There's this strange nebulous space you tend to occupy as a writer, or even, perhaps, a creator or storyteller of any kind; a sort of hovering furtive interstice between here and elsewhere, wakefulness and daydream, vivid yet vague; like a mental version of twilight. Which is why I loved stumbling across this excerpt from Jane Vandenburgh's Architecture… Continue reading The Habit of Art
Author: Micah Yongo
Author. Thinker. Speaker. Dreamer. Ever curious. Always growing.
I Have a Publishing Deal!
Yes, that is not a typo, hoax or misprint. After several years of writing and re-writing, a novel I've been working on has been bought by the award winning Angry Robot Books, one of the most popular (and, well, coolest) genre imprints out there. I am, as you might imagine, incredibly excited and so wanted to… Continue reading I Have a Publishing Deal!
3 Surprisingly Simple Things I’ve Learned About Public Speaking (For Those Who Don’t Like Public Speaking)
I'll be honest, I've never really thought of myself as a teacher. In fact, I barely think of myself as a speaker, despite having delivered talks at events, workshops and community venues on a number of occasions now. It's just always been, to me, more of an acquired skill than a natural one; something I… Continue reading 3 Surprisingly Simple Things I’ve Learned About Public Speaking (For Those Who Don’t Like Public Speaking)
Dancing in the Moonlight
The thing about films, especially the great ones, is that they're revelatory; they unveil the human experience, annotate humanity. Something I was reminded of when attending the previews for Barry Jenkins' mercurial debut feature, Moonlight, in Manchester these past few weeks. I was there to film vox pops for the distribution company, capturing audience responses… Continue reading Dancing in the Moonlight
‘Music is For People’: An Interview With UK Soul Singer, Samm Henshaw
So you may recall that I'd mentioned interviewing Samm Henshaw a while back for The Nubian Times, which, on a personal level, was a very fun experience. I mean, the guy's arguably the most talented soul artist to emerge from these shores in the last two decades. Not only that, he was a seriously fascinating… Continue reading ‘Music is For People’: An Interview With UK Soul Singer, Samm Henshaw
The Future is Bright, The Future is… Social Media?
I'm told public speaking is consistently ranked as many people's greatest fear... yeah, that's right - above heights, spiders, snakes, clowns (I still don't get why anyone likes clowns) etc. In fact, in many surveys public speaking is even ranked above the fear of death. Which, in my opinion, is all the more reason for… Continue reading The Future is Bright, The Future is… Social Media?
Elevator Fiction
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to give the reader a story worth reading in 500 words or less… So said the email I received requesting I submit a piece of flash fiction for inclusion in an anthology to be published by Crocus Books. And so, never one to shirk a challenge,… Continue reading Elevator Fiction
Grime, Hip Hop and the City
If American hip-hop – along with dancehall and garage music – are the parents, grime has since emerged from their shadow as the rebellious adolescent ready to forge its own path, becoming the voice of choice for British millenials tired of hearing tales of streetlife narrated from across the Atlantic. It's for this reason I've… Continue reading Grime, Hip Hop and the City
There’s Nothing New About The News
Originally a rapper, and then a poet, for the last year Tom Bishop has been occupying that loose sliding space that lingers between the two, the stripped down art known as spoken word. After connecting with him during one of his live performances last month at Sandbar's grime and hip hop night, Mic Check, I… Continue reading There’s Nothing New About The News
Thoughts and Images from the Manchester #BlackLivesMatter Rally
I think covering the Black Lives Matter rally in Manchester earlier this week is an experience I won't be forgetting anytime soon. Seeing people of every colour and from a range of communities gathered under one cause was both sobering and inspiring, as was listening to a range of speakers including community leaders, activists and… Continue reading Thoughts and Images from the Manchester #BlackLivesMatter Rally
Micah Yongo 