Daniel José Older: 'Shadowhouse Fall' and Urban Fantasy Fiction

'Sierra Santiago and her friends live in a magical version of Brooklyn, where shadowshapers like Sierra have discovered a way to use art to connect with ancestral spirits. In Shadowhouse Fall, the second book in his Shadowshaper Cypher series, Daniel José Older has created characters who interact with magical forces—including power-hungry supernatural villains—while simultaneously battling real-life evils like bigotry and police abuse. Join Older  in conversation with Mikki Kendall as he discusses how he maintains the delicate balance between these two equally menacing worlds, and why this high-stakes combination seems to be attracting not only Young Adult audiences, but also a steady stream of awards and starred reviews.' -- Chicago Humanities Festival