Speculative fiction has grown in popularity and is enjoyed by many in the African American community. Often described as science fiction, horror, suspense or fantasy, works of this type explore the what if? We are frequently presented with alternative realities that create a world that exists within the writer's mind. Yet we are fascinated when allowed to be an observer in this exploration. Familiar names like Octavia Butler, Nalo Hopkinson, Tananarive Due, Steven Barnes, Sheree Thomas, L. A. Banks, and Walter Mosley are some of the authors who write in this genre.