Stephen Embleton

My debut novel, Soul Searching, was shortlisted (finalist) for the 2021 Nommo Awards by the African Speculative Fiction Society (The Ilube Nommo Award for Best Speculative Fiction Novel by an African), in May 2021. 2021 NOVEL SHORT LIST: The Ilube Nommo Award for Best Speculative Fiction Novel by an African THE DEATH OF VIVEK OJI by Akwaeke Emezi CLUB DED by Nikhil Singh SOUL SEARCHING by Stephen Embleton #nommoawards #nommoshortlist #nommos2021 #2021nommos #2021nommoawards Find the full list for all categories here.

 I began this ink illustration on 28 April 2021 and worked on it off an on until adding the final touches on 28 May 2021.  “Lunar Ascension” Ink and brush on 200gsm A2 paper 👼🏼🖌 For Sale. For more information or pricing requests:  art [at] embleton [dot] co [dot] za #illustration #penandink #penandinkillustration Completed piece Detail wing Detail right hand and wing Detail left hand and wing The Work In Progress: Pencil work. Originally meant to be a solid black sky, I had put down the ink in swooping brushstrokes – but keeping in the direction of the moon and the figure's movement upward – and realised what the streaks added to the upward movement I wanted to have. This led me to simplify the strokes but without losing the "light streaks" altogether. Knowing ink has varying degrees of translucency I decided to use its idiosyncrasies to my advantage and have areas of solid black while others (particularly around the moon) using the lighter ink application to give som

  THE MYRIAD DRUMBEATS OF AFROFUTURISM - SEARCHING FOR AN AFRICAN SOUL by Mame Bougouma Diene Appearing in  Strange Horizons 24 May 2021 "…Soul Searching is a hell of a ride. Except there is no Hell, and your ride might come crashing down on you."   "...this is not a review". Using "Soul Searching" and my writing as the backdrop, Mame Bougouma Diene takes an incisive look at what and who is an African (speculative) writer today? #africanfuturism #africansf #nommoawards #nommonominated  "Soul Searching is also a uniquely South African book. A Durbanite book, written by a local who understands its soul." “Jump roping between science and philosophy, Soul Searching applies spirituality to mechanics and crime solving, to healing and recovering our humanity, in the timeless universal that cuts across cultures worldwide, but also in the immediate reality of the multicultural local, where time is running out, and people will die.” Read the full article h

  *UPDATE: FINALIST/SHORT LIST: Soul Searching made the top three finalists! Along with Akwaeke Emezi and  Nikhil Singh. This is an amazing list to have Soul Searching longlisted in. African speculative fiction at its finest! 2021 NOVEL LONG LIST The Girl with the Louding Voice  by Abi Daré The Death of Vivek Oji  by Akwaeke Emezi Freedom Artist  by Ben Okri King of the Hollow Dark  by Cat Hellisen Claiming T-Mo  by Eugen Bacon The Down Days  by Ilze Hugo The First Woman  by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi Afterland  by Lauren Beukes The Perfect Nine  by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o Water Must Fall  by Nick Wood Club Ded  by Nikhil Singh Soul Searching  by Stephen Embleton The Rosewater Redemption  by Tade Thompson Rebel Sisters  by Tochi Onyebuchi A Trial of Sparks and Kindling  by Yolande Horak

Being exposed to a lot of wildlife imagery, I've seen a few marine animals whose distinct patterns struck me as being ideal for simple graphic illustrations. One in particular was the eagle ray with its ionic shape and the stark spots. Imagining them cruising through the dark depths, light touching their sky-facing patterns, they were the perfect starting pint for this series. There are many striped or spotted animals in the animal kingdom, but most have dark markings on a light body (think of a leopard or a cheetah) and so the effect would be lost on a light animal on a dark background because their shape would be clear without the markings. With the exception of something like a zebra which is either black or white. And that is what sets these apart. From the original idea of the simple black on white, I was then quickly able to makes some wild colour variations as well as go beyond the markings only and include their body shapes for a different stylised effect with fun results!