Kemi Ashing-Giwa
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kashinggiwa.bsky.social
Kemi Ashing-Giwa
@kashinggiwa.bsky.social
4.3K followers 140 following 280 posts
Writer, grad student, kazooist (she/they)

The Splinter in the Sky (2023), This World Is Not Yours (2024), The King Must Die (2025), assorted short stories, & some other stuff

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kashinggiwa.bsky.social
In the mood for a space opera adventure reviewers have affectionately called “tear-apart-the-empire-with-your-bare-hands wish fulfillment”?

THE SPLINTER IN THE SKY eBook is currently 1.99 *again*!

✨ bookshop.org/p/books/the-...

✨ www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/...
Illustration of Enitan (a Black woman with brown skin and short black hair in a green tunic) and her sibling Xiang (a Chinese person in a reddish-brown tunic) by @ashcremated on Tumblr.
January 14, 2026 at 5:57 PM
kashinggiwa.bsky.social
Happy New Year's Eve, y'all!!

This just in: THE SPLINTER IN THE SKY is 1.99 on Bookshop and Rakuten Kobo too!

✨ Bookshop: bookshop.org/p/books/the-...

✨ Kobo: www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/...
Illustration of Enitan (a Black woman with brown skin and short black hair in a green tunic) and her sibling Xiang (a Chinese person in a reddish-brown tunic) by @ashcremated on Tumblr.
January 1, 2026 at 4:25 AM
kashinggiwa.bsky.social
Woah, this is news to me!

Hey, peeps! My very first book is currently on sale for just 2 bucks! Both the eBook AND the hardcover, apparently? It's about a tea specialist-turned-assassin who embarks on an epic quest to rescue her kidnapped sibling... in SPACE.

Also HAPPY NEW YEAR!

amzn.to/3N13YcS
Cover of The Splinter in the Sky. A Black woman in a green, gold-embroidered tunic and yellow pants faces a huge floating monolith.
December 31, 2025 at 11:35 PM
kashinggiwa.bsky.social
Heyo! The annual Barnes & Noble pre-order sale is here! Nearly all upcoming books are 25% off... including BEING ARO, a collection of aromantic stories about love, connection, and empowerment, edited by @rosieethor.bsky.social & @madelinetheauthor.bsky.social!

www.barnesandnoble.com/w/being-aro-...
Graphic for the B&N preorder sale featuring the Being Aro cover, which depicts a dark-haired, medium-complexioned person drawing an arrow over a lime-green cover.
December 30, 2025 at 7:38 PM
kashinggiwa.bsky.social
🌌 A tea specialist-turned-assassin embarks on a quest to rescue her sibling.
🪐 Scientists & soldiers try to colonize a planet, only to discover their new home can fight back.

There are a few signed copies of THE SPLINTER IN THE SKY and THIS WORLD IS NOT YOURS at @greenapplebooks.bsky.social in SFO!
Cover of The Splinter in the Sky. A Black woman in a green tunic stands in front of a huge floating diamond-shaped structure reflecting the starscape before her. Cover of This World Is Not Yours. A white man in personal protective equipment stands among lush bioluminescent foliage, grinning into the distance.
December 12, 2025 at 11:06 PM
kashinggiwa.bsky.social
THE KING MUST DIE has been out for a whole month! To celebrate, I’m giving away 3 signed + personalized author copies. To enter, repost this and comment below with the last great story you read!
Graphic for The King Must Die Giveaway. The background is from the cover, illustrated by Eleonor Piteira, but with a purple/orange tint. A Black woman stands before an alien sky--a glowing sun and and dramatic rings.
December 4, 2025 at 8:19 PM
kashinggiwa.bsky.social
Starting your holiday shopping and looking for new books? You can grab a signed copy of THE KING MUST DIE in-person at @booksinc.bsky.social (Palo Alto) or Walden Pond (Oakland), or order from Noe Valley Books (SF)!

noevalleybooks.com/list/kemi-as...
Cover of TKMD by the fantastic Eleonor Pitera (https://eleonorpiteira.squarespace.com/). A Black woman in a red tunic stands before a crowd of ghostlike figures holding swords.
December 2, 2025 at 11:55 PM
kashinggiwa.bsky.social
Woe, free audiobook be upon ye!

I just got author links for the audiobook of The King Must Die and I've decided to share. Y'all don't even need to do anything to get 'em. Links below, one download each. First come, first served. [1/2]
Woe, The King Must Die audiobook be upon ye! It's that one Eminem meme of him throwing something, and the something is my third book :)
November 25, 2025 at 10:03 PM
kashinggiwa.bsky.social
Hi! There are a TON of signed copies of THE KING MUST DIE and THIS WORLD IS NOT YOURS at Books Inc. in Palo Alto!

What are they about, you ask? TKMD is about a reluctant rebel who teams up with a necromancer to save her friends, and TWINY is about a doomed colonization project on a sentient planet.
Cover of The King Must Die (a science fantasy novel) Cover of This World Is Not Yours (a science-fiction horror novella)
November 19, 2025 at 5:28 PM
kashinggiwa.bsky.social
On a planet damaged by rushed terraforming, a bodyguard-turned-reluctant rebel joins the last dregs of her parents’ failed uprising...

THE KING MUST DIE is out today! If you love stories about found families, revolutions, and second chances, this book’s for you.
Cover for THE KING MUST DIE, illustrated by the amazing Eleonor Piteira.
November 4, 2025 at 5:31 PM
kashinggiwa.bsky.social
Twenty years ago, her parents’ rebellion failed. This is the story of what happened after.

THE KING MUST DIE comes out tomorrow!

bookshop.org/p/books/the-...
Drawing showing the two main characters of the book, Fen and Alekhai, back to back, facing off against hidden enemies. Art by Eepz.
November 3, 2025 at 5:06 PM
kashinggiwa.bsky.social
Hey folks! The King Must Die comes out in two days! (AHH) Here's a blurb from the incredible @yumewrites.bsky.social, author of The Deep Sky, The Stardust Grail, and Saltcrop.

Please consider requesting TKMD at your local library!
Graphic showing a snippet of a blurb from author Yume Kitasei: “Ashing-Giwa demonstrates her master worldbuilding skills in her new dystopian science fantasy, The King Must Die. A stunning, continually surprising novel focused on friendship and the value of resisting autocracy even when it seems hopeless – it’s everything I need right now.”
November 2, 2025 at 10:01 PM
kashinggiwa.bsky.social
Just 3 days before THE KING MUST DIE comes out! I'm thrilled to share these very kind words from @hanalee.bsky.social, author of the Magebike Courier duology!

Preorder TKMD: www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Ki...
...then grab a free digital poster by Eepz: www.simonandschuster.com/p/the-king-m...
Graphic with blurb snippet from author Hana Lee: “The world of The King Must Die is a shattered, starving place, and yet the scenery and culture are so lush with detail that every description felt like a feast. Fen, the novel’s protagonist, is friendless and alone–but the people she bonds with along the road to revolution are everything an SFF reader hopes for when they hear the words “found family.” ...The King Must Die begins as a whisper and swells into a war cry.”
November 1, 2025 at 11:25 PM
kashinggiwa.bsky.social
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! 🎃 🦇 👻

No tricks here, only treats: in just four days, THE KING MUST DIE will be out in the world, and I’ve got a new blurb to share from @authortachan.bsky.social!

Storygraph: app.thestorygraph.com/books/219bde...

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/book/show/22...
Graphic showing a blurb snippet from author T.A. Chan: “ The King Must Die seizes you by the throat and doesn't let go until the very last page… Filled with complex political intrigue, a scrappy band of found family, and an exploration of power and the sacrifices that go hand-in-hand with it, this book will linger in your mind long after the end. Kemi Ashing-Giwa always delivers an exceptional sci-fi!"
October 31, 2025 at 4:59 PM
kashinggiwa.bsky.social
THE KING MUST DIE hits shelves in less than a week!! Here's what @karenjbao.bsky.social, author of Pangu's Shadow and The Dove Chronicles, had to say about the book!

You can preorder it from a local indie bookstore here: bookshop.org/p/books/the-...
Graphic with blurb from author Karen Bao: "I love The King Must Die. This story is a wild ride through empire, history, and an endlessly interesting world grounded by the very real friendships at the center."
October 30, 2025 at 8:45 PM
kashinggiwa.bsky.social
Here's the second (and very generous) review of THE KING MUST DIE, which hits shelves in less than two weeks!

www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews...

Interested? You can preorder it here: bookshop.org/p/books/the-...
Graphic with the book's cover art as the background and a snippet of the Kirkus review: "Ashing-Giwa has created a world run by imperial technocrats who bleed their planet dry of its resources at the expense of their poorer neighbors’ lives. Although the technology sometimes feels indistinguishable from magic, the novel is deeply rooted in science fiction, and it never strays too far from those roots.... A bold and refreshing new SF adventure from one of this generation’s writers to watch.”
October 24, 2025 at 11:28 PM
kashinggiwa.bsky.social
Hey BlueSky! On Friday, November 14th, my friend Béline and I will be chatting with a bunch of fantastic Bay Area authors at Fireside Books in Redwood City! RSVP here: luma.com/pk9do4vh
Poster for the event featuring the authors (Julia Vee, Nihkil Prabala, Julie Leong, Janie Kim, Millie Abecassis, and Janie Kim) and the moderators (Beline Falzon and me!)
October 23, 2025 at 7:52 PM
kashinggiwa.bsky.social
Heyo! On Tuesday, 11/4 join me and *the* @hanalee.bsky.social at Books Inc. for THE KING MUST DIE’s book launch!
Graphic showing TKMD cover on a starry blue background, noting the event's start time at 7PM and location at Books Inc. in Palo Alto.
October 21, 2025 at 7:51 PM
kashinggiwa.bsky.social
BEING ARO is a multi-genre collection of short fiction that shines a light on aromantic relationships and experiences, and I'm so grateful to be a part of it!

Also, you can get it 25% off if you pre-order through Barnes & Noble during the next 3 days! 💚

www.barnesandnoble.com/w/being-aro-...
September 3, 2025 at 9:18 PM
kashinggiwa.bsky.social
My next novel, THE KING MUST DIE, comes out from @sagapressbooks.bsky.social this November. And now it has its first review!

www.publishersweekly.com/9781668061015

You can preorder it here! www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Ki...
Image showing Fen, the main character from the novel, with a few lines from the starred Publishers Weekly review: "Ashing-Giwa wows in this brilliantly immersive novel set 500 years after humanity left Earth to begin again on Newearth, an exodus enabled by the help of mysterious aliens known as the Makers. Despite the new lease on life offered by this opportunity, impatient settlers recklessly sped up the terraforming process, leading to dire environmental consequences felt in the present day... Ashing-Giwa’s dystopian sci-fi worldbuilding is staggering, and her heroine proves easy to root for. Readers will be enthralled.”
August 27, 2025 at 8:15 PM
kashinggiwa.bsky.social
Preorder links for THE KING MUST DIE, my science fantasy novel about found family, revolution, and second chances are live! Submit receipts via this form to receive a digital poster, drawn by the incredible Eepz.

www.simonandschuster.com/p/the-king-m...
Digital poster promotion. The poster, featuring the four main characters of The King Must Die, was drawn by the incredible Eepz! They're on Twitter/X and Tumblr.
August 11, 2025 at 5:49 PM
kashinggiwa.bsky.social
THE KING MUST DIE comes out in just a few months! I’m doing a giveaway for a signed ARC, plus a @sagapressbooks.bsky.social tote bag and bookmark. To enter, repost this + share the title of the last great book you read below! The winner will be chosen at random on 7/28.
Saga Press tote bag + bookmark, ARC of The King Must Die
July 21, 2025 at 7:18 AM
kashinggiwa.bsky.social
After a devastating battle, a reluctant rebel is forced to work with a dangerous enemy to save their world.

In the mood for a book about found family, fighting technofascism, and second chances? There are 100 free copies of The King Must Die available on GR: www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sho...
July 15, 2025 at 6:05 PM
kashinggiwa.bsky.social
The Splinter in the Sky is somehow two years old! Please enjoy this lovely drawing of Enitan and Xiang by the unbelievably talented @ashcremated on Tumblr.
Illustration of Enitan (right) and Xiang (left), two of the main characters of The Splinter in the Sky. Enitan is a Black woman with short black hair and warm brown skin. She wears a green tunic with a patterned shoulder scarf. Xiang is an East Asian person with shoulder-length black hair and light copper skin. They wear a reddish-brown tunic with a slightly darker gilet. They're drinking tea together.
July 11, 2025 at 8:48 PM
kashinggiwa.bsky.social
Heyo! If you love all things sci-fi, fantasy, and horror, the 2025 @locusmag.bsky.social fundraiser is now live!

Snag a PDF of all the deleted scenes from This World Is Not Yours (plus commissioned art), available as a thank you gift for your donation!

www.indiegogo.com/projects/loc...
Locus fundraiser poster Jesse, Amara, and Vinh from This World Is Not Yours
May 5, 2025 at 8:37 PM