Tired of future worlds so-called utopias where disabled people have been erased by eugenic scientists? Dreaming of science-fiction that properly labels such depictions as dystopias for those of us who are physically and neurologically atypical? Are you sick of horror stories where mutation, mental illness, and deformity are signs of inherent evil? Are you interested in dissecting the way in which old tropes about disability informed the oldest of fairy tales and camp side stories? Do you want to demystify disabilities that have been considered by the able- bodied as signs of some sort of curse? Challenge the abliest and saneist realms which have plagued world-building in fantasy, horror, science-fiction and fairy tale mythologies since the dawn of mankind?
Wickedly Abled is a dark speculative fiction anthology challenging well-worn tropes depicting disabled persons in solely villain or victim roles by promoting darker themed works of fantasy, sci-fi and horror by authors with disabilities artists which feature disabled protagonists.
Sumiko Saulson (ze/hir) is a 2x Bram Stoker Nominated and Elgin Nominated poet, graphic novelist, zinemaker, and an award-winning author of Afrosurrealist and multicultural sci-fi and horror. Editor of the Black Magic Women, Scry of Lust, Scry of Lust 2, Black Celebration, and Wickedly Abled. Winner of the StokerCon Scholarship from Hell (2016), 2nd Place Carry the Light Awards (2016, 2017 and 2018) for short fiction, essays and blogging. Mixy Award (2017). BCC Voice Grand Prize Reframing the Other Essay Contest (2017), Afrosurrealist Writer Award (2018). Semifinalist: HorrorAddicts Next Great Horror Writer’s Contest, (2018). Horror Writers Association Diversity Grant (2020).
Member, Horror Writers Association.
AA in English from Berkeley City College. Staff writer, Search Magazine. Proofreader, Mocha Memoirs Press. Columnist (“Writing While Black”) for The San Francisco BayView. Host, Leather and LGBTQ Cultural District’s Erotic Storytelling Hour. Social Media Team, Horror Writers Association.
Novels: Solitude, The Moon Cried Blood, Warmth. Short fiction collections Things That Go Bump in My Head, The Void between Emotions, Spit and Pathos and Within Me Without Me
Short works in anthologies: Horror Addicts Guide to Cats (Horror Addicts Guide), Ashes and Coffee (Death’s Café), Enclosures (Tales from the Lake, Vol 3), Jacob’s Reunion (Forever Vacancy), Clockwork Valentine (Clockwork Wonderland) Sweetness (Beasts and Babes), Agrippa (Carry the Light, Vol 5), Character Flaws (Carry the Light, Vol 5), Under the Water (Horror Bites Next Great Horror Writer, Horror Addicts), Unheard Music in the Dank Underground (Tales from the Campfire), Shades of Domesticity (Horror Writers Association Poetry Showcase Volume VII), Asi’s Horror and Delight (Slay: Tales of the Vampire Noire)
Graphic novels: Agrippa, Dreamworlds, Living a Lie (illustrator), The Complete Mauskaveli.
An American author of African American and Ashkenazi Jewish heritage. Native Californian, living in Oakland, California. Pronouns: ze/hir or they/them. Find hir on social media at sumikoska (Twitter, Facebook, Tik-Tok), sumikosaulson (Instagram), skavibe (Twitch) and www.SumikoSaulson.com