February 18, 2026

In honor of Black History Month, the staff of The Copper Quill is excited to share the following author recommendations with you:

Recommendation by Associate Editor Rae Stachowski:

Octavia E. Butler

(1947-2006)

“When I began writing science fiction, when I began reading, heck, I wasn’t in any of this stuff I read. The only black people you found were occasional characters or characters who were so feeble-witted that they couldn’t manage anything, anyway. I wrote myself in, since I’m me and I’m here and I’m writing.” 

~Octavia E. Butler

They say if you want to write great literature, you must read great literature. Funny enough, it was a terribly written story that inspired Butler to first pick up the pen. After watching a B-grade science fiction film, she was left with the impression that she could create a much better story. And she would. Her stories are masterful, weaving explorations of race, gender, sex, and politics. Her beliefs aligned with eco-feminism, and she traveled to the Amazon to study its biological diversity and incorporate more factual information into her work.

In 1984, she received the Hugo Award for Best Short Story, making her the first Woman of Color to achieve mainstream recognition in the science fiction genre, and she has since gone on to become one of the first black women and the very first science fiction author to secure a MacArthur Genius Grant. Her pieces are bold and unapologetic, and she has managed to make a significant impact on her genre, while still remaining relevant and accessible. She was a Titan of her craft and a profound influence. 

Works Cited 

"Octavia E. Butler: Telling My Stories." The Huntington, www.huntington.org/exhibition/octavia-e-butler-telling-my-stories. Accessed 21 Jan. 2026.

Additional Author Recommendations by Rae:

• Victor Lavalle

• Oyinkan Braithwaite

• Tananarive Due

• Helen Oyeyemi

• Toni Morrison

• Bell Hooks 

• Angela Davis

Recommendation by Faculty Advisor Julie A. Castner Shepard:

John Lewis Steptoe

(September 14, 1950, to August 28, 1989)

John Lewis Steptoe, who was originally from Brooklyn, New York, wrote and illustrated children’s books; his inspiration included both “his own experiences as a single father, showcasing themes of family life and cultural identity,” and folktales, which he retold (Butterworth). Children of the 1980s may remember the episode of the classic PBS kids’ show Reading Rainbow in which LeVar Burton read aloud from Steptoe’s book Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters. As noted in an article by Susan Butterworth written for EBSCO Knowledge Advantage, Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters, published in 1987, won the Caldecott Medal, which, according to the American Library Association, “is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.” You can experience Steptoe’s talents as a writer and illustrator by clicking here to watch the Reading Rainbow episode featuring the story of Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters. 

December 17, 2025

We invite you to get in the holiday spirit by reading the story below, which comes from The Copper Quill's archives. Originally published during the holiday season of 2021, the piece was written by TCQ advisor Julie Castner Shepard.

If you have a story of your own to share (holiday-themed or otherwise!), we'd love to review it! Feel free to submit your own original writing, artwork, and/or photography on our Submissions page.