What is Of One Blood, you ask?
Before Wakanda, there was Telassar.
Before Octavia Butler, NK Jemison, and Nisi Shawl, there was Pauline E. Hopkins.
When Reuel Briggs, a man hiding his African American identity, discovers that he’s the king of a hidden city in Ethiopia, his mysterious origins are only starting to be revealed.
Journey through perilous pyramids, haunted manors, and genres ranging from early science fiction to Gothic horror in this turn-of-the-century tale of romance, revenge, and reclamation of humanity lost.
Hopkins boldly challenged the racist paradigms of her time, and even today’s, when female authors of color are still fighting for recognition within genre fiction. This new edition features a foreword by Diverse Worlds Grant-winning author Eden Royce, shining contemporary light on this hidden gem.
Venture into the forgotten kingdom of Of One Blood and unearth its treasures for yourself!
I wrote that cover copy as one of many assignments for my Publishing MA. It’s taken a lot of my time and effort over the past year, and I almost can’t believe I graduate in a few short months.
It’s even harder to believe that my name is on the cover of a professionally published book. Okay, so, not a book I personally wrote, but still.
For anyone interested in publishing, I can’t recommend Western Colorado University’s Publishing MA enough. Even if I don’t strike it rich with my original works moving forward, even if I don’t land my dream job, I already feel it’s been worth it.
My work as a student editor has already given me the chance to highlight marginalized authors, from Pauline Hopkins and Eden Royce in my solo project, to nonbinary author Pines Callahan, who I had the pleasure of editing for with Feisty Felines and Other Fantastical Familiars.
Of One Blood is a tale of reclaiming lost treasure and letting hidden selves shine. It is about transcending racism and rising to your glorious full potential.
By highlighting this story now, I hope to remind the world that, not only are female authors of color integral to genre fiction now, but that they always have been.
Diversity in literature is not a trend. It is foundational.
We are the foundation.
And we are the future.
As an aspiring author and editor of color deeply indebted to the fearless example of Pauline Hopkins, I am honored to share her words with you.
There will be more to come in the lead-up to the book’s official release. I’ll be doing a countdown of my favorite quotes over on Tumblr and releasing a special video on YouTube on May 14!
THE SOLARIUM 
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