SASFest Writer’s Craft—JEWELLE GOMEZ

Friday, March 27

11:30 AM – 12:45 PM-SAS Writer’s Craft

GOTHIC LIT: ROMANTIC AND BLOODY—JEWELLE GOMEZ

Gothic literature has several key identifiable elements: an atmosphere of dread; fear of supernatural occurrences; the intrusion of the past on the present; terrifying events that often are emblematic of psychological or social conflicts; lost lovers; and anticipation of torture. Early stories featured bloody dismemberments (or the fear of them); think about Poe’s “The Pit and the Pendulum!” Also common were hauntings by ghostly dead lovers, mythical beasts, possession, and somnambulistic adventures. This workshop will focus on elements in our society today that nurture the terrors abound in Gothic stories. What would we write using either a contemporary or historic setting that would tell us a moody, claustrophobic story filled with shadows and anxiety? We’ll explore story ideas, each participant creating one or two-line descriptions. Then we’ll talk in the session about how specifically such a story would develop. The hope is to leave each participant with the bones (pun intended) on which to build a complete story.

Hotel Monteleone, Lobby Level, Royal B.

Included in SAS Weekend Registration or $25.