M

Award-winning poet and novelist Alison Clarke reimagines the legacy of Harriet E. Wilson-the first Black woman to publish a novel in America (1859)-as a breathtaking journey across galaxies, myth, and time in her latest work, M: The Mystical Odyssey of Harriet E. Wilson. Blending historical fiction, fantasy, and Afrofuturist mythology, Clarke's novel follows a lonely modern woman named Selena who encounters Anisie, a banished Spider Queen. Together, they traverse cosmic realms where faeries, goddesses, and sirens wage war against forces of silence and erasure. At the heart of their quest lies Harriet E. Wilson herself-the Messenger and Singer of Lyric Song-whose words hold the power to restore balance between darkness and light. Richly imagined and profoundly resonant, M: The Mystical Odyssey of Harriet E. Wilson explores themes of identity, sisterhood, creativity, and the healing power of story. Clarke's lyrical prose has drawn acclaim for its visionary worldbuilding and emotional depth.