Glenn Parris

mystery.  Considered by some an expert in Afrofuturism, he is a self-described lifelong sci-fi nerd. His interest in the topic began as a tween before the term Afrofuturism was even coined. As a graduate of The Bronx High School of Science, as were Samuel R. Delany, and Neil de Grasse Tyson, he was in good company to have his interests cultivated.

Originally from New York City,  Glenn Parris is an alumnus of  The Bronx High School for Science, Fordham University and SUNY Buffalo School of Medicine.

Parris migrated south to escape the cold and snow, but this Emory Medicine alum fell in love with the southern charms found in the state of Georgia, and within his wife, Carla.  He joined the Atlanta Writers Club in 2011 and credits much of his growth as a writer to that organization’s support and activities.

He enjoys writing cross-genre in medical mystery, science fiction, fantasy, and historical fiction. His debut novel, The Renaissance of Aspirin, is the first in The Jack Wheaton Mystery series. He was part of the all star cast of authors for Marvel’s Black Panther: Tales of Wakanda  with the short story “The Underside of Darkness”.  His latest full length work was released in May 2022 titled Dragon’s Heir:  The Efilu Legacy.  

Parris encompasses his own dichotomy of  physician by day incorporating that scientific outlook into his creative works.   As one of the too few African-American men practicing medicine, his unique perspective makes the stories he writes compelling, and makes him an engaging speaker on various topics.

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Related Events

Caribbean Futurisms

May 13, 2023 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Panelists: Glenn Parris, Premee Mohamed, R.S.A. Garcia and E.G. Condé (moderator)
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What is the future of the Caribbean? What kinds of futures are Caribbean writers imagining from the rich, complicated history of archipelagoes they call home? How are the African, European, Asian, and Indigenous aspects of Caribbean history, identity, and heritage incorporated in the stories and worlds of Caribbean creators? In this panel, we celebrate Caribbean writers and discuss the promise, challenges, and politics of speculative fiction set in or inspired by the Caribbean. We use an inclusive definition of the Caribbean to include everyone from indigenous peoples like the Kalinago, Taíno, Ciguayo, Guanahatabey, and Garifuna, to diasporic African peoples like the Yoruba, migrants from South and East Asia, and the European powers that colonized the region. Topics discussed include the race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, and the legacies of past and ongoing colonialisms in the region.

If you do not see the stream window, be sure to login at the top of this page. Registered attendees of the 2023 Nebula Conference will be able to participate upon logging in. If you still need to register, visit the home page!

Black Speculative Fiction: Urban Fantasy and Beyond

May 13, 2023 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm

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Panelists: Endria Richardson, Sumiko Saulson, Glenn Parris, and Christine Taylor-Butler (moderator)
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From Octavia Butler’s “Kindred” to LA Bank’s Vampire Huntress series, Urban fantasy (fantasy that takes place in modern cities) is a subgenre frequently embraced by Black authors who write science fiction, fantasy, and horror authors, and especially by African American authors, but it is not the only thing we write. Why is the genre so popular with Black authors? And why is the popular genre, which is particularly associated with African Americans, so often maligned?

If you do not see the stream window, be sure to login at the top of this page. Registered attendees of the 2023 Nebula Conference will be able to participate upon logging in. If you still need to register, visit the home page!

The BIPOC POV in Hard SF

June 7, 2024 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm

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Panelists: Sarah Guan, SL Huang, Arula Ratnakar, Glenn Parris and Wole Talabi (moderator)
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One of the joys of hard science fiction lies in its opportunity to communicate science through storytelling. To communicate not only the exciting research and concepts, but also the practice of science, the joys and frustrations that come with being a scientist (anyone from any background who engages rigorously with those evidence-based philosophies of understanding the world).

Historically, hard science fiction has been dominated by viewpoints originating from western European and American thought written largely by white/cis/het men. And also historically, an environment of exclusion and gatekeeping, rather than inclusion and communication. This turns countless people away from hard science fiction, because they are told that if they cannot make it through poorly explained, dense, intentionally exclusionary science in stories, they are not meant for the subgenre.

In this panel we will discuss the term hard SF, its use, current state, and the future from a BIPOC lens.

If you do not see the stream window, be sure to login at the top of this page. Registered attendees of the 2024 Nebula Conference will be able to participate upon logging in. If you still need to register, visit the home page!