Bestselling author Kwame Mbalia, known for his popular middle-grade fantasy novels, will visit Fishers later this month for a special appearance at the Hamilton East Public Library.

Mbalia is the creator of the acclaimed Tristan Strong series, which blends African American folklore and West African mythology into fast-paced adventures aimed at middle-school readers. The first book in the series, Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, became a New York Times bestseller and launched a trilogy that has earned praise for its imaginative storytelling and cultural depth.

In addition to the Tristan Strong books, Mbalia co-authored the Afrofuturist adventure series Last Gate of the Emperor with Prince Joel David Makonnen and has been involved in several other literary projects that highlight diverse voices in children’s literature.

Mbalia will appear at the Fishers branch of the Hamilton East Public Library on Monday, March 24 at 6 p.m., where readers will have an opportunity to hear from the author and learn more about his work.

Ahead of that visit, Mbalia joined me for a podcast conversation discussing the inspiration behind the Tristan Strong books, the role mythology plays in his storytelling, writing for middle-school readers, and his path to becoming a bestselling author.

The LarryInFishers.com podcast series is sponsored by Citizens State Bank.

You can listen to the full podcast interview below, listen to the audio only at this link and the video version using this link…or use the links below.