We are thrilled to announce the upcoming release of Will This Be A Problem? The Anthology: Issue V in January 2025. Edited by Olivia Kidula, Somto Ihezue and Amadin Ogbewe, this collection is published by Shilitza Publishing Group. It blends seasoned writers with emerging voices, creating a dynamic collection that mirrors the evolving landscape of SFF literature. The collection will be available in hardcover, paperback and ebook formats, with a select few stories published on the Will This Be A Problem? website.
Issue V contains sixteen original stories of fantasy, science fiction, surrealism and horror by African authors and authors of African descent living in the Diaspora. It explores the deep-seated fantastical elements in African storytelling while wrestling with real-world concerns—the never-ending scourges of colonialism, capitalism and marginalisation and the growing, present concerns of climate change and artificial intelligence—but also offers welcome escapism.
Issue V’s table of contents is a testament to the rich diversity of voices in African speculative fiction. It includes familiar names such as Shingai Kagunda, Yvette Lisa Ndlovu, Gabrielle Emem Harry, Victor Forna and Rutendo Chidzodzo. It also features returning voices to Will This Be A Problem?, Peter Nena, Kevin Rigathi, and Andrew Dakalira. And there are many new and emerging names, each bringing a unique storytelling perspective to the collection.
We’ve had the privilege of putting together some wonderful anthologies in the past, but Issue V is undoubtedly our finest work yet. For now, we will share the table of contents of the print edition and the brilliant cover art by long-time Will This A Problem? contributing artist Peter Marco, based on Victor Forna’s “Mr. Original Swag”.
Alongside it, we’re launching Will This Be A Problem? The Magazine, a digital publication that allows us to share more stories for free while still paying our writers. Will This Be A Problem? The Magazine features a curated selection of works that complement Issue V, offering a unique reading experience. It includes a mix of science fiction and fantasy, the psychedelic and the tragic, complex tales of the conflict between culture and tradition, rejection and displacement, and fighting to ultimately find a home within oneself. The magazine is free and available for download. The cover is Peter Marco’s artistic interpretation of Anyango Midamba’s “The Karkar of Envaitenet.” For more about the premiere issue of Will This Be A Problem? The Magazine, read the introduction here.
Will This Be A Problem? The Anthology: Collector’s Edition will contain all 21 longlisted stories and be available in hardcover. The cover art is by the immensely talented Kenyan illustrator and painter Nanga Kelemba, inspired by Ephraim Orji’s “Sirangoi Fey Market.”
We are immensely proud of this collection and can’t wait for you all to read it.
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Olivia Kidula is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Will This Be A Problem? Kenya’s first SFF literary magazine. She is also the publisher and editorial director of Shilitza Publishing Group, an independent press based in Nairobi, Kenya. Her short story, “Mummy Dearest “, appeared in Digital Bedbugs: 2019 Anthology of the Nairobi Fiction Workshop. With a decade of experience in print media and speculative fiction publishing, her proficiency in fiction and nonfiction is evidenced by a portfolio that includes novellas, short stories, and magazine features.
Somto Ihezue is a Nigerian–Igbo writer, editor, and filmmaker. He is a graduate student of the University of Maryland’s MFA in Fiction Writing Program. He is a recipient of the Mandela Institute’s African Network Movement Fiction Prize, the Horror Writers Association Grant, and the EbonyLife Academy Alumni Film Grant. His work was shortlisted for the British Fantasy Award (Sydney J. Bounds) for Best New Writer, the Afritondo Short Story Prize, the Utopia Awards, and has equally been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, the British Science Fiction Award, and the Nommo Awards. His works have appeared and are forthcoming in Tor: Africa Risen Anthology, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Fireside Magazine, Podcastle, Escape Pod, Strange Horizons, POETRY Magazine, Cossmass Infinities, Flash Fiction Online, NIGHTMARE, Flame Tree Press, OnSpec Magazine, Omenana, Africa In Dialogue, Mothersound: The Sauútiverse Anthology, The Year’s Best Anthology of African Speculative Fiction and others.
Amadin Ogbewe is a Nigerian writer and journalist from the ancient city of Benin. He is part of the Shilitza editorial team. His work has appeared in Fireside Fiction Magazine, Cast of Wonders, Omenana, and others. The short horror film Jacob’s Crib is an adaptation of one of his stories of the same name. When he’s not analysing or reporting on politics and education, he’s voraciously consuming all manner of speculative fiction or rewatching old sitcoms.
Nanga Kelemba is an illustrator and painter living in Nairobi, Kenya. Initially a traditional artist, creating art digitally allows her to use her designs in various genres. Guided by a variety of inspiration sources, she has always enjoyed creating what she likes, from complex art pieces to moments of relaxed sketching. Being able to have a career doing what she loves is a bonus. Find her on all socials as @untidylines or via untidylines@gmail.com
Peter Marco, whose signature name is abbreviated to Paco, is a Kenyan creative. He completed his graduate studies in Public Relations and Media at Multimedia University. Marco’s work spans children’s book illustrations, concept art for animated films, and gallery exhibitions. His concept art has contributed to several pan-African animation projects, helping to shape the growing African storytelling industry. Each piece features his characteristic use of warm earth tones punctuated by vibrant yellows and deep indigos, creating compositions that seem to pulse with life and movement. Paco believes that every one of his illustrations is a bridge, connecting young Africans to their cultural heritage while speaking to universal human experiences.
Editor in Chief, Will This Be A Problem