Sci-Fi Author Daniel José Older Enchants the Public with his Speculative Fiction and Anti-Oppressive Power Analysis

The Bone Street Rumba urban fantasy series will only be a small part of author Daniel José Older's legacy. The Brooklyn-based, Boston-raised writer carries expertise in ghost noir, speculative fiction and anti-oppressive power analysis, which will ultimately prove how necessary his writing is.

Older was raised by book lovers, "big readers" and parents who didn't just talk about literature, television shows, music and politics; they discussed it with a great deal of passion. Whether the topic was "Star Wars," Neal Stephenson, or the intersection of politics, technology, music or literature, they were invested in getting to the heart and humanity of the subject, and understanding the way people interact with one another.

"I love thinking about how power plays out in different ways, and how from a street corner you can tell a whole story about where we are in the world, and about humanity," said Older during an interview with Latin Post. "And the way that these small moments unravel, and produce a scope ... and that's just a fancy way of saying I write the art of who we are, and the way that people relate to each other. So, as much as I'm inspired by great works of literature, I'm also inspired by the world around me."

He discussed an upbringing encircled by fantasy and sci-fi; the messy and hilarious stories he exchanged when he was a paramedic; and the important work he did as a community organizer. Also, he addressed how those experiences folded into his mission as a storyteller and the production of fiction.

"I spent a lot time in an ambulance as a medic, and I was working as a community organizer ... and did a lot or work with outreach. So, when I sat down to write novels, it was natural to combine these things. It felt like coming home when it came to writing science fiction, as I grew up reading it. And I used an analysis that I came up with as an organizer, it was a natural fit," said Older.

When Older decided to leave his job as a paramedic, he remained in the position from several months before knowing if he had secured a publishing deal. He wrote short stories; completed his MFA program; finished up his final year as a paramedic and he worked toward publication. As the medic position ended, everything started to line up. According to Older, "sometimes when you make that move, the universe says, 'hey, here you go."

"Salsa Nocturna," his first publication, features a collection of horror fiction where history and existence collides. It's based in a New York City-like reality, except ghosts and half-alive beings are present, and they have "a very complicated relationship with the living." The assortments of urban fantasy pieces were, in part, written to show a conversation with history when interacting with ghosts. When discussing "Salsa Nocturna" and the recently published "Half-Resurrection Blues," Older explained that there's a resounding idea that ghosts are a scary thing, but what better way to learn about the past than to have a talk with ghosts? According to the author, "most cultures in the world actually celebrate our ancestors, they benefit from them. But, it's also a different dynamic when you start to bring spirituality into your work."

When it comes to his writing process, he acknowledges that everyone's development is different, but his tactic involves social media. He loves to tweet when he writes.

"I actually get quite a bit done. I write a paragraph, jump on twitter, tweet a whole bunch and then jump back to my story. I maintain a certain level of balance. I focus on tweeting and my stories, but I'm also not so focused that I'll get lost. And I don't burn out," said Older. "There are people who say, never use social media while you're writing, and that's fine for them. Social media has given a certain amount of exchange between reader and writer, where I've connected with more than a few thousand people -- it's helped to change the power dynamic -- and that's a great thing for writers, to connect directly to their readers."

When interacting with his readers, he wants to do more than chat with them about trending topics in culture and politics; he wants to address critical conversations that need to take place regarding diversity.

"There's a lot of talk about diversity, and there's a crucial conversation that we need to be having. It doesn't end with diversity, it begins with diversity ... and we need to talk about power dynamics and white supremacy in publishing. We need to talk about [why] the lead titles are so white, and colorism, and light skinned privilege and we need to talk about homophobia and trans-phobia in publishing as well," said Older. "Those are all really important conversations for making publishing a better place for everybody, and making literature better in the long run."

In addition to the upcoming publication of the YA novel "ShadowShaper," an incredible story about a young Puerto Rican girl from Brooklyn who interacts with zombies and her near-comatose abuelo, Older is also writing "SANTO: The Graphic Novel Series." "Santo" is set in an alternate version of Brooklyn in the early 20th century, where santeros fight monsters, fanatics and corrupt cops.