Dark Fantasy, Black Authors, and a Toxic Hottie or Two with Cheryl Hodges of The Obsidian Archive

Episode # 129 Dark Fantasy, Black Authors, and a Toxic Hottie or Two with Cheryl Hodges of The Obsidian ArchivePart of noseyAF's 31 Days of Black Business series 🖤She decided to write a book. Then figured she should probably start reading again. Then opened a bookstore.Cheryl Hodges kept watching the girlies on Instagram open romance-only bookshops and realized nobody had built one for dark fantasy and speculative worlds. So she did, in January of this year, while writing her own novel, working a full-time job, and raising a kid. Indie authors and Black authors in the genre are the whole point.What We Talk AboutWhat dark fantasy actually is, why Maleficent counts, and why all our millennial fantasy obsessions trace back to DisneyHow she decides which books to carry, what she's looking for in author submissions, and why she'll point you to a different bookstore if you're not a fitWhat indie authors are still fighting for against publishers with real marketing budgetsThe unexpected turn: her nonprofit plans are about literacy as comprehension, shaped by teaching her own son to read and by knowing a grown man who can'tIf you love origin stories that don't skip the scary parts, this episode is for you.Chapters:00:10 - Celebrating Black Business Month03:27 - The Journey to Opening a Bookstore18:01 - The Struggle of Indie Authors in Today's Market25:55 - Literacy Initiatives and Challenges34:24 - Launching a Bookstore and Publishing House38:44 - The Vision for the Future BookstoreAll about Cheryl HodgesYou're gonna love Cheryl — she's a Brooklyn library kid turned bookstore owner. Founder of The Obsidian Archive, an online bookstore for dark fantasy and speculative worlds, and author of Crown of the Morning Star, a dark mythic fantasy that follows Lucifer after the fall. She reads six books a month on her Kindle and listens to four or five more. Book two, a vampire duology following Lucifer's son Cain, drops at Halloween. Where she's headed: a brick and mortar with a cafe, a nonprofit running book drives and book clubs, and the biggest selection of indie titles she can build.Things We MentionedThe Obsidian Archive → theobsidianarchive.orgCrown of the Morning Star by Cheryl Hodges, available on Kindle and paperbackLegendborn by Tracy Deonn, her beginner's guide to fantasy pickThe Daggermouth pre-order campaign, and Lee RiversHer banned books section, including Animal Farm and 1984This series is supported by Off the Grid, a podcast for small business owners who want to leave social media without losing their clients. Find them at offthegrid.fun 🖤Connect with Cheryl HodgesIG: @the_obsidian_archive_bookshopWebsite: theobsidianarchive.orgStay Connected📬 Get the noseyAF Dispatch → Subscribe here🏡 Grab the Good Neighbor Playbook → Download it freeMore ways to connectEmail: [email protected] on IG: @stephaniegrahamListen to more episodes: noseyaf.comSupport & FeedbacknoseyAF is listener-supported; thank you for being here. 💛🫶🏾⭐ Rate & Review the Show📣 Share noseyAF with a friend who needs to hear thisEpisode CreditsProduced, Hosted, and Edited by Stephanie GrahamLyrics: Queen LexInstrumental: Freddie Bam FamCover Art: Emma McGoldrick