In the realm of speculative fiction, few voices have resonated as powerfully as Octavia Butler’s. As we approach the anniversary of her passing on February 24th, we reflect on how this remarkable writer not only changed the landscape of science fiction but also challenged us to imagine different futures and alternate histories.

“All that you touch, you change. All that you change, changes you.”  – Octavia Butler, Parable of the Sower. 

Butler broke ground not just as a Black woman in a field dominated by White men, but as a visionary who dared to ask “what if?” in ways that transformed our understanding of power, gender, race, and humanity itself. Through works like Kindred, Parable of the Sower, and Wild Seed, she showed us that speculative fiction could be more than mere entertainment—it could be a lens through which we examine our society’s deepest assumptions and prejudices.

Her impact on the writing community cannot be overstated. Butler showed us that the most powerful stories often come from pushing beyond comfortable narratives. She taught us that alternative histories aren’t just about changing events—they’re about exploring the ripple effects of those changes on human society and consciousness.

This is why, in our HERitage Anthology series, we’ve chosen to honor her legacy by offering what we call a “Butlerization”—a play on the traditional term “Tuckerization” (where readers can appear as characters in stories). We chose this term deliberately because, like Butler’s work, our anthology seeks to reshape history through the lens of women’s experiences and potential.

Butler once said, “I began writing about power because I had so little.” Through her words, she claimed that power, using it to open doors for countless writers who followed. She showed us that speculative fiction could be both a mirror reflecting our society’s challenges and a window into possible solutions.

Today, we invite you to become part of this tradition of transformative storytelling. Currently, we’re running a Kickstarter to raise funds for volume 2 of our Heritage Anthology series in which women of history – be it the big and bold or the smaller moments throughout time. My contribution explores Maria Anna Mozart as a young composer prodigy, and Caroline Herschel, a budding astronomer, when they meet by chance in 1764 Salzburg. Both are destined to be overshadowed by their famous brothers. Their secret friendship, sparked by shared frustration and sustained through pranks and coded letters, blossoms into a quiet revolution. Twenty years later, they reunite with a daring plan that will change the course of both music and astronomy—and echo through centuries to come.

Through our Butlerization opportunity, you can insert your name or that of someone you admire into one of our stories, becoming part of an alternate history where women’s voices and achievements take center stage. Like Butler herself, these stories ask “what if?”—what if key moments in history had gone differently? What if women’s contributions hadn’t been erased or diminished?

The worlds Butler created continue to resonate because they speak to fundamental truths about human nature while imagining radical possibilities for change. This is the spirit we hope to capture in our anthology—stories that not only entertain but challenge, inspire, and transform.

As we remember Octavia Butler’s legacy, we celebrate not just what she achieved, but what she made possible for others to achieve. She showed us that the most powerful stories are those that dare to imagine different possibilities, different futures, different pasts. In her honor, we invite you to become part of this tradition of imagination and transformation.

Join us in reshaping history, one story at a time.

*To learn more about our Butlerization opportunity and become part of our anthology, visit our Kickstarter page at http://HERitageAnthology.com. Limited spots available.*