2nd Annual Diversity Month Day 23: Author Interview w/ Thelonious Legend +Kindle Fire 6" and Book Giveaway!

So we've been gracious enough to host a whole new set of authors this year for our 2nd Annual Diversity Month. There aren't a ton of male bloggers. Or at least ones whom are authors, who are talking about more than their books.

This next author blogs about all things diversity, from young girl's self esteem, to representation in comics and movies. He even has his own book called "Sins of The Father" which features three affluent Black sisters who gain superpowers!

It's a pleasure to host him! Everybody, meet Thelonious Legend!

Characters From The Motherland: Twinja Book Reviews Top Ten List of African Main Characters in Spec Fic #BSFM

So we've highlighted Afro-Latinos, Bi/Multi-Racial and for the most part African American main characters in books. But what about the selected few who are able to identify with specific countries in Africa?

Many Black Americans have parents whom are immigrants from all over the continent of Africa. Since it's also the birth of humanity, it doesn't hurt to make a list highlighting main characters who can trace their ancestry before slavery.

For our last list, we cover Characters From The Motherland.

We'll try to make sure every book on the list can highlight specific countries, as opposed to pretending Africa is a monolithic continent, where every culture is the same. But if it's not stated, it is possibly a fictional world based on Africa.

A Black Panther film is set to be released in 2017, just in time for #BSFM

It's official! 

T'Challa, or also known as "Black Panther" is set to headline his own movie with an anticipated 2017 release.

With a talented hottie like Chadwick Boseman attached, he'll definitely pull it off, given that a good script is put his way.

Hollywood hasn't been known to throw many bones in the name of diversity. It's definitely a missed opportunity considering how much non-white folk basically support the film industry, whether we're represented or not.

After 2012, I haven't supported many Hollywood films. Independent directors and filmmakers seem like the future to me as far as representation is concerned. But between Michael B. Jordan being cast in the reboot of "The Fantastic Four" as Johnny Storm, and this, who knows? I'd definitely support these in the theaters.

Couldn't have gotten better news on Twinja Book Reviews before our Black Speculative Fiction Month event ended!

Blended and Bold: Twinja Book Reviews Top Ten List of Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial Main Characters in Spec Fic #BSFM

We weren't sure how readers would interpret a list full of main protagonists whom are of African heritage, but also a blend of identities.

Black identity is extremely important to us, especially because we're Afro-Latina. We don't identify as mixed race but it is always difficult to explain being of blended cultures or identities and proud of such.

As a woman who has a biracial boyfriend(who is half Black-Haitian and half White-Colombian) I tend to forget that he struggles with identity and how he classifies himself as much as I do. We come from two different sides of the pond. We talk about race ALL the time. I know he doesn't always have it as easy as I think he does.

Never Too Young To Be a Hero: Twinja Book Reviews Top Ten List of YA Black main characters in Speculative Ficition #BSFM

Been a little distracted over the past few days, so we're revealing five lists in one day to conclude our month long event for Black Speculative Fiction!  

It's kind of no secret that we have an insane preference for Young Adult. Young Adult is just about one of the most versatile categories a writer can write in and while all the haters out there who think YA is just for teens, Libertad and myself pride ourselves in our love of YA titles!

There's something about reliving your Young Adult stage through a book. We all remember what it was like to be 15, awkward and going through things for the first time. It's always interesting to see teens have to go through these things WHILE having to save the world too.

 Twinja Book Reviews presents our Top Ten List of books highlighting Black teens in Spec Fic!

Beyond Black and Ability: Twinja Book Reviews Top Ten List of Black Main Characters with Disabilities in Speculative Fiction #BSFM

So we're revealing some pretty cool lists of novels(which will include full length, novellas, short stories in anthologies, and the like) and the more we immerse ourselves in diversity, the more we actually learn about it.

Just with this blog alone, we've learned just how important intersectionality is, so like our list featuring books with Black Queer main characters in spec fic, this one is especially important.

Disability is often the MOST neglected marginalization. Too many people are afraid of addressing disability, and it's often why many attempts at inclusion end up problematic.

Characters with disabilities are especially important to children. Children of color dont often have proper representation, so imagine being a child of color AND having a disability.

The Invisible Latino: Twinja Book Review's Top Ten List of Afro-Latin@s/Latinos in Speculative Fiction #BSFM

We @ Twinja Book Reviews' want to honor the diversity the Black community within Speculative Fiction. We just couldn't wait to reveal this once it was complete, so here goes!

This was by far the most difficult list to create. We went from wanting a list of three, because we assumed we wouldn't find any, to a list of definite five, that we had to dig deep to find. Paying close attention to our friends on Goodreads book labels took out the guess work for one or two, but we were actually able to find 10 books that featured Afro Latinos in Speculative Fiction.

Black, Queer and Awesome: Twinja Book Reviews Top Ten List of Black Queer protagonists in Speculative Ficiton

While it is Black Speculative Fiction Month, it's also LGBTQ Month too! Queer main characters are often the most difficult to find when looking for characters of color, that are also with the Speculative Fiction Club. For the most part these books highlight main characters whom are of African Descent who identify as queer. Unless stated otherwise, every book features a major character who is Black and Queer.

 We've complied a list of the coolest books in Science Fiction, Horror, Fantasy, Weird Fiction, Hybrids of many, or just Speculative Fiction as a whole! Hope you hop over to GoodReads to check these out! Side Notes: Some books have several cover versions. If they were too difficult to decide which cover was more awesome, both a listed. Our efforts to highlight black authors only were difficult, so there two authors whom are white, and one whom is mixed race(Asian and white).

Black Speculative Fiction Month, Day 3: Author Thelonious Legend #BSFM

We're a few days into the month, with our month of educating audiences about Black Speculative Fiction authors, main characters of African diaspora, or just anything we deem uber cool to highlight this month.

One of the coolest things are connecting with authors. This month is especially cool, since Speculative Fiction reaches such wide audiences. It's awesome to get the incite of many awesome authors this month, and see how they look at the event to reflect.

Thelonious Legend, author of "Sins of The Father" joins us tonight. He talks about his love, and eventual journey to pen a series that empowered Black children, that were also girls. All children of color lack literary role models in books, but Black children typically are affected different ways, due to the negativity we receive in the media.