Nikki Clarke on Black Women in Speculative Romance

Why settle for a boring reality when you can have a Space Daddy who is actually obsessed with you? This week on We Read Smut, Alesia sits down with MFA poet and speculative fiction author Nikki Clarke to discuss her mission to center Black women in the stars. We dive into why Nikki trades contemporary drama for expansive alien worlds, the anthropological roots of her unique world-building, and why her heroes are unapologetically soft and in love.Nikki Clarke has always loved a good love story in books and on film. Her favorite on-screen love declarations, in no particular order, are Darius and Nina under the viaduct, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth in the field (Knightley and MacFadden version), and Dwayne and Whitley at the wedding. Nikki doesn't mind a little weird (or raunch) mixed in with her romance and hopes to contribute to more Black women love stories. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing.Key TakeawaysThe Flexibility of Speculative Fiction: Nikki prefers speculative worlds over contemporary ones because reality relies on drama that can feel boring; speculative fiction allows her to focus on culture and linguistics as the primary drivers of the story.Grounding in Tropes: Nikki uses fated mates as a grounding concept ,which then gives her the freedom to improvise and explore complex character dynamics.Unique World-Building: Nikki’s aliens are anything but stereotypical; they feature unique physical traits like gold wings and long, gray tongues.The "Soft" Hero Requirement: Nikki is incapable of writing a hero who doesn't immediately adore and want to care for the female main character, ensuring her books stay cushy and sweet.Creative Sovereignty: A proponent of writing the stories she wants to read, Nikki often changes established genre rules—like allowing her vampires to walk in the sun—to better serve her specific romantic plots."If aliens come down here and they’re fine, it’s for us. We deserve it." This week, we challenge you to step out of the real world and pick up a speculative romance that centers Black joy and otherworldly love.Connect with Nikki: WebsiteInstagramAlien Reading OrderSupport the showJoin the We Read Smut Lounge. Want early access to next week's episode, entry into our private Discord server, two monthly virtual silent book clubs, and a free monthly e-book? Head over to our Substack and join the paid community to access goodies and get early access to episodes. Connect with Alesia:StorygraphInstagramRunning list of books mentioned (Doc)This podcast was produced by Galati Media.Proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective.