Mf Galaxy

John Ware is the greatest Canadian legend you probably have never heard of. He was a 19th Century West African born into the American continent-wide rape-gulag that apologists call the Old South. He went on to become one of thousands of African-American cowboys, and he eventually moved to what is now Alberta to become a master bronco-buster, successful rancher, a founder of modern rodeo culture, and a man of near mythic proportions with the strength of Paul Bunyan and the power of a horse whisperer. Ware earned the admiration of many of his fellow settlers on First Nations territory, although many Euro-Canadians called him, and please excuse the language, "Nigger John," and after he died, used the N-word to describe Alberta landmarks associated with John Ware, names that remained until late in the 20th Century. His reconstructed cabin still exists—you can find it in Dinosaur Provincial Park. While a few people have written books about John Ware, it's possible that no one has done more original research than c

Souljah Fyah. They're an outstanding reggae band. And that's not just me saying it. Here's what Shelly Gummeson from Earshot-Online says: "On and off stage...[lead singer] Sista J exudes a high voltage, positive energy. Unfettered without setting limitations is precisely the attitude and energy that has propelled Edmonton's Souljah Fyah to become Canada's top Reggae band." They've won all kinds of acclaim: including a Juno nomination, two Western Canadian Music Association awards, and twice-declared the best reggae band in Canada by the Canadian Reggae Music Awards and the Reggae Music Achievement Awards. So who's in Souljah Fyah? The leader is Waymatea Ellis, better known as Sista J; she's the lead singer, the lyricist, and she plays bass; she's also a reverend with her own healing practice. Too Tall Paul Joosse sings and plays keyboard and bass. Stormin' Norman Frizzell plays keyboard and megaphone, and the Original Tribesman plays percussion. The band is back with The Long Walk, recorded at Edmontone Studi

Thomas Wharton. If he decided to wear a ballcap that says "Winning" he'd have every right to do so. His first novel was Icefields, and straight out of the gate, it won the Commonwealth Writer's Prize for Best First Book in the Canada/Caribbean division, and the first Banff Mountain Book grand prize. Then his second novel, Salamander, was short-listed for the Governor-General's Literary Award and the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize. Then he up and gets his short story collection The Logogryph shortlisted for the IMPAC-Dublin Prize. He also published The Perilous Realm, a YA fantasy trilogy. And his work's been published in the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and many other countries. He teaches creative writing at the University of Alberta where he and I studied creative writing together way back in the early 1990s, and we had the chance to work together when I was the Writer in Residence at the U of A in 2014-2015. Tom's also a down-to-earth cat who values rich language, numerous genres, and qualit

TV killed radio, ebooks killed paperbacks, and video games killed board games, right? Wrong, of course. In fact, according to my guest on today's show, we're living in the golden age of board games. When I was a kid, all I knew was Monopoly, checkers, chess, backgammon, Trivial Pursuit, and the Game of Life. Now walk into any board game store, or these crazy things called table top cafes, and you'll see wall after wall lined with board games, and people paying cover charge to sit with their friends for hours playing them. What is the freaking deal? To answer that question I spoke with Paul Saxberg, the community manager for Roxley Games Laboratory. Roxley is a Calgary developer and publisher of board games. Saxberg told me he wouldn't be in gaming community management without years of experience with game design, theatre, book sales, stand up comedy, IT, and ADHD. At this point you're probably asking, "What is community management, and why does it sound so awful?" You'll get answers to those questions and lea

Marc Taro Holmes knows an awful lot about art. I'm not just talking about last December when he up and got himself elected to the Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour, or more than twenty years ago when he got his BFA from the Alberta College of Art and Design in Calgary. I'm talking about his more than fifteen years as an Art Director and Concept Artist for tiny outfits you've never heard of, such as Electronic Arts, Microsoft, Disney, and BioWare where he worked on games such as Dragon Age Inquisition, Neverwinter Nights, and Baldur's Gate. He's still doing contract work for game design on characters, costumes, and fantasy-historical settings. Back thirty years ago, he and I belonged to an informal group of young science fiction, comics, and fantasy artists in Edmonton that I nicknamed "The Sketchmen" because we were all so enamoured with Alan Moore's and Dave Gibbons' Watchmen. That group included painter Jaemi Hardy, and cartoonists Adrian Kleinbergen and Nigel Tully. Now Marc Holmes is the author

During the last few years, the catalogue of online slurs has grown considerably, but none has been as disturbing to me as the rise of the word "hotep." What does the word mean? What is its significance to those who prize classical African civilisations? How have two forces collided to degrade the word, and whose interests does that degradation serve? Joining me to discuss the issue is C.R. Sparrow. She's a writer and assistant editor at Black Girl Nerds.com, an Africentric website, podcast, and video series addressing pop culture, politics, feminism, and technology. Sparrow describes herself as "an avid fan of science fiction, fantasy, and afrofuturism… an alumnus of Temple University's School of Media and Communication [and a] Black Queer Woman in a world that frequently attempts to dehumanize each of these identities. She actively centers Black/queer/woman-ness in her lens as she looks out at the world." Sparrow recently wrote a powerful article for BGN called "Hotep is the Modern Day A.B.S. and It's Not OK

"Tololwa Mollel is a children's author, dramatist and storyteller, who has written seventeen internationally published books, and several plays as well as stories that he created or adapted for performance. His books, which include award winning titles such as Rhinos for Lunch and Elephants for Supper, Big Boy, and My Rows and Piles of Coins have been published in Canada, the U.S., Australia, England and Tanzania where he was born. His work has been translated into various South African languages, into Korean, Spanish, Serbian, Norwegian and Finnish, and of course his native Kiswahili, Tanzania's national language. "In Tanzania, Mollel was a University lecturer and an actor and performer in a touring company that performed as far as Germany and Sweden. He continued performing in Canada but came to devote himself to writing and to the literary scene in Edmonton, serving as President of the Writers Guild of Alberta in the late 1990s. "He does extensive work with schools and libraries, with literacy, arts and

Two words known by hundreds of millions: "Princess Leia." That's the legacy of the collaboration among Carrie Fisher, George Lucas, and hundreds of other filmmakers who worked on the Star Wars saga. But without Fisher herself--the actor, the public personality, and the astonishing accomplished novelist, screenwriter, and memoirist--Princess Leia could never have become the icon she was. MF GALAXY celebrates the life and legacy of Carrie Fisher and her most enduring role by speaking with authors Jennifer Marie Brissett, Krista D. Ball, and Sparkle Hayter, writer Mari Sasano, and director Zoe Hopkins.   Mohawk Star Wars Krista D. Ball.com Jenn Brissett.com Sparkle Hayter.com Zoe Hopkins IMDb Mari Sasano.ca Jennifer Marie Brissett on creating intimacy between readers and characters  How Krista D. Ball pays the mortgage with Ebook sales SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE ON iTUNES SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE ON iHEARTRADIO SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE ON PLAYER FM SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE ON STITCHER SUPPORT MF GALAXY ON PATREON To hear the p

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Mpilo Tutu is best known for his work to end decades of European racial supremacy in South African politics and create electoral democracy. Because all previous Cape Town Anglican archbishops were European, Tutu was the first South African to be appointed to the post and the primacy of the Anglican Church of South Africa. Following the retirement of formal apartheid, Tutu led the country's Truth and Reconciliation Commission which granted amnesty from prosecution to anyone who confessed crimes to maintain or fight the Whitesupremacist regime. But it was his early struggles for justice that won him, in 1984, the Nobel Peace Prize. Tutu continues to speak for peace and justice, including about ecological devastation in Alberta's tar sands, the occupation of Palestine, and the international campaign to cure HIV/AIDS and help all afflicted by the disease. He's the author or co-author of nine books, including No Future without Forgiveness, God is Not a Christian, and God Has a Dream. Tu

Review the film with me—as recorded live at Happy Harbor Comics—are Suzette Chan, the Features Editrix for SequentialTart.com (a webzine by women who are fans of comics and pop culture), and Stephen Notley, a game designer at PopCap and the creator of Bob the Angry Flower. This reviews contains MAJOR SPOILERS. SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE ON iTUNES SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE ON iHEARTRADIO SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE ON PLAYER FM SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE ON STITCHER SUPPORT MF GALAXY ON PATREON FOR MORE INFORMATION + LINKS

"Shawna Lemay is the author of the recently released novel, Rumi and the Red Handbag which made Harper's Bazaar's #THELIST (must-reads for Fall 2015), the "Most Anticipated" list on the popular Canadian book website, 49th Shelf, and was selected for Maria Shriver's fall reading club. Nathalie Atkinson chose Rumi and the Red Handbag for Fall's Must-Read Fashion Books in the Globe and Mail. "She has also written six books of poetry, a book of essays, and an experimental novel titled, Hive, which is about the possibility of the existence of a woman art forger. All the God-Sized Fruit, her first book, won the Stephan G. Stephansson Award and the Gerald Lampert Memorial Award. Calm Things: Essays was shortlisted for the Wilfred Eggleston Award for Non-Fiction. She has an M.A. in English from the University of Alberta. She writes a weekly blog titled, Calm Things.  "Rumi and the Red Handbag follows the lives of Shaya and Ingrid-Simone, working together one winter at a second-

SF can attempt to predict the future, but since Jonathan Swift invented SF with Gulliver's Travels, an adult political satire that I'd call the original Star Trek, SF has delivered its most enduring and provocative works by analysing the ethical content of the present. But Star Trek became so dominant on US TV through reruns and then resurrection as Star Trek: The Next Generation that it became a force stifling creativity. The boldest, most innovative, and most influential counter to Star Trek dominance was Babylon 5, the 1993 to 1998 series that introduced the longform story arc with a predetermined beginning, middle, and end to US television. Set in the twenty-third century, the story was of the fifth and final Babylon station, a galactic UN created to end the cataclysmic wars and colonisations in which the cerebral and spiritual Minbari had nearly annihilated Humans, the humanoid Centauri whose empire was in advanced decline, and the reptilian and vengeful Narn who had thrown off Centauri subjugation. Also

If you're not from Alberta, you may not know that the province has been, functionally, a one-party state for decades at a time. Thirty-six straight years of Social Credit rule collapsed to forty-four straight years of Progressive Conservative control. 2015 saw the unexpected election of the New Democratic Party under the leadership of Rachel Notley, leap-frogging over the right-wing splinter party Wild Rose led by former Conservative MP Brian Jean, and crushing the PC party led by former Conservative MP, the late Premier Jim Prentice. But no one expects the NDP to continue the tradition of four decades of rule, whatever its ambitions. And if party turn-over remains a reality, then Alberta will at last have become a modern Western democracy. It's been a rough ride for the NDP, despite the enormous popularity of Premier Notley, herself the daughter of the former provincial NDP leader Grant Notley. After the election honeymoon was over, the reality of low oil prices, a high deficit, and the handling of Bill 6 ha

Called "Violent, poetic and compulsively readable" by Maclean's, science fiction author Tobias S. Buckell is a New York Times Bestselling writer born in the Caribbean. He grew up in Grenada and spent time in the British and US Virgin Islands, and the islands he lived on influence much of his work. His Xenowealth series begins with Crystal Rain. Along with other stand-alone novels and his over 50 stories, his works have been translated into 18 different languages. He has been nominated for awards like the Hugo, Nebula, Prometheus, and the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Science Fiction Author. His latest novel is Hurricane Fever, a follow up to the successful Arctic Rising that NPR says will 'give you the shivers.' He currently lives in Bluffton, Ohio with his wife, twin daughters, and a pair of dogs. He can be found online at www.TobiasBuckell.com Buckwell spoke with me about: Growing up on a boat with TV but with a literal boatload of books The impact of Arthur C. Clarke and Isaac Asimov

Anthony Q. Farrell is an amazing cat. He's from Toronto, went to actual comedy school, and ended up writing for one of the most influential US comedy series ever, The Office on NBC, which is also one of my favourite shows. He wrote two of its most enduring  episodes: "Casual Friday," in which Dunder Miflin former district manager Michael Scott returns to his old job with also former-ex-employees Pam Beesley and Ryan Howard, and the emotional "Employee Transfer," in which Michael Scott breaks up with Holly Flax, the love of his life, during a road trip to her new home. Farrell also served as the Canadian culture consultant on "Business Trip," in which Michael Scott, Andy Bernard, and Oscar Martinez go to Winnipeg. In addition to having written for two years on The Office including the Office short films "Taste the Ice Cream" and "Money Trouble," Farrell wrote for The Thundermans, Originals, In Gayle We Trust, and was the series creator of Dwelling and The Secret Life of Boys. He also wrote and was executi

Brandon Easton is a super-accomplished creator. In addition to having made the must-see documentary Brave New Souls about African-American writers and artists in science fiction and fantasy novels, comics, and movies, he's also a: Freelance Writer at Marvel Entertainment Writer of M.A.S.K. at IDW Publishing Freelance Writer at IDW Publishing Volunteer Solar System Ambassador at Jet Propulsion Laboratory Writer at Unified Pictures Writer at Lion Forge Comics Former Program Writer at Disney/ABC Television Group Former Staff Writer at Marvel Entertainment   Easton has received the 2015 Disney-ABC Writing Program, a 2014 nomination for the Eisner Comic Industry Award for Best Single Issue or One Shot, and four Glyph Awards. He was also a semi-finalist for the 2013 Hollywood Black Film Festival's Project Stargazer, which was a collaboration with NASA to find and develop science-fiction writers of color. Easton spoke with me on June 27, 2016 by Skype, about: How the Disney ABC Writing Programme works Pro wr

Culture commentator Robert Monroe Jr. joins me to discuss the film, its historical and political content and context, the campaign against the film, and the controversy about its writer, director, and star Nate Parker. The Birth of a Nation – HD Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i18z1EQCoyg   The Birth Of A Nation Cast Discuss The Film | BUILD Series https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6ciC2tFA28   Gabrielle Union & Birth Cast Defend Nate Parker's Powerful Film https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zG5TWJfz4YQ   Gabrielle Union Turns Her Back On The Birth Of A Nation Film & Nate Parker https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzLw1_1Pi-Q   Anderson Cooper vs Nate Parker https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hty2mqIaA0I   Nate Parker's Alleged Sins Won't Keep Me from Seeing 'The Birth of a Nation' For decades, black people have been fed a Disney-fication of our struggle. So, even as a sexual-assault survivor, I am going to see Parker's film. http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/08/26/nat

Sylvia Feketekuty has written for Mass Effect 3 and Dragon Age: Inquisition, two of the most successful video games in history. Craig DiLouie is an author of popular thriller, apocalyptic/horror, and sci-fi/fantasy fiction, and the acclaimed novelist of numerous zombie novels. Each spoke at Authorpalooza in Edmonton. Feketekuty discussed: The craft of writing for VGs including plotting, dialogue, and world-building Game design Ergodic writing vs linear writing The enormous costs of triple-A games that writers must understand to to avoid "blowing up a level" Writing in a team How to break into a major studio as a writer The tools available for indie game writers Toxic vs. progressive VG workplaces for women Free video game writing tool: https://twinery.org   DiLouie discussed: How horrific is too horrific How horror holds up a fractured mirror to the human soul For the rest of DiLouie's conversation, download the extended edition from the MF GALAXY Patreon page, where DiLouie discusses: Getting start

Sweet Christmas! Luke Cage, the Marvel Comics Blaxploitation D-grade hero from the 1970s is now a massive on Netflix—so anticipated the Netflix crashed in Europe. Series creator Cheo Hodari Coker has spoken revealingly about his own life as an African-American fanboy and his commitment to presenting excellent African-American women characters. Authors Sheree R. Thomas and Zig Zag Claybourne join me to talk about the show that has gotten me more excited than almost any show in recent memory.   SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE ON iTUNES SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE ON STITCHER SUPPORT MF GALAXY ON PATREON FOR MORE INFORMATION + LINKS