Stephen Embleton's Blog

Illustration: Akintoba Kalejaye
We (co-editors, Eugen Bacon, Cheryl Ntumy and myself) as excited to reveal the cover for the next volume of Sauúti stories and poems. We had the pleasure of editing and writing our own terror-filled stories for this volume due out worldwide in January 2026 from Flame Tree Publishing, and Simon & Schuster. 

My short story  'Separation'  is among these awesomely terrifying stories and poems. 

Editors – L-R: Eugen Bacon, Cheryl S. Ntumy, Stephen Embleton

Releasing worldwide on 20 January 2026!

You can find more information on Flame Tree Publishing, and pre-orders via Simon & Schuster, Amazon, and Bookshop.





Flame Tree's "Beyond & Within" series

WATCH HERE

Now available to watch: reading my Sauúti novella, 'Undulation', from Seattle Worldcon 2025 on Wednesday 13 August.

"Stephen reads from his 2024 Nommo Award-winning novella, “Undulation,” published in the Sauútiverse anthology, Mothersound. “Undulation” is a story of storytellers, of questioning the foundations of society, of mothers and their children, of finding your voice and finding the truth. “Undulation,” by Sauútiverse founding member Stephen Embleton, digs deep into Sauúti creation myths and epic poems, and the people who tell them—the ruevaagi, custodians of knowledge. The Sauúti shared world (or Sauútiverse), created by a collective of 10 African writers and creatives, is an Afrocentric secondary world with both humanoid and non-humanoid creatures living in a five-planet, binary star system."

 

 

We mourn the loss of one of our giants of literature, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o. Thank you to Brittle Paper for bringing us all together for this.

My tribute (below) to Ngũgĩ acknowledges not only his literary legacy, but his contribution to African language usage and recognition on the Continent and around the world. Beginning with a quote by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o on the importance of language for us:

“I have become a language warrior. I want to join all those others in the world who are fighting for marginalised languages. No language is ever marginal to the community that created it. Languages are like musical instruments. You don’t say, let there be a few global instruments, or let there be only one type of voice all singers can sing.” – Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o

A singular voice like no other from our continent, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o spoke and wrote in his own language, for us all. Language holds the power of a people, a community, an individual. We stand on our own, for our stories. I honour him: Camagu / ǁGammāgu – Stephen Embleton

Read the 100 here.

 

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 (Stars and Sabers) and the author (Eugen Bacon), I gleaned as much information as possible about themes, characters and storyline as well as references. The tiniest of detail can give me a flourish or a design element, and add something special to the overall illustration. You never know!

For this one, I mulled over the key elements for a few days, and tested various designs before attempting the initial sketch. It was important to convey clearly the intention and tone of the piece.

Rough Concept Sketch – Stephen Embleton 2025

Next was getting the essence of the main character. In this case the whisperer herself, Chant'L chanting her Sauúti magic against the terror that is the Nga'phandileh (creatures of unreality that inhabit a parallel ‘dark’ dimension within the Sauútiverse) – manifesting as a three-headed serpent (with human-like facial features), and swarms of bees. 

Chant'L Character Sketch – Stephen Embleton 2025
Of utmost importance was the colour palette. Rich earthy colours, glistening golds, and tactile textures and patterns were some of the bold choices upfront. Because of the snake/serpent story element, I chose to give the already textured paper background a further texture with a snakeskin scale effect which I took into many of the colour paper layers. This was further echoed in the Tower dome tiles, the main character's clothing as well as the subtle highlights of the Nga'phandileh serpent itself. 
Nga'phandileh Snakeskin Pattern/texture

And conjuring up a visual of the Nga'phandileh to match Eugen's monster! It could not look like a snake with human heads plonked on it.


Nga'phandileh Detail
Again, with the sound-based magic system of the Sauútiverse, I got to experiment with sound wave patterns for the borders. A really fun and rewarding play of lines and shapes.

Nga'phandileh Detail


Nga'phandileh Detail

Jendia Gammon (Stars and Sabers) and Eugen Bacon gave me a rich brief and the creative freedom to push the illustration to the maximum detail and texture.

I was blown away by Stars and Sabers' designers taking full advantage of the entire image by reframing it without the typography over the illustration – something I assumed as a norm – and so giving it more impact than I could anticipate.

Cropped Nga'phandileh Whisperer cover detail


Get your copy!
Final Cover – Stars & Sabers –  Stephen Embleton 2025


The phases:

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 – pushing them. A reflection of the central figure in Bongane's illustration holding his weapon at the ready.

On the right track, but the usual effect of bold condensed lettering is it can be very hard, and difficult to read.
So I broke up the vertical lines midway, added angular "curves" to what were very boxed in Os, Ns and Rs (the main legibility issue). 
A fun, simple design that packs a punch.

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 has to be exactly as I know it would be on the sheet in front of me.

The very important rough thumbnail layout for the client to review. The main elements were here, along with my intention with the patterns. Believe me when I say I was not sure I could pull this off, and whether the pattern effect of the sparrows would be too much, visually, was also an unknown. BUT, I wanted to test myself and go for it!

Again, with Nerine's character description, I worked on the portrait for Maga Liese ten Haven.

Then the fun began with the paper texture as the background – combining paper, watercolour, and a colour gradient.

This set the tone and the colour palette. And testing the silver foil inlay for the moon.

Watch the Photoshop layer build:

Some closer detail...

Close up on the birds:

Customised calligraphic font with the copper foil inlay. Because I trained in typography and calligraphy, I always bring in customised typography as much as possible. Though I may start with a real font (this can take days of testing!) I always try to make it unique once the style is on track.

The water and border:

COMING SOON: Buy Nerine Dorman's "The Company of Birds" here.

 

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 Dystopia and the Afro-irreal

Eugen Bacon, Tanzania/Australia

Chapter 4. The power of African Spirituality in Africanfuturism

Nuzo Onoh, Nigeria/UK

Chapter 5. Black Futurisms vs. Systems of Domination

Shingai Njeri Kagunda, Kenya

Chapter 6. Faith and Fantasy–Afrofuturist and Africanfuturist Spirituality

Cheryl S. Ntumy, Ghana

Chapter 7. Queer Imaginings in Africanfuturism Inspired by African History

Xan van Rooyen, South Africa/Finland

Chapter 8. Afrofuturism and Exploring Cultural Identity as a Process of Becoming

Aline-Mwezi Niyonsenga, Rwanda/Australia

Chapter 9. Fabulist Imaginings in Tales of the Dark and Fantastic

Tobi Ogundiran, Nigeria/USA

Chapter 10. A Vision for Direct Democracy in Yat Madit

Dilman Dila, Uganda

Chapter 11. A Gaze at Post-Colonial Themes That Re-Envision Africa

Nerine Dorman, South Africa

Chapter 12. Denouement: Autoethnography–the Self-As-Research

Eugen Bacon, Tanzania/Australia

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 speaking, awards — engaging with people in furthering literature as well as recognition of my work out there.

Nothing was taken lightly. They treated me with dignity and kept reiterating two points: this is not for a specific project or pitch, rather this is to support you to write! i.e. to not be doing those things (odd jobs, part time work) that you need to do to survive which take you away from writing. I was taken aback. I still am. Gentle support, with a clear goal. Keep writing!

I haven't been able to speak about this meaningful grant publicly for dread of anyone saying, “Do you need money?” or “Are you okay?”. But a friend, a writer, reminded me there are others in similar positions that could benefit from the knowing that they are not alone. I'd even been reluctant to apply in the first place, asking for help, to rather wait things out even more – something that has not worked in the past. I had to do something. Afterall, having my wife, Riley, working her arse off to keep me writing has been a major factor in writing every chance I get, and we, she, needed some relief. I’ve worked part time retail jobs packing shelves, day-labour work digging, wheelbarrowing, lugging and sweating, to get by, to contribute. But that means not writing, let alone having the energy to write.

Again, I am grateful for the lives touched, including my own, by the Royal Literary Fund.

Keep writing, FFS!

Dear writer,

Know that you are not alone on this journey. You’re not alone because others have, do and will struggle to support themselves with their writing. Keep writing! You’re not alone because you have the choice to surround yourself with more of the people who support your writing, or simply support you, period. Find them. Thank them. And keep writing! There are support systems out there. Seek them out. You deserve it. 

You’re not alone because you can ping someone like me on socials, who you know struggles, and say, “I’m struggling with this writing and living thing.” And I’ll say to you: “Dear Writer. Thank you for speaking about it. You’re not alone. Keep writing!”

Yours,

A writer now in Oxford.