Exploring Science and Magic in Fiction: The Empirical, Arcane, & Amalgum

INSTRUCTOR: AP Hawkins
​TIME: Wednesday, April 2, 6-9 pm CST/CDT
PRICE: Early bird price: $45 for members, $60 for nonmembers. The deadline for early bird pricing is Thursday, March 27. After Thursday, March 27: $55 for members, $70 for nonmembers. Become a member here. Apply for a scholarship here.
LOCATION: Writespace, 1907 Sabine Street, #125, Houston, TX 77007 (map).
LEVEL: All levels
CAP: 15

Creativity knows no bounds when it comes to science and magic in fiction. Science fiction and fantasy authors use magic and technology to build unbelievable worlds and superhuman characters, or even to make a point about society or human nature. Whether use as a set dressing or plot device, “hard” or soft”, the empirical and the arcane are generally considered to be separate and distinct. Science is not magic, and vice versa. But the growing sci-fantasy genre wields an amalgam of science and magic to great effect, its authors stretching their creativity further than ever before. After all, according to Arthur C. Clarke’s third law: “any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”

Join science fiction and fantasy author A.P. Hawkins for a three-hour course dedicated to celebrating the magic and technology of science fiction and fantasy. Learn about the various ways authors use magic and technology in fiction, build your TBR, and participate in class exercises that will inspire your own creativity.

A.P. Hawkins is a biologist turned speculative fiction author and editor based in Houston, Texas. Her short fiction has appeared in various magazines and anthologies, including Analog Science Fiction and Fact and The Librarian anthology series from Air and Nothingness Press. A.P. is a co-host of Writers Lunch, a weekly online writing workshop, and a co-founder of Tomeworks, an editing collective dedicated to helping genre authors build better books. When she’s not writing or editing, A.P. enjoys gaming, crafting, and spending time outdoors. For updates on her writing and other endeavors, you can follow A.P. on social media (@ahawkwrites) or visit her website, aphawkinsauthor.com.

Photo by Evgeni Tcherkasski on Unsplash

Host or Publisher Writespace