Alicia McCalla has 13 published works, including 6 books, 6 short stories across 3 anthologies, and 1 nonfiction essay exploring creativity and ritual. Her work blends Afrofuturism, superhero fiction, and empowerment nonfiction to center Black women as heroes of their own universes.
Who Is Alicia McCalla?
Alicia McCalla is an award-winning author of Afrofuturist superhero fiction and empowerment nonfiction. Her stories explore themes of ancestral power, divine femininity, rebellion, and Black women's sovereignty across speculative worlds. McCalla's debut novel, Breaking Free, won the AMB Ovation Award for Outstanding Debut Author in Paranormal Romance (2014), and her short story "The Last Vampire Huntress" appeared in Slay: Stories of the Vampire Noire, the anthology was a Bram Stoker Award Preliminary Ballot nominee (2020).
📚 Fiction Publications
Novel
1. Breaking Free (AMB Ovation Award Winner – Outstanding Debut Author in Paranormal Romance, 2014, Out of Print)
A young-adult science-fiction novel following XJ Patterson, a genetically enhanced teen fighting for freedom against a system built to erase her kind.
Novellas
2. Iniko (Out of Print)
The daughter of a goddess must face betrayal and blood magic to save her child.
3. Rise of an African Elemental (Out of Print)
Shania and Deacon confront an ancient evil threatening the world's balance.
4. Oya Warrior Goddess Lore Book
A hybrid novella and mythological companion to The Sentinel Superhero Vigilante Series, blending African mythology, divine-feminine wisdom, and superhero spirituality.
Short Stories & Anthology Contributions
5. "Mawu" – in Origins of an African Elemental Anthology (Out of Print)
A West African earth goddess faces demonic corruption and impossible choices in this mythic prequel to the African Elementals universe.
6. "Flee" – in Origins of an African Elemental Anthology (Out of Print)
A modern Black woman's ancestral magic awakens after her grandmother's death—forcing her to face generational secrets that span worlds.
7. "The Last Vampire Huntress" – in Slay: Stories of the Vampire Noire (Mocha Memoirs Press, Bram Stoker Award Preliminary Ballot Nominee, 2020) [LINK]
When Kendra, a vampire huntress, finds a bloody butcher knifed note stuck in her apartment door, she must stop her vampire ex-boyfriend from killing all the hunters in the Guild or face fulfilling a terrible prophecy.
8. "Fae Witch Pregnancy" – in Curse of the Spiral Anthology (Molten Universe)
Nerissa, a dark fae witch, must do whatever she can to ensure the safe delivery of her children.
9. "Mathematical Genius" –Featured in Possibilities Anthology
Originally shared as part of The State of Black Sci-Fi series in 2012, "Mathematical Genius" explores love, logic, and cosmic equations through the lens of a brilliant mathematician's emotional awakening. The story bridges speculative science and human connection, questioning whether the heart operates by rules the mind can calculate.[Read the Story Origin Post]
10. "Heart-Song & Blade" – in Sorghum & Spear Anthology: The Way of Silk and Stone (Subsume)
Twin-bonded warriors must reconcile rivalry and faith during a divine festival when a demon witch attacks their village.
📗 Nonfiction Publications
11. 101 Badass Superhero Affirmations: Positive Thoughts for Black Women
An empowerment book merging superhero archetypes with affirmations for strength, confidence, and self-worth.
12. Companion Workbook: 101 Badass Superhero Affirmations
A guided journaling workbook to deepen the practice of superhero-inspired self-empowerment.
13. "Using Ritual to Manage Grief and Write Full-Time" – essay in Artists as Writers: Living and Sustaining a Creative Life (Intellect Press, 2025)
A personal reflection on creative discipline, grief, and transformation through ritual.
Total Published Works: 13
(1 novel • 3 novellas • 6 short stories • 3 nonfiction titles)
Reading by Universe
For readers who want to explore McCalla's interconnected storyworlds:
African Elementals Universe
- "Mawu" (prequel short story)
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Iniko (novella)
- "Flee" (short story)
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Rise of an African Elemental (novella)
Sentinel Superhero Vigilante Universe
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Oya Warrior Goddess Lore Book (novella)
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The Sentinel: Season One – Awakened by the Goddess (forthcoming)
Standalone Stories
- "The Last Vampire Huntress" (Slay anthology)
- "Fae Witch Pregnancy" (Curse of the Spiral anthology)
- "Mathematical Genius" (Possibilities anthology)
- "Heart-Song & Blade" (Sorghum & Spear anthology)
Legacy & Out-of-Print Titles
The following titles are no longer in active print but remain part of Alicia McCalla's published canon:
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Breaking Free (novel, 2014) – AMB Ovation Award Winner
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Iniko (novella, 2014)
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Rise of an African Elemental (novella, 2015)
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Origins of an African Elemental anthology (2014) – featuring "Mawu" and "Flee"
🏆 Award Recognition
AMB Ovation Award Winner (2014)
Breaking Free – Outstanding Debut Author in Paranormal Romance
Alicia McCalla's debut novel Breaking Free won the AMB Ovation Award for Outstanding Debut Author in Paranormal Romance, recognizing excellence in storytelling centered on Black protagonists navigating speculative worlds.
View Award Announcement
Bram Stoker Award Preliminary Ballot (2020)
Slay: Stories of the Vampire Noire
The anthology Slay: Stories of the Vampire Noire (Mocha Memoirs Press), featuring McCalla's short story "The Last Vampire Huntress," was one of the stories within the 2020 Bram Stoker Award Preliminary Ballot in the Superior Achievement in an Anthology category. The Bram Stoker Awards, presented by the Horror Writers Association, honor excellence in horror and dark fiction.
View Official 2020 Preliminary Ballot
Forthcoming Work
The Sentinel Superhero Vigilante: Season One – Awakened by the Goddess (Novella / Serialized Vigilante Fiction)
A supernatural vigilante saga set in Atlanta. Follows criminal defense attorney Tia Jackson, whose awakening by the storm goddess Oya ignites a spiritual war against corruption, technology, and divine justice.
Status: First release forthcoming.
About This Catalog
This bibliography represents Alicia McCalla's formally published canon—works available through publishers or her direct author platform at AliciaMcCalla.com. Additional creative projects, including serialized fiction (The Sentinel Universe) and narrative media (Bedtime Stories for the Brave), belong to her ongoing Badass Black Women Badass Stories Creative Universe and will be added here once formally published in book form.
Explore Alicia McCalla's Books
🛒 Shop Currently Available Titles
📜 View Legacy & Out-of-Print Titles
