Tlotlo Tsamaase

Last updated

Tlotlo Pearl Tsamaase
OccupationAuthor
LanguageEnglish
Nationality Botswana
Genre Science fiction and fantasy
Notable awards Bessie Head Short Story Award, Nommo Award
Website
www.tlotlotsamaase.com

Tlotlo Tsamaase is a Motswana speculative fiction writer and poet whose writing has been nominated for or won numerous awards.

Contents

Her fiction has appeared in Clarkesworld Magazine , Strange Horizons , Africanfuturism: An Anthology , Africa Risen , and more.

Life and career

Tsamaase earned a bachelor's degree in architecture from the University of Botswana as well as an MFA in creative writing from Chapman University. [1] She has said that "studying architecture brought [her] to science fiction." [2]

Her first novella, The Silence of the Wilting Skin , was published in 2021 by Pink Narcissus Press and was nominated for a Lambda Award in the LGBTQ Speculative Fiction category. [3] Her first novel, Womb City , was published by Erewhon Books in 2024 [4] and was nominated for a Locus Award for Best First Novel. [5] It was also a finalist for the 2025 Ignyte Award for Outstanding Novel. 7

Her fiction has appeared in publications such as Clarkesworld Magazine , The Best of World Science Fiction Volume 1, Futuri uniti d'Africa, Terraform, Strange Horizons , Africanfuturism: An Anthology , Africa Risen , The Dark Magazine , and The Year's Best African Speculative Fiction .

She is currently represented by Naomi Davis of BookEnds Literary Agency. [6]

She is Motswana. [1]

Awards and nominations

YearNominated workCategoryAwardResultNotesRef.
2011Unlettered Skies of the SublimeBest Novel Bessie Head Short Story Awards Won [7]
2017I Will Be Your GraveBest Poem Rhysling Award Nominated [8]
"Virtual Snapshots" Nommo Award NominatedLonglist [8]
2021 The Silence of the Wilting Skin LGBTQ Speculative Fiction Lambda Award Nominated [9]
Best Novella Nommo Award Nominated [10]
"Behind Our Irises"Best Short StoryWonJoint winner [11]
2022"Dreamports"Best Short StoryNominated [12]
2023"Peeling Time (Deluxe Edition)" Caine Prize NominatedShortlist [13]
2025 Womb City Best First Novel Locus Award NominatedTop ten finalist [14]
Best Novel Nommo Award Won [15]

Selected bibliography

Fiction — short stories

Fiction — novels and novellas

References

  1. 1 2 "About". Tlotlo Tsamaase. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
  2. ↑ "When the Sensibility of Art Meets the Pragmatism of Science: A Conversation with Tlotlo Tsamaase, by Darlington Chibueze Anuonye". World Literature Today. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
  3. ↑ "The Silence of the Wilting Skin". PINK NARCISSUS PRESS. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
  4. ↑ "Ian Mond Reviews Womb City by Tlotlo Tsamaase". Locus Online. 24 February 2024. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
  5. ↑ locusmag (2 May 2025). "2025 Locus Awards Top Ten Finalists". Locus Online. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
  6. ↑ "New Client Alert". BookEnds Literary Agency. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
  7. ↑ "Winners of the Bessie Head Literature Awards from 2007 through 2011".
  8. 1 2 "Tlotlo Tsamaase".
  9. ↑ Jim Provenzano, "Lambda Literary Awards 2021 finalists announced". Bay Area Reporter , March 15, 2021.
  10. ↑ "2021 Nommo Awards Shortlist".
  11. ↑ "The Nommo Awards, for African Speculative Fiction, Announces 2021 Winners".
  12. ↑ "2022 Nommo Awards Shortlist".
  13. ↑ "2023 Caine Prize Shortlist".
  14. ↑ "2025 Locus Award Top Ten Finalists".
  15. ↑ "2025 Ilube Award for Best Novel Finalists" . Retrieved 28 November 2025.
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