Out Loud: Short Fiction on Love and Loss

We are Kokonut Head Media, a nonprofit literary educator and publisher, and we're hosting a special read-aloud event centering on the themes of love, loss, and self-discovery.

We believe stories are meant to be shared, and we would love for our stories to be heard out loud in a room full of people who will enjoy them. Whether you are a lifelong bookworm or just looking for a welcoming community space, this event is for you. No prior reading or preparation is required!

We will spend the afternoon reading and unpacking two beautiful, evocative short stories. Each story takes less than 15 minutes to read aloud, so we’ll experience them together as a group before spending the bulk of our time in an open, engaging discussion.

"Blue Ruins" by Roseline Mgbodichinma Ahachi has always lived at the edge of the ocean, half-wild, half-invisible to the village that raised her. When Nkasi rises from the water and chooses her, it feels like the first time anyone ever really has. But Nkasi's love is possessive in the way of deep water: it doesn't ask, it pulls. And the further she lets herself fall, the harder it becomes to find the surface.

"Sulphur" by Damilola Omotoyinbo Mary has always been a good girl. A church girl, the role model, the daughter who never gives anyone a reason to worry. But goodness, she learns, is just another word for hiding. As she gets older, she discovers a self she was never given permission to want, and every time she gets close to it, it disappears.

Kokonut Head Media is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to publishing experimental fiction in conversation with African people, art, and ideologies. Our writers explore everything from Afrofuturism and fantasy to romance.

You can learn more about our work and read these stories online ahead of time (if you want to) at kokonutheadmedia.com.