HopePunk!: Imagining Positive Futures

Join us in welcoming authors Clara Ward, Ellis Bray, and Peter Damien to the Readings Gallery to share their fresh new short stories!
Do we dare hope? Yes, we do! When faced with the challenges of climate disaster, the indifference of those in power, and generally persevering as a tiny speck in a vast universe—we need hopeful stories. Authors Clara Ward, Ellis Bray, and Peter Damien will share variously neurodivergent and queer perspectives. They'll talk about writing outside-the-box alternatives. There will undoubtedly be mentions of cats and chocolate.
From their short stories in anthologies like Even Cozier Cosmic and The Neurodiversiverse: Alien Encounters to recent novel Be the Sea, these authors find energy and creative inspiration in the worries that keep others up at night. At least, they claim it's easier to sleep after fighting the good fight with a hopepunk bedtime story!
Would neurodiversity be an advantage in an encounter with aliens? Let's find out! The Neurodiversiverse: Alien Encounters is a hopeful anthology of neurodiversity-themed science fiction short stories, poetry and art for anyone who loves science fiction, who cares about neurodiversity, or who wants to see optimistic visions of the future.
Change is in the seas. Be the Sea traverses a near-future Pacific Ocean exploring sea creature perspectives, neurodivergence, and chosen family, while delving into our ecosystems, our selves, and how all futures intertwine. For all those who enjoy optimistic stories, innovative solutions, and chocolate!
Even Cozier Cosmic tells of the horrors that echo beneath our words, that slither in the corner of our vision, and that linger just inside the door. These are the horrors of indifference, inconsequence, and inevitability. There are cats, things that look like cats, and stories without cats at all.

Clara Ward lives in Silicon Valley on the border between reality and speculative fiction. Their latest novel, Be the Sea, explores a near-future ocean along with communication, community, and neurodiversity. Their short fiction has appeared in Strange Horizons, Small Wonders, and The Neurodiversiverse: Alien Encounters. When not using words to teach or tell stories, Clara uses wood, fiber, and glass to make practical or completely impractical objects. More of their words along with crafted creations can be found at: https://clarawardauthor.wordpress.com

Ellis Bray is a science fiction author and artist who lives in the vaguely Seattle area, with his two children and his elderly corgi/spaniel. He has a Master's degree in Medieval Scandinavian Studies and if you don't run away fast enough, he will download everything he knows about Old Norse poetry at you. You can find his short fiction in The Nonprofit Quarterly and SoulJar: 31 Fantastical Tales by Disabled Authors; his poetry in Eye To the Telescope and F&SF; and his artwork on Instagram at @idreamofvikings.

Peter Damien lives in the Seattle area with a million zillion books, a lot of tea, and a cat who probably won't do anything to save him if the books should ever avalanche. He's published short stories in an array of anthologies, magazines, and web-sites over the years, from Literary Hatchet to Something Wicked to European Monsters, and lots of other places. His nonfiction has appeared on BookRiot, QuirkBooks, SFSignal, and The Future Fire. He plays more Minecraft than he cares to admit.

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