Tonya Liburd's Blog

Guess what’s live! My eBook!

Hey, FOLKS!
I got a short story eBook of mine, that’s out now! The Ace Of Knives!
Here’s the cover!

If you like Caribbean-centred, Toronto based, dark urban fantasy, this is for you!
Originally published back in 2015 in Postscripts To Darkness 6, the Ace Of Knives tackles violence, trauma, homelessness, mental illness, dysfunctional and found family, and healing!
It’s got blurbs from people like Nisi Shawl, Maurice Broaddus, Gemma Files, Ranlyt Richildis, and Jordan Kurella!
And it’s got extras!
Here’s the link!
https://books2read.com/TheAceOfKnives
Enjoy!
P.S. reviews always help, guys!

“Dustchick”

It’s a title that I am composing a story around.
I’ve done this before, yeah? Written entire stories around concepts, a single word, a photo, yeah?
I’ve done “Shoe Man” like that, gotten it published…
That’s how “The Ace Of Knives” came about. A gamer’s name, imagine that.
And it went on to be used in Nisi Shawl’s Writing The Other course, as an example of code-switching in fiction.
Tananarive Due’s also used it in her UCLA course, yanno, the one that became a Twitter Moment when Jordan freaking PEELE crashed, and guest lectured?
Speaking of which, I’m looking into making that single story into an ebook. There’s a cover that’s been sitting around for AGES that I have to put to good use SOMEHOW, yeah…?

Anyway. Back to Dustchick.
I have amassed photos, website info and notes into what can possibly be called a ‘virtual scrapbook’ at this point in Scrivener.
The story is 4,500 words so far. I’m working on the climax and the ending.
This is my free post over at my Patreon regarding the story with a few of those things shown:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/134387455

What do you think?
And, consider becoming a Patron over at Patreon if you like what you see there…

Over and out.

Update on the Caribbean Pantheology anthology

Us three co-editors (me, Steven Conde and Fabrice Guerrier) are still working on the Pantheology anthology, sans Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki.
Submissions are open, and please make a note of the change in the updated requirements: we are especially looking for poetry, essays, articles and reviews.

===
Our Caribbean Pantheology anthology is accepting submissions of fiction, poetry, essays, articles and reviews. It will be co-edited by me (Tonya Liburd), E.G. Condé and Fabrice Guerrier.

Call:
Caribbean Pantheology refers to a framework that emerges from the cultural and spiritual traditions of the Caribbean region. It draws on a variety of sources, including but not limited to, traditional African religions, Christianity, Asian religious & cultural practices, and Indigenous spiritual practices. It seeks to understand the ways in which these different traditions have been adapted, blended, and transformed over time to create unique religious systems that reflect the specific historical and cultural contexts of the Caribbean.
Some of the key themes that are explored in Caribbean Pantheology include the role of spirituality in resistance and liberation movements, the relationship between religion and identity, and the ways in which religious practices have been used to cope with the trauma of colonialism, slavery, and other forms of oppression.
Caribbean Pantheology will receive, read, translate and publish fiction nonfiction and poetry in all varieties of English (including Creole and Spanglish), Spanish, and French that engage with the diverse spiritual traditions of creators living in the Caribbean or its many diasporas. Between myth and legend, the fantastical and the speculative, the supernatural and the real, we seek stories that defy genre boundaries (fantasy, magical realism, surreal, the weird, speculative, science fiction) and the colonial borders that have long divided our islands into “Anglophone”, “Francophone”, and “Hispanophone” communities.
Like the Caribbean, our pantheology is a meshwork of continents, deities, and languages, forged in the violence of colonialism, chattel slavery, and indentured labor. More than our scars, we Caribbean people are foundries of creativity and revolution. Like the maroon refuges built by our ancestors, we are spun from Indigenous (Garifuna, Guanahatabey, Kalinago, Taíno), African, Asian, and European traces.
As such, we welcome fiction, nonfiction and poetry that confront the spiritual wounds of our pasts, celebrate the rich traditions of our present, and imagine our flourishing futures. Send us, also, your archipelagic tales of Soucouyants and Brujas; Orishas and Cemís; Loogaroos and Behikes; Jumbies and Ciguapas; Anansi and Chupacabras.

Eligibility: We seek works created by Caribbean people or anyone with ancestral or migratory ties to the region. If you are a marginalized creator, we encourage you to submit your work to us. We will reject any submissions that promote colorism, shadeism, or racism, to any degree. Please do not send us content generated by artificial intelligence applications.

Payment: $.08 per word up to 1,000 words; $.01 per word for longer submissions; $50 flat rate for poems, essays, articles and reviews.
Rights requested: All world English, French and Spanish rights, exclusive for one year after publication.
Submit to: caribbeanpantheology (at) gmail (dot) com.

Update on the Ekpeki-led Caribbean Pantheology anthology

It is with a heavy heart that I, Fabrice Guerrier and E.G. Condé are informing you that we are collectively leaving Donald Ekpeki’s Caribbean Pantheology anthology project.
The Pantheology concept is a powerful and compelling subject, and Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki will always get credit for popularizing it, but for confidential reasons we cannot continue our work on the project.
If you have submitted a story and are waiting for a response, we will be contacting you. Thank you for your time.

I started a GoFund me to get an air conditioner. Frustrated.

Hey there.

I’m really… frustrated that I have to do this again.

But I can’t take it anymore. And neither can my system.

I’ll out myself here and let you know something I have hidden, but may or may not be a surprise to some, or all of you: I take medication for Psychosis.

So why am I revealing this when I’m raising funds for an air conditioner? Here’s why.

When I went to Nevis, in the Caribbean, for my father’s funeral in January 2022, my aunts noticed–and were alarmed by–the degree of my sweating.

Turns out antipsychotics SERIOUSLY MESS with my body’s ability to self-regulate. I spent SO MUCH TIME in front of a fan.

It’s worse in North America, the heat. Nevis is breezy and open. The heat in the Caribbean, and in Nevis, is dry. Everyone up here bemoans the mugginess and moistness of the heat, and in Toronto, with a fan less than a foot from me, it feels like recycled oven air. I can’t stay awake or cogent the hotter it gets.

So I applied for funding to buy a new air conditioner, since the last one broke RIGHT after the warranty ran out. It’s been sitting here for at least 2 years.
I received a letter from them today and it says I don’t qualify for funding because I received funding in the last 4 years for an air conditioner.

I can’t wait.

It HAS to be soon; I don’t want to end up in the hospital for this.

Please help with whatever funding you can.

Please spread the word.

gofund.me/af62c322

Do You Have A Will Done…?

I’m looking into having one done.

Nein Gaiman’s blog post on the pertinent matter:
http://www.neilgaiman.com/journal/2006/10/important-and-pass-it-on.html

As he says: spread the word.

The Weekend, in a nutshell…

On Thursday, I was writing a poem about my feelings upon discovering the congo has a SILENT genocide happening right now, that’s like worse than Gaza’s…?!?!?!
While waiting in line for the food bank, and getting frostbite on my fingers.

On Friday, afternoon?
Watching my (significantly) older cousin’s funeral.
She was cruical to helping put together my dad’s eartly affairs in regards to fixing up the house immediately after his death… I was a mess.
My Twitch stream helped my mood and humour lift, thanks to this teenager who playfully trolls me, and suggested we voice chat in my discord, which was damned fun, and funny.

I’m better now, Sunday.
(My Discord server, by the way: https://discord.gg/JYRjBJFqzv )

Caribbean Pantheology Anthology Update

We’re Still open to subs. folks, for the anthology!
There’d been requests to give more time etc.
So we’re still open to subs for the time being.
Keep sending them in!

For guidelines, check out:
https://odekpeki.com/2023/11/07/between-dystopias-the-passage-to-caribbean-pantheology/

For a Caribbean pantheology primer, email me at writerworks (at) hotmail (dot) com.

I am co-editing an anthology!

It will be called The Passage To Caribbean Pantheology, and here’s the official call for subs!

==
OD Ekpeki Presents is accepting submissions of fiction, poetry, essays, articles and reviews from October 16th to February 11th for The Passage To Caribbean Pantheology, a speculative fiction anthology, edited by Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki, Tonya Liburd, E.G. Condé and Fabrice Guerrier. Publication date is in 2024.

Call: We define Caribbean Pantheology as stories spoken, sung, or written that evoke the wonder, horror, and joy of the Caribbean experience. Caribbean Pantheology will receive, read, translate and publish stories in all varieties of English (including Creole and Spanglish), Spanish, and French that engage with the diverse spiritual traditions of creators living in the Caribbean or its many diasporas. Between myth and legend, the fantastical and the speculative, the supernatural and the real, we seek stories that defy genre boundaries (fantasy, magical realism, surreal, the weird, speculative, science fiction) and the colonial borders that have long divided our islands into “Anglophone”, “Francophone”, and “Hispanophone” communities. Like the Caribbean, our pantheology is a meshwork of continents, deities, and languages, forged in the violence of colonialism, chattel slavery, and indentured labor. More than our scars, we Caribbean people are foundries of creativity and revolution. Like the maroon refuges built by our ancestors, we are spun from Indigenous (Garifuna, Guanahatabey, Kalinago, Taíno), African, Asian, and European traces. As such, we welcome stories that confront the spiritual wounds of our pasts, celebrate the rich traditions of our present, and imagine our flourishing futures. Send us your archipelagic tales of Soucouyants and Brujas; Orishas and Cemís; Loogaroos and Behikes; Jumbees and Ciguapas; Anansi and Chupacabras.

Eligibility: We seek works created by Caribbean people or anyone with ancestral or migratory ties to the region. If you are a marginalized creator, we encourage you to submit your work to us. We will reject any submissions that promote colorism, shadeism, or racism, to any degree. Please do not send us content generated by artificial intelligence applications.

Payment: $.08 per word up to 1,000 words; $.01 per word for longer submissions; $50 flat rate for poems, essays, articles and reviews.

Rights requested: All world English, French and Spanish rights, exclusive for one year after publication.

Submit to: caribbeanpantheology@gmail.com

This anthology will be co-published by OD Ekpeki Presents, the first Pantheology imprint, as a part of the larger body of Pantheology projects. OD Ekpeki Presents is an imprint of Jembefola Press, which has published projects which have won and been nominated for the Hugo, Locus, World Fantasy, British Fantasy, British Science Fiction, and other awards. It’s run by Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki and you can contact him for collaborations on any of the pantheology projects here.

En español

Entre distopias: el paso a la panteología caribeña

OD Ekpeki Presents acepta presentaciones de ficción, poesía, ensayos, artículos y reseñas del 16 de octubre al 11 de febrero para Towards a Caribbean Pantheology, una antología de ficción especulativa, editada por Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki, Tonya Liburd, E.G. Condé & Fabrice Guerrier. La fecha de publicación es en 2024.

Convocatoria: Definimos la panteología caribeña como historias habladas, cantadas o escritas que evocan la maravilla, el horror y la alegría de la experiencia caribeña. Caribbean Pantheology publicará historias en todas las variedades de inglés (incluidos creole y spanglish), español y francés que interactúen con las diversas tradiciones espirituales de los creadores que viven en el Caribe o sus numerosas diásporas. Entre el mito y la leyenda, lo fantástico y lo especulativo, lo sobrenatural y lo real, buscamos historias que definan los límites de los géneros (fantasía, realismo mágico, surrealista, lo extraño, especulativo, ciencia ficción) y las fronteras coloniales que durante mucho tiempo han dividido nuestras islas. en comunidades “anglófonas”, “francófonas” e “hispanófonas”. Al igual que el Caribe, nuestra panteología es una red de continentes, deidades y lenguas, forjadas en la violencia del colonialismo, la esclavitud y el trabajo por contrato. Más que nuestras cicatrices, los caribeños somos fundiciones de creatividad y revolución. Al igual que los refugios cimarrones construidos por nuestros antepasados, estamos formados por vestigios indígenas (garífunas, guanahatabey, kalinago, taínos), africanos, asiáticos y europeos. Como tal, damos la bienvenida a historias que confrontan las heridas espirituales de nuestro pasado, celebran las ricas tradiciones de nuestro presente e imaginan nuestro futuro floreciente. Envíanos tus cuentos archipelágicos de Soucouyants y Brujas; Orishas y Cemís; Loogaroos y Behikes; jumbees y ciguapas; Anansi y Chupacabras.

Elegibilidad: Buscamos obras creadas por caribeños o cualquier persona con vínculos ancestrales o migratorios con la región. Si eres un creador marginado, te animamos a que nos envíes tu trabajo. Rechazaremos cualquier envío que promueva el colorismo, el sombreado o el racismo, en cualquier grado. Por favor, no nos envíe contenido generado por aplicaciones de inteligencia artificial.

Pago: $0,08 por palabra hasta 1000 palabras; $0.01 por palabra para envíos más largos; Tarifa fija de $50 para poemas, ensayos, artículos y reseñas. Todos los derechos en inglés global, francés y español, exclusivos durante un año después de su publicación.

Envia a: caribbeanpantheology@gmail.com

En français:

Entre les dystopies: le chemin vers la panthéologie caribéenne

OD Ekpeki Presents accepte les soumissions de fiction, poésie, essais, articles et critiques du 16 octobre au 11 février pour Towards a Caribbean Pantheology, une anthologie de fiction spéculative, éditée par Donald Ekpeki Oghenechovwe, Tonya Liburd, E.G. Condé & Fabrice Guerrier. La date de publication est en 2024.

Appel : Nous définissons la panthéologie caribéenne comme des histoires parlées, chantées ou écrites qui évoquent l’émerveillement, l’horreur et la joie de l’expérience caribéenne. Caribbean Pantheology publiera des histoires dans toutes les variétés d’anglais (y compris le créole et le spanglish), l’espagnol et le français qui abordent les diverses traditions spirituelles des créateurs vivant dans les Caraïbes ou dans ses nombreuses diasporas. Entre mythe et légende, fantastique et spéculatif, surnaturel et réel, nous recherchons des histoires qui définissent les frontières des genres (fantastique, réalisme magique, surréaliste, étrange, spéculatif, science-fiction) et les frontières coloniales qui divisent depuis longtemps nos îles. en communautés « anglophones », « francophones » et « hispanophones ». Comme les Caraïbes, notre panthéologie est un maillage de continents, de divinités et de langues, forgé dans la violence du colonialisme, de l’esclavage et du travail sous contrat. Plus que nos cicatrices, nous, les Caraïbes, sommes des fondeurs de créativité et de révolution. Comme les refuges marrons construits par nos ancêtres, nous sommes issus de traces indigènes (Garifuna, Guanahatabey, Kalinago, Taíno), africaines, asiatiques et européennes. En tant que tel, nous accueillons les histoires qui affrontent les blessures spirituelles de notre passé, célèbrent les riches traditions de notre présent et imaginent notre avenir florissant. Envoyez-nous vos contes archipélagiques de Soucouyants et de Brujas ; Orishas et Cemís ; Loogaroos et Behikes ; jumbees et ciguapas; Anansi et Chupacabras.

Admissibilité : Nous recherchons des œuvres créées par des Caraïbes ou par toute personne ayant des liens ancestraux ou migratoires avec la région. Si vous êtes un créateur marginalisé, nous vous encourageons à nous soumettre votre travail. Nous rejetterons toute soumission faisant la promotion du colorisme, du shadeisme ou du racisme, à quelque degré que ce soit. Veuillez ne pas nous envoyer de contenu généré par des applications d’intelligence artificielle.

Paiement : 0,08 $ par mot jusqu’à 1 000 mots ; 0,01 $ par mot pour les soumissions plus longues ; Tarif forfaitaire de 50 $ pour les poèmes, essais, articles et critiques. Tous droits mondiaux en anglais, français et espagnol, exclusifs pendant un an après la publication.

soumettre à: caribbeanpantheology@gmail.com

Hmm…

A short story of mine is in a Shirley-Jackson nominated anthology (Chiral Mad 5).
Ok, so back to update my bio(s)…