Stephen Embleton

  The Nga'phandileh Whisperer Detail  – Stephen Embleton 2025 Getting the opportunity to illustrate anything in our Sauúti shared world is a pleasure and honour. For Eugen Bacon's "The Nga'phandileh Whisperer" , I had the chance to represent the magic of our science fantasy world, experiment with the visual representation of the sound-based magic system (sound wave patterns) and the Afrocentric elements we all write about in our stories. I got to visualise an ominous moonlit scene alive with texture, colour and movement.  African fabrics, beadwork and patterns are rich in inspiration, key elements I drew from to create a tactile illustration. From the central character's dress detail and jewellery, to the rough texture and subtle pattern of the paper background permeating all elements, for me, make it something you want to pick up and hold. Final Cover – Stars & Sabers –  Stephen Embleton 2025 It starts with a sketch, an idea, in rough. From the publisher...

I always enjoy pure typography. And for the cover of Jon Keevy's novel "The Unwoven Warrior", Mirari Press asked me to design a title that was bold and unique. It always seems simple when designers have thousands of good fonts (and many not so good) to choose from. But it's no easy feat, requiring many many tests, tweaks and customisations before you land on what you are happy with as a typographer, but more importantly, what the client and author perceive as best representing what lies beneath the cover – the story! Added to this is having it gel with another talented artist's illustration. In this case,  Bongane Mahlangu's epic vista. As usual, a great brief from Mirari Press and Jon Keevy. I tried a number of samples, customised and we went back and forth. Just when we thought we had something, we went back to the drawing board for something bolder. I took the simple, condensed lettering approach. I emphasised the sharper angles by extending them further –...

My latest short story, The Legend of the Echo Well , was published this week in the 10th Anniversary Edition of Omenana . I'm really excited to have a story in here, in good company... and a Sauúti story no less!  A magical story about the coming of age, responsibility and self-expression. Illustration – Stephen Embleton 2023 In the Issue: The Legend of the Echo Well | Stephen Embleton How the End Begins | Gabrielle Emem Harry Prévoyance | tariro Ndoro Alpha’s Gambit | Mazi Nwonwu The Night Market | Chinelo Onwualu Yoyin of the Captivating Form | Art Aliyu The Locket | Nerine Dorman If They Can Learn | Wole Talabi Read the FULL issue online.

I've loved birds since I was a kid, and this cover was an absolute pleasure to indulge in. Mirari Press had a long deadline, which gave me the time (and creative freedom) to experiment and add the detail I wanted to, giving this piece the TLC it so deserved. Buy Nerine Dorman's  "The Company of Birds"  here (coming soon). As always, Mirari Press gave an excellent brief, and with much needed background to the main character of Maga Liese ten Haven (and the variety of key bird species) from Nerine, the creative direction was clear in my mind: use a pencil crayon/chalk on paper (digital) technique with metal foiling for the Moon and Title script. This piece really took me back to my illustrating training in the early 90s, when most of our live figure drawings were using coloured pencils or chalk on coloured (not white) paper. The paper texture is vital to capture, as well as the nuances of the chalk smudges and fine line work. Digital is all well and good, but for me it...

  Finally released 14th November 2024! With contributing authors—Aline Mwezi, Cheryl Ntumy, Dilman Dila, Nerine Dorman, Nuzo Onoh, Shingai Njeri Kagunda, Stephen Embleton, Suyi Okungbowa, Tobi Ogundiran, Xan van Rooyen—for their boldly hybrid chapters that interface Afrocentric artefacts and exegesis. I'm really proud to be included in this wonderful anthology of African SFF writers, all sharing our unique perspectives and worldviews on our writing in the speculative realm. My essay,  Cosmologies and Languages Building Africanfuturism , on world-building and cosmology referring to my two novels ( "Soul Searching" , and  "Bones & Runes" ) and the Sauúti Collective. Order Here  Table of Contents Preface The Structure of This Book Chapter 1. On Afrocentric Futurisms–The Case for an Inclusive Expression Suyi Okungbowa, Nigeria/Canada Chapter 2. Cosmologies and Languages Building Africanfuturism Stephen Embleton, South Africa/UK Chapter 3. An Afrofuturistic Dysto...

In this interview, Stephen talks to Ibrahim Babátúndé Ibrahim about his journey from KwaZulu-Natal to Oxford, his many creative interests, how being a designer and filmmaker (among other things) influence his writing, and much more. Please come along for a beautiful and insightful read! Read the full interview here.

I am extremely grateful to say I have been awarded a grant by the Royal Literary Fund .  It’s not something I would have thought I would need, or even thought existed, if it weren’t for a Brittle Paper article in June . I am always grateful to Brittle Paper for everything they do for our literary community. The criteria for applying, the process and the care and sensitivity from the people involved is rather humbling as well as encouraging, given that the  literary merit of my body of work is thoroughly considered along with my financial circumstances. Financial circumstances being the main reason for the existence of the RLF since the 1700s.  Apart from having to be a British citizen, they had to read physical copies of two works published in the UK ( Soul Searching and Bones & Runes ). And it is encouraging to know that genre fiction is viewed as having literary merit. Also considered are any broader activities related to writing, from lecturing, public speak...

Included in a broader review by Amirah Muhammad for BSFA's Vector magazine of the Bloomsbury  ‘Afro-Centered Futurisms in Our Speculative Fiction’ anthology, my essay –  “Cosmologies and Languages Building Africanfuturism” was mentioned. I am grateful to the reviewer, Amirah Muhammad, for including Pule kaJanolintji in their review excerpt on our work together. There has been much positive feedback on my essay in this anthology and I am glad it is getting read and noticed out there, highlighting Pule's own projects , skills and valued creative endeavours. Excerpt: In particular, Embleton’s chapter emphasises the creative opportunity that language presents in speculative writing. His research in linguistics and writing systems, including Ge’ez, Nsibidi, Tifinagh, and isiBheqe soHlamvu or Ditema tsa Dinoko , led to the creation of the word Huriǁhaoǃnakhoena for his novel, Soul Searching (2020). Embleton writes that “Huriǁhaoǃnakhoena is both a word and a phrase – liter...