Year’s Best African Speculative Fiction (& Poetry) Volume 2 TOC

We’re thrilled to announce the authors for the Year’s Best African Speculative Fiction 2021-2022 anthology.

The Second Installment of the World Fantasy award winning, Locus, British Fantasy award nominated Year’s Best African Speculative Fiction anthology series will be published in August 1, 2023, and you can pre-order it here.

This year’s volume is guest edited by two strong voices in the Black speculative fiction space, Eugen Bacon and Milton Davis. It will contain poetry, and cover works from both the 2021 and 2022 years. It will be published by a collaboration of Caezik Books of Arc Manor and OD Ekpeki Presents, an imprint of Jembefola Press

This anthology series aims to draw attention to the works of Africans and people of African descent, to address visibility and other marginalizing barriers that exist for writers from Africa and the diaspora on the global stage.
This year, we also pay special attention to black speculative poetry and the power of the word, with sublime talent in the poignant space of black literature.
We received nearly 100 submissions, totalling over 400,000 words – naturally, we couldn’t take them all. We’re grateful to all authors, poets and editors for giving us a chance to read each story.
Please join us in congratulating the successful authors and poets for this volume:

SHORT FICTION

Broad Dutty Water: A Sunken Story by Nalo Hopkinson in Fantasy & SF, Nov/Dec 2021

How We Are by Chikodili Emelumadu in The Horror Anthology, Titan Books, Sept 2022

When She Speaks by Ugochi Agoawike in Augur Magazine, November 2021

A Pall of Moondust by Nick Wood in Omenana, April 2021

A Soul of Small Places by Mame Bougouma Diene and Woppa Diallo in Africa Risen, Tor.com, November 2022

A Sunken Memory by Donovan Hall in Cyberfunk! Anthology, February 2021

Kaleidoscope by Milton J. Davis in Muscadine Wine, MV Media, Aug 2022

An Arc of Electric Skin by Wole Talabi in Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, September 2021

Barefoot and Midnight by Sheree Renée Thomas in Apex Mag, March 2021

Deep in the Gardener’s Barrow by Tobi Ogundiran in Beneath Ceaseless Skies, November 2021

Destiny Delayed by Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki in Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, May/June 2022

District to Cervix: The Time Before We Were Born by Tlotlo Tsamaase in Prisms anthology, PS Publishing, March 2021

It Calls to You by Jamal Hodge in Hybrid: Misfits, Monsters, And other Phenomena, June 2022

Like Stars Daring To Shine by Somto Ihezue in Fireside Magazine, issue 103, July 2022

Make a Memory with Me by Xan van Rooyen in Galaxy’s Edge, September 2022

March Magic by WC Dunlap in Africa Risen, Tor.com, November 2022

Memories of the Old Sun by Eugen Bacon in Chasing Whispers, Raw Dog Screaming Press, September 2022

Old Solomon’s Eyes by Cheryl Ntumy in FIYAH Magazine of Black Speculative Fiction, Issue #24, October 2022

Peeling Time (Deluxe Edition) by Tlotlo Tsamaase in Africa Risen, Tor.com, November 2022

The Coward of Umustead by Diwe Anyadu in Omenana Magazine, Jul 2022

The Mercy of the Sandsea by Tendai Huchu in Analog Science Fiction and Fact, July/Aug 2022

The Travelling Man by Radha Opubor in Squinti Publishing, 2021

Them Doghead Boys by Alex Jennings in Current Affairs Magazine, Jan/Feb 2021

If the Martians Have Magic by P. Djèlí Clark in Uncanny Magazine, September/October 2021

POEMS

Child Price by Akua Lezli Hope

Loving Venus by Jamal Hodge

The Revenge of Henrietta Lacks by Cecilia Caballero

and this is how it begins by Gerald L. Coleman

Becoming by Miguel O. Mitchell

Fracking-lution by Linda D. Addison

Nyankopoxyican Breath of Fresh Air by Andrew Geoffrey Kwabena Moss

Pigeon Police by Bryant O’Hara

Street Names by Ndaba Sibanda

Tons of Liquid Oxygen Buckle Too Late Under Strain by Eugen Bacon

that poor woman by Gerald L. Coleman

That Time Your Best Friend Called You Sissy as a Plate of Àmàlà and Gbẹ̀gìrì Cooked by Your Orí by Ishola Abdulwasiu Ayodele

The Drone’s Retort by Bryant O’Hara

The Un-Awakened (Octavia E. Butler 1947-2006) by Linda D. Addison

Igbo Landing by Akua Lezli Hope

Honorable Mention

We’re also pleased to spotlight these stories that received an honorable mention.

SHORT FICTION

Masquerade Season by Pemi Aguda in Tor.com, March 2021

Babylon System by Maurice Broaddus in Fantasy & SF, May/June 2021

After Dark by Vuyokazi Ngemntu in Backyard Pitch Productions

Madam Aisirhiowen’s Greatest Invention by Amadin Ogbewe in Omenana Magazine

Harvest Moon by Oluwatomiwa Ajeigbe in Solarpunk Magazine, July 2022

Magic Tusks At The End Of The World by Uchechukwu Nwaka in Fusion Fragment

Wanderlust by LP Kindred in Anathema Magazine, August 2022

Whole by Somto Ihezue in Cossmass Infinities, April 2022

Brief Chance of Moonlight by Akem in Augur Magazine, May 2022

A Dream of Electric Mothers by Wole Talabi, in Africa Risen, Tor.com, November 2022

A Manual On Different Options Of How To Bring A Loved One To Life by Oyedotun Damilola, in Clarkesworld, May 2022

Black Queen by Nuzo Onoh, in Stygian Sky Media, April 2022

Choke by Suyi Davies Okungbowa, in Tor.com, March 2022

Osimiri by Chinaza Eziaghighala in Fission #2, Volume 1, June 2022

Last Stand of the E. 12th St. Pirates by L D Lewis in Lightspeed Magazine. Issue 151, Dec 2022

Tornadoes, Grief, and Poutine by Aline-Mwezi Niyosenga in Augur Magazine Issue 5.2, Nov 2022 (Winter 2022)

Eating Kaolin by Dare Segun Falowo in Omenana, July 2021

Fatal Conditions by Chris Campbell in FIYAH Magazine of Black Speculative Fiction, April 2021

Peeny-Wally by Carol B. Duncan in Augur Magazine, December 2021

Rearview Revolutions by Ytasha Womack I Omni Magazine

Self-Destruct by Stephen Embleton in Omenana, July 2021

The Brother by Makena Onjerika in Professor Charlatan Bardot’s Travel Anthology to the Most (Fictional) Haunted Buildings in the Weird, Wild World, Nov 2021

The Captive River by Chido Muchemwa (C. T. Muchemwa) in Augur Magazine, Dec 2021

What Floats in a Flotsam River by Osahon Ize-Iyamu in Strange Horizons, Nov 2021

Yemoja by Simbiat Haroun in Cosmic Roots & Eldrich Shores, Nov 2021

Whosoever by Carole McDonnell in Cyberfunk! Anthology, February 2021