Meet Alicia McCalla: Science Fiction & Fantasy Author

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alicia McCalla and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alicia, what are you inspired by?
In 2018, my son who was a NAVY Officer, was lost at sea. Losing him devastated me but his memory pushes me to be courageous and brave–he has truly been an inspiration to me and I’ll always appreciate everything about him. When I’m feeling despair, I always remember his bright smile and encouraging words. He was a great kid and I’m proud to have been his Mom.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I love writing my unique brand of stories featuring Kick-A$$ Black Women who are courageous, brave, and strong. My stories are generally high action with cliff-hanger endings that sometimes leave readers on the edge of their seats. I do like to write some dark, edgy tales but there’s always hope in the end.

It wasn’t easy for me to accept the type of stories that I love to write, initially, I was afraid of being judged or misunderstood. But once I embraced my brand of “Sistas with Skills, Swords & Superpowers” I was able to fully commit to my love of writing short stories and serialized fiction. In addition to my stories, I create “Read by Author” audiobooks, cool merchandise highlighting strong women and I regular discuss on my blog about female super heroines. And, what’s real talk, I’m a 51-year old Blerd (Black Nerd) who not only loves to tell high action stories but I Cosplay my favorite female characters.

I’m living in the power of my imagination and loving it!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m a Farm-to-Table kinda girl. I love supporting locally grown, organic foods and pasture-raised meats. Two of my favorites restaurants are Farm Burger in Decatur. The burgers are sensational!

I also love Thai food and one of my favorite restaurants is the L’thai Organic Cuisine & Wine Bar in Tucker. L’thai’s cuisine is packed with flavorful dishes. I love the Basil lamb.

Another place that I’ve had a great time with family was the Golda Kombucha Bar. I love the fact that it’s not too far from the Atlanta University Center (AUC) and it’s exciting to try all of the Kombucha varieties.

Speaking of the AUC… My husband and son are Morehouse Alums and I’m a Clark Atlanta University Alum, if you’re visiting Atlanta, you must participate in a game, Homecoming events or just go down and see those Historically Black Colleges (HBCUs). Lots of history and traditions there. The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
During the Pandemic, I lost both of my grandparents. They were foundational in my life. They encouraged me to be exactly the unique person that I am. I’ll be eternally grateful to them for giving me the gift of perseverance, creativity, and curiosity. My shoutout is to Connie and Art Campbell for inspiring me to do and be my best even when I didn’t realize I had the potential to soar.

Website: aliciamccalla.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AliciaMcCalla

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AliciaMcCallaAuthor/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2m8S3OXrPwHWIggl3P1q-Q

Other: Good Reads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5621854.Alicia_McCalla

Image Credits
Dr. Howard McCalla