Contrary to popular belief, Black sci-fi writers – although a relatively rare breed – do exist. They are not aliens who fell to earth as in Brother From Another Planet, or purveyors of the apocalyptic future predicted by writers given to the darker side of the future. They are introspective thinkers, willing to explore beyond the confines of a more mundane reality to explore societal issues and personal growth in a future that many of us will never see. They have determined to consider multi-dimensional living and explore imaginary universes where opportunities as … well as options abound.
In The Blue Topaz, visionary author Marsalis delves into the journey of a young African American girl, Timberly Crews, who along with her family moves from one planetary station to another and ultimately finds the realm of possibilities offered to her are more than worth the move.
In an age when pretty much anyone with a laptop and Internet can call themselves a writer (even though they’re not readers), Marsalis emphasizes the critical nature of both. At an early age he intuitively took both the discipline and the vocation seriously, and began to hone his craft, earning him national recognition for his talent by the age of eight. The diligent student often worked with older students to assist with their writing skills and encourage the practice of reading.
“I just loved reading. It was a natural thing for me. It wasn’t like you had to convince me to read a book or do anything related to that. And I just started writing my own stories. I sit in class during indoor recess. I go to my desk instead of playing with toys or whatever with my friends, I really disciplined myself,” explains the still young creative. “I ended up finding myself doing like little storytelling lectures to like fourth graders. When I was in second grade, teachers had me come to their classrooms and talk about how to write stories … and then, I just stuck with it and kept experimenting and pushing myself and trying new things.”
And as with most things technically innovative and immensely imaginative, young readers are drawn to the genre’s relatable characters, action-packed plots, and high-stakes scenarios. But Marsalis finds that savvy young readers have always been fans of sci-fi, thanks to their penchant for searching for and believing in unexplored possibilities, which can be particularly appealing to young minds eager for adventure and new ideas.
“I used to do a lot of basically young adult, real problems, kind of stories. But as I got older and really started thinking about my own voice, I gravitated back to my children’s work like when I was a kid. Of course, I wrote children’s stuff because you really rarely do anything else as a kid. I realized when I got older though, there was a freedom and imagination and creativity that was boundless when it came to those kinds of stories, and I found myself [spending] more time writing these kind of sci-fi stories … and now it’s my thing.”
In The Blue Topaz the reader is introduced to 12-year-old, Timberly Crews who like most pre-teens on the brink of knowing everything – finds that her parents are too often -especially this time- insensitive to her need, and this time they are just plain insufferable. Having to move from their cozy home in a galactic neighborhood that afforded her all of the comforts of adolescent experience and uproot her well-balanced life which included loyal and long-time childhood friends, seemingly non-stop fun and games, and perhaps most importantly her popular standing among peers, she travels to her new home with no conversation for her parents and a lot of trepidation about the future.
“For her entire life, Timberly had been used to moving from one place to another. She knew that traveling was a good part of her parents’ work. But she did not know why they had to move on her twelfth birthday.
She had dreamt of having a big, fun party with her friends. Her favorite band was coming to town. There was even a new amusement park on Mercury. But after her parents told her about the move, she knew those things would never happen.
For a while, Timberly did not speak to her parents. She would only grunt or nod her head. Even aboard the shuttle, she remained very quiet and distant.”
Inevitably Timberly, opens her mind to the possibilities of a changing life and the treasures she discovers as the new world unfolds and reveals itself to her. But after nearly losing her parents and coming to terms with the importance of family and home – wherever that may be – Timberly comes to appreciate every step of her journey that would take the family to another new and exciting world to join and celebrate.
“Leaning back in her seat, Timberly watched the changing stars with hope. She imagined she and her parents spending more time together. She imagined she and her parents moving around less. She imagined she and her parents just being a happy family. She smiled to herself, dreaming of the possibilities.
The Blue Topaz is a must-read for young people looking forward to a coming-of-age story in a brave new world.
Marsalis Higgs was born in 1989. He spent his childhood composing illustrated epics and giving lectures. At the age of 17, he published his first novel, March of the Libertines. After graduating from the University of Michigan, Marsalis published works in every literary style and genre. He is the founder of Paraphernalia, deputy editor of WAVES, and has been featured in the short fiction anthologies Five Minutes at Hotel Stormcove and Detroit Stories Quarterly. He loves bubblegum, fast cars, and silent cinema. Marsalis currently lives in Detroit.
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