Beneath the Shimmer: Tales of the Masked

By Rolondo Talbott

BENEATH THE SHIMMER: Tales of the Masked In this collection of interconnected stories, Rolondo Talbott unveils a world parallel to our own where Black and Brown people wear invisible "Masks" - neural interfaces that filter their expressions, modulate their voices, and guide their every interaction in white spaces. These technological shields offer protection and opportunity, but at what cost? Rolondo Talbott's haunting collection uses speculative fiction to illuminate the exhausting performance of code-switching, the weight of double consciousness, and the price of acceptance in America. These stories ask: What happens when the performance becomes indistinguishable from the performer? When protection becomes prison? When the technology that shields you is turned against you? Beneath the Shimmer pulls back the veil on the exhausting performance of existing in spaces not designed for you. Through the lens of speculative fiction, Talbott crafts a powerful metaphor that will leave readers questioning what masks they themselves might wear. For fans of Octavia Butler, N.K. Jemisin, and Black Mirror, these tales of technology, identity, and survival illuminate truths that have always been hiding in plain sight - visible only to those who know where to look.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0F679XYW5
• ISBN13: 9798281211413
• Release Date: April 2025
• Publisher: Independently published
• Length: 146 Pages
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.3" x 6.0"