New Voices, Future Worlds - Celebrating Sci-Fi & Fantasy by Writers of Colour

Join Sunday Times bestselling fantasy novelist M. H. Ayinde, Marvellous Michael Anson, author of the Yoruba-inspired fantasy novel, Firstborn of the Sun, and novelist and fantasy expert Melanie Reynard for this inspiring insight into how writers of colour are taking on the historically white bastions of fantasy and science fiction.

M. H. Ayinde is the Sunday Times bestselling author of epic fantasy novel A SONG OF LEGENDS LOST (Orbit UK/Saga Press). Her short fiction has appeared in FIYAH Literary Magazine, F&SF, Fantasy Magazine, and elsewhere, and she was the 2021 winner of the Future Worlds Prize. She lives in London with three generations of her family and their Studio Ghibli obsession.

Marve Michael Anson has been writing for over a decade and her trade debut fantasy novel, Firstborn of the Sun, the first in a trilogy, was published by Penguin Michael Joseph in October 2025. The novel also earned her finalist placements in several competitions, including the 2023 Future Worlds Prize. Her debut sequel, Heir of the Shadow will be released in fall 2026. Marve is also an award winning filmmaker. When she is not weaving fantastical tales, she can be found embracing life as a serial hobbyist, obsessing over myths and histories, collecting books and carefully curating her personal library, or indulging her unapologetic love of all things Christmas.

Melanie Reynard is a Lancashire-born writer of science fiction and fantasy. By day, she dabbles in the arts of planting design and social media for a landscaping company; by night, she conjures fantastical realms with words. She lives in Greater London with her young family and a neurotic cat.

Read more about the Future Worlds Prize HERE.

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