Alternate Realities in Short Fiction [John Englehardt]

Intermediate | This class will focus on short stories that slightly shift reality in order to magnify our awareness of social constructs and the human condition. How do we create and write within worlds that are marginally bent by elements of magic, science fiction, dreams, and fantasy? In addition to discussing stories by authors such as Zadie Smith, Karen Russell, and Carmen Maria Machado, we’ll also undertake in-class and take-home writing exercises to generate new work within this genre.