A Phoenix First Must Burn

Introduction

Patrice Caldwell

When I was fourteen, a family friend gifted me a copy of Octavia Butler s Wild Seed. I still remember that moment. The Black woman on the front cover. The used-­paperback smell. The way I held it close like it carried within it the secrets of many universes.

I devoured it and all of her others. I found myself in her words. And I m not the only one.

It seems only fitting that the title of this anthology comes from Butler s Parable of the Talents, a novel that is ever relevant.

The full quote is In order to rise from its own ashes, a phoenix first must burn.

Storytelling is the backbone of my community. It is in my blood.

My parents raised me on stories of real-­life legends like Queen Nzinga of Angola, Harriet Tubman, Phillis Wheatley, and Angela Davis. Growing up in the American South, my world was full of stories, of traditions and superstitions ­like eating black-­eyed peas on New Year s Day for luck or jumping the broom on your wedding day. Raised on a diet of Twilight Zone, Star Trek, and Star Wars, I preferred creating and exploring fictional universes to living in my real one.

But whenever I went to the children s section of the library to discover more tales, the novels featuring characters who looked like me were, more often than not, rooted in pain set amid slavery, sharecropping, or segregation. Those narratives are important, yes. But because they were the only ones offered, I started to wonder, Where is my fantasy, my future? Why don t Black people exist in speculative worlds?

Too often media focuses on our suffering. Too often we are portrayed as victims. But in reality, we advocate for and save ourselves long before anyone else does, from heroes my parents taught me of to recent ones like Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi, the Black women who founded Black Lives Matter.

Malcolm X said, The most neglected person in

Patrice Caldwell is a graduate of Wellesley College and the founder and fund-raising chair of People of Color in Publishing--a grassroots organization dedicated to supporting, empowering, and uplifting racially and ethnically marginalized members of the book publishing industry. Born and raised in Texas, Patrice was a children's book editor before shifting to writing full-time.

In 2018, she was named a Publishers Weekly Star Watch honoree and featured on The Writer's Digest podcast, PBS's MetroFocus, and Bustle's inaugural "Lit List" as one of ten women changing the book world.

She currently lives in New York City in an apartment overflowing with tea and books and is obsessed with purple lipstick. Visit her online at patricecaldwell.com, Twitter @whimsicallyours, and Instagram @whimsicalaquarian.

Praise for A PHOENIX FIRST MUST BURN

*"Lovers of Octavia Butler will find her spirit in this smoldering anthology . . . These stories [explore] the beauty, bravery, fear, history, and empowerment of being black. Fiercely fantastical and achingly honest, this book delivers a more inclusive means of self-discovery."--Publishers Weekly, starred review


*Sixteen #ownvoices authors offer up fantasy and science fiction short stories centering black girls . . . All these well-spun tales are enjoyable and accessible to readers of any background. Magical and real, this collection lives up to its goal with stories as diverse as the black experience.#BlackGirlMagic indeed."--Kirkus Reviews, starred review

*"Featuring an array of well-known and breakout #OwnVoices authors, this volume boasts ample variety in style, voice, and approach that ensures readers will find at least one story to enjoy (though likely many more) . . . Readers will appreciate the wide representation of the African diaspora and will also take note of the multiplicities of lived experiences, cultures, and gendered and sexual expression. That the stories center Black girlhood creates layers of depth in these racialized and gendered experiences alongside the joys and trivialities of stories often missing from the mainstream. Luminous reading."--Booklist, starred review

*"Each story is satisfying to read by itself, yet more powerful when read together as there is an evenness in the narratives which is not frequently found in most short story collections. Like the best short stories, each jumps right into the action and character growth is demonstrated quickly. There are twists and turns aplenty to be found between the covers of this book. This is an outstanding collection, with an evenness to its stories, unique characters, and a wide range of tales."--School Library Connection, starred review