In a world hemmed in by clocks, schedules and 'business as usual', science fiction reminds us of the value of dreams, capturing our epic capacity for good and evil. Build imaginary worlds, join in philosophical games, crack wild and bitter jokes and conjure visions both alarming and alluring. For all prose writers keen to experiment, the week will introduce a genre spectacularly in tune with our times.
Comprising a mixture of group workshops, private writing time and one-to-one tutorials, the course takes place in a beautiful 16th-century manor house in Totleigh Barton, one of the most peaceful and idyllic parts of Devon. There is a beautiful and productive garden and orchard, the recently renovated barn offers a comfortable space for evening readings and it's just two miles from the village of Sheepwash, with walks along the nearby River Torridge.
A stellar line-up of course tutors includes:
Simon Ings, editor of 'Arc', a literary quarterly from New Scientist. His books include The Eye, A Natural History of Seeing, and novels The Weight of Numbers and Dead Water. He is writing a history of Soviet science.
Liz Jensen is the author of eight novels spanning several genres, including science fiction, among them Ark Baby, The Rapture and The Uninvited. Her work has been nominated for several awards, developed for film, and translated into more than 20 languages.
Guest: M. John Harrison. His novel Climbers won the Boardman Tasker Prize in 1989. His most recent novel is Empty Space.
Arvon's philosophy is "Everyone who crosses the door of one of our writing houses is a writer, no matter their age or writing experience". We all know that writing can be a lonely pursuit and writing time is precious so maybe it's time to take advantage of a tailor made course and head down to glorious Devon for what promises to be a truly inspiring week.
More details and booking can be found at the Arvon web site:
http://www.arvon.org/course/science-fiction/