The Future Is Now: Nnedi Okorafor in Conversation with Matt Bell

As part of a celebration of the ASU Department of English’s 125th anniversary, Professor of Practice Nnedi Okorafor discusses her latest work of metafiction, “Death of the Author” (2025) as well as the “She Who Knows” series in conversation with Professor Matt Bell, founding director of the ASU Worldbuilding Initiative. A reception will follow. 

Nnedi Okorafor is an award-winning, New York Times and international-bestselling writer of speculative fiction for adults and children. Her debut novel “Zahrah the Windseeker” won the prestigious Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa. Okorafor has since won the World Fantasy, Nebula and Eisner and multiple Hugo, Lodestar and Nommo Awards, amongst others, for her works. Okorafor holds a PhD in literature, two master’s degrees (journalism and literature) and lives in Phoenix, Arizona with her daughter Anyaugo. 

Matt Bell is the author most recently of the novel “Appleseed” (a New York Times Notable Book) and the craft book “Refuse to Be Done,” a guide to novel writing, rewriting, and revision. He is also the author of several other novels and short story collections and a nonfiction book. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, Esquire, Tin House, Fairy Tale Review, American Short Fiction, Orion, and many other publications. A native of Michigan, he teaches creative writing at ASU, where he directs the ASU Worldbuilding Initiative.

This anniversary event is also part Humanities Week at ASU, a celebration of the human adventure across time, history, culture and place.