K. Tempest Bradford
Storyteller: K. Tempest Bradford
K. Tempest Bradford is a science fiction and fantasy writer, writing instructor, media critic, reviewer, and podcaster. Her short fiction has appeared in multiple anthologies and magazines, including Strange Horizons, PodCastle, Sunspot Jungle, In the Shadow of the Towers, and many more. She’s the host of ORIGINality, a podcast about the roots of creative genius, and she contributes to several more. Her media criticism and reviews can be found on NPR, io9, and Ebony Magazine. When not writing, she teaches classes on writing inclusive fiction through LitReactor and Writing the Other. com.
Visit her website at ktempestbradford.com.
On writing for children:
“Once I started the querying process, I realized how few MG books there are with Black protagonists that aren’t ‘issue’ books. I know the importance of books that address issues Black kids face, but I also know how important it is to have books where Black kids can see themselves having adventures, or wielding magic, or getting to be joyful. Now I’m very invested in bringing that to the publishing world myself as well as supporting other writers doing the same.”
What was the most valuable or memorable experience of AMPLIFY for you?:
Learning all the ways I can advocate for myself and my book
to ensure it gets in the hands of Black kids. There are so many avenues I had no idea about, and so many people in the community willing to uplift all of us. So inspiring, both as an author and as a person who wants to do the same for other Black authors to come!
