Exploring New Suns with Tara Campbell

Writers of color are on the vanguard of inventive and thought-provoking science fiction, fantasy, horror, and other stories that fall under the umbrella of speculative fiction. Let’s celebrate New Suns: Original Speculative Fiction by People of Color, Volume 2 (March 2023), with a discussion of the stories, examining the varied pasts, presents, and futures they explore.

Together, we’ll read through the anthology in segments, discussing a selection of stories that demonstrate how diverse authors like K. Tempest Bradford, Darcie Little Badger, Tananarive Due, Karin Lowachee, Saad Hossain, Kathleen Alcalá, and Jaymee Goh are examining human lives and cultures through alternate realities.

The class will meet online in three separate Zoom sessions lasting two hours each. Before the first meeting and in between meetings, students will read assigned stories, which we’ll discuss in class. Participants will be given discussion questions to spark thought ahead of class, and guest speakers will augment the discussion. The discussion questions don't have to be answered in writing--they are offered to help guide the discussion. 

Attendees will be expected to participate via chat, voice, and/or video. This class will not be recorded for privacy.

This class meets online for three 2-hour sessions.

Meeting Dates: Saturdays, Feb 24th, March 2nd, and March 9th, 10:00 am to 12 pm.

Requirements: Students will need a copy of New Suns: Original Speculative Fiction by People of Color, Volume 2 (March 2023) (in any format) and will read five stories per week (75 pages) for discussion.  Registered attendees will receive a discount code of 50% off digital copies purchased from the publisher. 
 

About the Instructor: 

Tara Campbell is an award-winning writer, teacher, Kimbilio Fellow, fiction co-editor at Barrelhouse, and graduate of American University's MFA in Creative Writing. She teaches creative writing at venues such as American University, Johns Hopkins University, Clarion West, The Writer's Center, Hugo House, and the National Gallery of Art. She's the author of a novel, two hybrid collections of poetry and prose, and two short story collections from feminist sci-fi publisher Aqueduct Press. Her sixth book, City of Dancing Gargoyles, is forthcoming from Santa Fe Writers Project (SFWP) in Fall 2024.

Website

This event will be held in Zoom. By registering for this class, you agree to follow the Clarion West Code of Conduct and Zoom policies. 

Limited Free Seating: 

We offer a percentage of seats in every class to People of the Global Majority (Asian, Black, African, Latina/o/x, Middle Eastern, Indigenous, Pacific Islander, and/or have been racialized as 'ethnic minorities') for free, regardless of financial need. 

Eligible folks should complete this form to enter the lottery for free seats.  If a seat is available, we will email you 7-10 days before the class begins. For more information, see our equity and inclusion policies.

A limited number of free physical copies will also be available to free seating attendees on a first-come, first-served basis. Contact us for more information.

Sliding Scale Pricing:

The Supporting Tuition rate is shown for each class or workshop for folks who can pay it. Paying the Supporting Tuition rate enables us to continue to pay our staff and instructors equitably and support access to classes for others who may be in a different situation. 

The Helping Hands rate is available to folks under more limited economic circumstances, no matter your background.

For more information, see our financial aid policies.

Our Refund Policy:

Clarion West will refund all class fees if the request is made 30 days before the class date. Refund requests made within 30 days of the class will be honored if we can fill the seat.

Any exceptions are subject to approval by our workshop staff.