Join us for a reading and moderated discussion with Philip K. Dick Award-winning author Bethany Jacobs.
After the reading, Bethany will be in conversation with author Alex Sanchez and Writers and Books director Michael Solis about Science Fiction, Censorship, and the Freedom to Read.
Science fiction can be a powerful, transformative medium that leads its readers to expand their understanding of what is possible. Authors have used science fiction to explore contemporary anxieties and imagine both utopian and dystopian futures. In this reading and discussion, we will delve into how science fiction can confront taboo themes and topics and how groundbreaking books have been met with resistance in the real world.
Bethany Jacobs hails from San Jose, California, but has been privileged to live all over the country. She earned a PhD in American Literature from the University of Oregon in 2014. After a ten-year career teaching writing and science fiction, she left academia in 2019 to work in the tech sector. Her debut novel, These Burning Stars (2023), won the 2024 Philip K. Dick Award, and was a finalist for the Dragon, BSFS, and Locus Awards. She was also a finalist for the World Science Fiction Association’s Astounding Award in 2025. She lives with her wife in Buffalo, New York.
Starting with the debut of Rainbow Boys in 2001, Alex Sanchez’s ten novels for young people have won the hearts of readers around the world. Originally from Mexico, Alex received his masters in guidance and counseling and worked for many years as a youth and family counselor. He now lives in upstate New York, and when not writing, he tours the United States talking with teens, librarians, and educators about the importance of teaching tolerance and self-acceptance.
Michael Solis became Executive Director of Writers & Books in September 2025. A writer and international development professional, he has worked across Asia, Africa, and Latin America leading nonprofit organizations and programs. Michael is the award-winning author of Deficient, a young adult science fiction novel, and an active member of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. He is deeply excited about uplifting diverse voices and sharing the craft of writing, and he is passionate about stories that explore themes of power, belonging, and transformation. In his free time, he loves yoga and exploring nature.
Science Fiction, Censorship, and the Freedom to Read will be held on Saturday, October 24, at 2:00 PM. If you’d like to attend this special event, please register now through our Event Calendar.
Published on October 17, 2026.
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