Thornwillow published this Hugo Award-winning short story by the incomparable Octavia Butler as part of the Thornwillow Dispatch at the end of 2020. Originally published in 1983, “Speech Sounds” presents another eerily salient example of Butler’s talent for printing prophecy, and was a perfect choice to complement Thornwillow’s publication of her iconic Parable of the Sower.

For this publication, I researched and wrote an original introduction which is included within the volume. Upon request, this introduction may be made available as a writing sample.