Praised by literary journals, news outlets, and leading fiction magazines, Nisi Shawl is celebrated as an author whose works are lyrical and philosophical, speculative and far-ranging; “…broad in ambition and deep in accomplishment” (The Seattle Times). Besides nearly three decades of creating fantasy and science fiction, fairy tales, and indigenous stories, Nisi has also been lauded as editor, journalist, reviewer, teacher, speaker, afrofuturist, and proponent and mentor of feminism, African-American fiction, and other pedagogical issues of diversity.

Dark Moon Books and editor Eric J. Guignard bring you this introduction to her work, the third in a series of primers exploring modern masters of literary dark short fiction. Herein is a chance to discover—or learn more of—the vibrant voice of Nisi Shawl, as beautifully illustrated by artist Michelle Prebich.

Included within these pages are:

• Six short stories, one written exclusively for this book• Author interview• Complete bibliography• Academic commentary by Michael Arnzen, PhD (former humanities chair and professor of the year, Seton Hill University)• … and more!

Enter this doorway to the vast and fantastic: Get to know Nisi Shawl.

Table of Contents includes:

• Introduction by Eric J. Guignard• Nisi Shawl: A Biography• The Beads of Ku (fiction)• The Beads of Ku: A Commentary• Otherwise (fiction)• Otherwise: A Commentary• Just Between Us (fiction)• Just Between Us: A Commentary• At the Huts of Ajala (fiction)• At the Huts of Ajala: A Commentary• Street Worm (fiction)• Street Worm: A Commentary• Conversion Therapy (fiction)• Conversion Therapy: A Commentary• Why Nisi Shawl Matters by Michael Arnzen, PhD• In Conversation with Nisi Shawl• Written On The Water: An Essay by Nisi Shawl• A Bibliography of English Language Fiction for Nisi Shawl

Named a Best Fantasy and Sci-Fi Book of The Year by Elle!Nominated for the Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel!Kinning, the sequel to Nisi Shawl’s acclaimed debut novel Everfair, continues the stunning alternate history where barkcloth airships soar through the sky, varied peoples build a new society together, and colonies claim their freedom from imperialist tyrants.The Great War is over. Everfair has found peace within its borders. But our heroes’ stories are far from done.Tink and his sister Bee-Lung are traveling the world via aircanoe, spreading the spores of a mysterious empathy-generating fungus. Through these spores, they seek to build bonds between people and help spread revolutionary sentiments of socialism and equality—the very ideals that led to Everfair’s founding.Meanwhile, Everfair’s Princess Mwadi and Prince Ilunga return home from a sojourn in Egypt to vie for their country’s rule following the abdication of their father King Mwenda. But their mother, Queen Josina, manipulates them both from behind the scenes, while also pitting Europe’s influenza-weakened political powers against one another as these countries fight to regain control of their rebellious colonies.Will Everfair continue to serve as a symbol of hope, freedom, and equality to anticolonial movements around the world, or will it fall to forces inside and out?At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

A new story set in the world of Nisi Shawl''s acclaimed Everfair and its upcoming sequel, Kinning, available everywhere on January 23, 2024.Princess Mwadi of Everfair teams up with American actress Rima Bailey on a reconnaissance mission in Egypt in an attempt to thwart the European spies intent on destabilizing Everfair and its business interests. . .At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

An empathy-generating fungus is the hip new lifestyle accessory that defeats vigilantes and finds you the job of your dreams.At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Set after the events of Everfair, espionage, betrayal, and political intrigue follow, when the estranged son of a founding member of Everfair visits his sister in Zanzibar . . .At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

In the same world as Everfair, a brutal king plagued by visions of the Black people he slaughtered in Congo attempts to destroy the spirits haunting him using an inventor''s powerful but unproven machine . . .At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

From acclaimed short fiction writer Nisi Shawl comes a brilliant alternate history set in the Congo, where heroes strive for a Utopia and endeavor to live together despite their differences.Now with a foreward from award-winning author Cadwell Turnbull.In this re-imagining of Belgium''s disastrous colonization of the Congo, African American missionaries join forces with British socialists to purchase land from the Congo Free State''s "owner," King Leopold II. This land, which they name Everfair, is set aside as a safe haven for native populations of the Congo as well as settlers from around the world, including dream-eyed Europeans attempting to create a better society, formerly enslaved people returning from America, and Chinese railroad builders escaping hard labor. Using the combined knowledge of four continents, Everfair becomes a land of spying cats and gulls, nuclear dirigibles buoyed by barkcloth balloons, and silent pistols that shoot poison knives.With this technology, Everfair will attempt to defeat the Belgian tyrant Leopold II. But even if they can defeat their great enemy, a looming world war and political infighting may threaten to destroy everything they have built.“A book with gorgeous sweep, spanning years and continents, loves and hates, histories and fantasies… Everfair is sometimes sad, often luminous, and always original. A wonderful achievement.” — Karen Joy FowlerAt the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Praised by literary journals, news outlets, and leading fiction magazines, Nisi Shawl is celebrated as an author whose works are lyrical and philosophical, speculative and far-ranging; “…broad in ambition and deep in accomplishment” (The Seattle Times). Besides nearly three decades of creating fantasy and science fiction, fairy tales, and indigenous stories, Nisi has also been lauded as editor, journalist, reviewer, teacher, speaker, afrofuturist, and proponent and mentor of feminism, African-American fiction, and other pedagogical issues of diversity.

Dark Moon Books and editor Eric J. Guignard bring you this introduction to her work, the third in a series of primers exploring modern masters of literary dark short fiction. Herein is a chance to discover—or learn more of—the vibrant voice of Nisi Shawl, as beautifully illustrated by artist Michelle Prebich.

Included within these pages are:

• Six short stories, one written exclusively for this book• Author interview• Complete bibliography• Academic commentary by Michael Arnzen, PhD (former humanities chair and professor of the year, Seton Hill University)• … and more!

Enter this doorway to the vast and fantastic: Get to know Nisi Shawl.

Table of Contents includes:

• Introduction by Eric J. Guignard• Nisi Shawl: A Biography• The Beads of Ku (fiction)• The Beads of Ku: A Commentary• Otherwise (fiction)• Otherwise: A Commentary• Just Between Us (fiction)• Just Between Us: A Commentary• At the Huts of Ajala (fiction)• At the Huts of Ajala: A Commentary• Street Worm (fiction)• Street Worm: A Commentary• Conversion Therapy (fiction)• Conversion Therapy: A Commentary• Why Nisi Shawl Matters by Michael Arnzen, PhD• In Conversation with Nisi Shawl• Written On The Water: An Essay by Nisi Shawl• A Bibliography of English Language Fiction for Nisi Shawl

Named a Best Fantasy and Sci-Fi Book of The Year by Elle!Nominated for the Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel!Kinning, the sequel to Nisi Shawl’s acclaimed debut novel Everfair, continues the stunning alternate history where barkcloth airships soar through the sky, varied peoples build a new society together, and colonies claim their freedom from imperialist tyrants.The Great War is over. Everfair has found peace within its borders. But our heroes’ stories are far from done.Tink and his sister Bee-Lung are traveling the world via aircanoe, spreading the spores of a mysterious empathy-generating fungus. Through these spores, they seek to build bonds between people and help spread revolutionary sentiments of socialism and equality—the very ideals that led to Everfair’s founding.Meanwhile, Everfair’s Princess Mwadi and Prince Ilunga return home from a sojourn in Egypt to vie for their country’s rule following the abdication of their father King Mwenda. But their mother, Queen Josina, manipulates them both from behind the scenes, while also pitting Europe’s influenza-weakened political powers against one another as these countries fight to regain control of their rebellious colonies.Will Everfair continue to serve as a symbol of hope, freedom, and equality to anticolonial movements around the world, or will it fall to forces inside and out?At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

A new story set in the world of Nisi Shawl''s acclaimed Everfair and its upcoming sequel, Kinning, available everywhere on January 23, 2024.Princess Mwadi of Everfair teams up with American actress Rima Bailey on a reconnaissance mission in Egypt in an attempt to thwart the European spies intent on destabilizing Everfair and its business interests. . .At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

An empathy-generating fungus is the hip new lifestyle accessory that defeats vigilantes and finds you the job of your dreams.At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Set after the events of Everfair, espionage, betrayal, and political intrigue follow, when the estranged son of a founding member of Everfair visits his sister in Zanzibar . . .At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

In the same world as Everfair, a brutal king plagued by visions of the Black people he slaughtered in Congo attempts to destroy the spirits haunting him using an inventor''s powerful but unproven machine . . .At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

From acclaimed short fiction writer Nisi Shawl comes a brilliant alternate history set in the Congo, where heroes strive for a Utopia and endeavor to live together despite their differences.Now with a foreward from award-winning author Cadwell Turnbull.In this re-imagining of Belgium''s disastrous colonization of the Congo, African American missionaries join forces with British socialists to purchase land from the Congo Free State''s "owner," King Leopold II. This land, which they name Everfair, is set aside as a safe haven for native populations of the Congo as well as settlers from around the world, including dream-eyed Europeans attempting to create a better society, formerly enslaved people returning from America, and Chinese railroad builders escaping hard labor. Using the combined knowledge of four continents, Everfair becomes a land of spying cats and gulls, nuclear dirigibles buoyed by barkcloth balloons, and silent pistols that shoot poison knives.With this technology, Everfair will attempt to defeat the Belgian tyrant Leopold II. But even if they can defeat their great enemy, a looming world war and political infighting may threaten to destroy everything they have built.“A book with gorgeous sweep, spanning years and continents, loves and hates, histories and fantasies… Everfair is sometimes sad, often luminous, and always original. A wonderful achievement.” — Karen Joy FowlerAt the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.