming (The Craft and Business of Writing)
People from a wide variety of career paths collaborate to make video games, including producers, programmers, directors, artists, and writers. However, the mythic ‘Ideas Guy’—the lone visionary genius at the center of a project—simply doesn’t exist. In this panel, video game developers will discuss their jobs and other jobs in the industry—and offer an inside look at how games are made.
M: Ann Lemay. Maurice Broaddus, Tanya D., Ceri Young
Saturday, May 27th, 9:00-10:15 pm
Power, Privilege, and Oppression (Gaming)
A recent Beyond Good & Evil 2 trailer featuring a picture of a rhinoceros with prominent dreadlocs. Black hairstyles offered as accessories for nonhuman characters. Nonhuman characters standing in for POC in otherwise white games. Let’s talk about the various ways that video games treat POC as other, and why the games industry needs to cut it out.
M: Tanya D., Kenzie Woodbridge. Maurice Broaddus, Na’amen Gobert Tilahun
