Hydra

The Hydra has been soundfully resting under Mount Diablo since the last time a collective of writers of the absurd, horrifying, and weird came together to lull it back to sleep with their tales and slant rhymes; however, recent rumors speaking of the removal of the autonomy of one's body has given the beast nightmares and it stirs, grumbles, and coughs. And, frankly, the readers of this event no longer know if they want to lull the beast back to sleep and pray humanity continues on its gentle slope of progress or wake it with their shrieks and screams letting it run amuck, and hoping some decent semblance of humanity survives to build something new and stark while the ashes of old disappear on the wind.

Award-winning author of Afrosurrealist and multicultural sci-fi and horror, author of Happiness and Other Diseases (Mocha Memoirs Press). Sumiko Saulson writes a column "Writing While Black" for the San Francisco BayView, host the SOMA Leather and LGBT Cultural District's "Erotic Storytelling Hour,"  and teach courses at the Speculative Fiction Academy.

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Ahmed is a Libyan American programmer with a deep love for sci fi and fantasy. Avid reader, turned writer, Ahmed hopes to tackle stories he wanted to see growing up. Stories about third culture kids, North Africa, being Arab and the sanctuary that fantasy gives to those feeling "otherness."

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Audrey T. Williams writes speculative fiction, poetry, and non-fiction. She earned her MFA from CCA in San Francisco. Her poetry has been published in Space & Time Magazine, FUNGI, and Conjuring Worlds, an Afrofuturist textbook for middle grades. Audrey is a nonfiction contributor to Lightspeed Magazine and Flash Fiction Online. @Virgule2020 @audthentic_stories AncestralFutures.org

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Duane Horton is a 29 year old black queer fantasy writer based in Oakland, CA. He spends his time teaching fantasy writing workshops for Oakland youth. And is currently working on a novel. His work can be found in Green Mountains Review and Free Spirit Magazine. On his off time, he can be heard playing his flute.

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Trey (also known as Vernon Keeve III) is a Virginia born, queer writer. They currently live and teach in Oakland. They hold a MFA from CCA, and a MA in Teaching Literature from Bard College. Trey's full-length collection of poetry, Southern Migrant Mixtape, was published by Nomadic Press in 2018 and is the recipient of the PEN Oakland Josephine Miles Award. Trey continues to write poetry while working on their first novel, and they will be attending Columbia University in the fall to pursue a doctorate in English Education.

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Venue: Chapter 510 Leg: Three 7:00PM