Book Club, Vol. 3: ‘Here in the (Middle) of Nowhere’ by Anastacia-Reneé

Nikkiesha McLeod is joined by Iman Carter and Christopher Silverberg to discuss author Anastacia-Reneé’s ‘Here in the (Middle) of Nowhere,’ a bold hybrid collection of poetry, flash fiction, and Afrofuturism sci-fi.

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Iman and Christopher are participants, along with Nikkie, in writing workshops organized by Cave Canem, a nonprofit organization committed to cultivating the artistic and professional growth of Black poets. Visit https://cavecanempoets.org/ for more information on the organization.

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ABOUT ‘HERE IN THE (MIDDLE) OF NOWHERE:’

The book explores what happens when god is a Black woman in a town. What happens when there are multiple universes in the middle of nowhere?

What if in each universe there reigned other Black woman gods? One million versions of god, and one million saints to watch over us? And what if this Black woman god were placed here on earth?

These are just a few of the questions Anastacia-Reneé asks in this daring and mind-bending hybrid collection. Hers is a universe of striking variety—monsters, nontraditional saints, witches, zombies, the couple in the apartment next door, the wise elders from down the block, and gods watching over us all—as well as community and connectedness.

With a prose storyline and characters that connect through family, time, and place, Anastacia-Reneé paints world(s) rich with wonder and the paranormal as she peers into the lives of everyday people and spectacular creatures inhabiting not just our neighborhoods, but other dimensions. ‘Here in the (Middle) of Nowhere’ is about interstellar ancestry, community and spirituality. It is about the things we invoke, conjure, and rely on to maintain joy as we keep it moving through difficult eras. Anastacia-Reneé’s power imbues her spellbinding storytelling with lovingly rendered characters brought to life in lyrical poetry. She builds worlds within worlds and dares us to fully see and love ourselves in all our complexity.

Get the book at https://www.harpercollins.com/products/here-in-the-middle-of-nowhere-anastacia-renee

- Produced and hosted by Nikkiesha McLeod

- Produced and edited by Jeremiah Lee McVay

- Released and distributed by Stereoactive Media