Madrid, Spain – best-selling fantasy authors P. Djélì Clark and Fonda Lee headlined a creative writing event at Saint Louis University-Madrid (SLU-Madrid) this june, sparking significant engagement across the campus and offering students unique insights into the craft of speculative fiction. The event, co-sponsored by the SLU-Madrid English department, combined a roundtable discussion with a hands-on writing workshop, attracting students from a range of disciplines beyond English.
The initiative underscores SLU-Madrid’s commitment to fostering interdisciplinary learning and providing students with opportunities to connect with leading professionals in their fields. The festival’s success signals a potential for future collaborations between the English department and prominent figures in contemporary literature, enriching the academic experience for students and solidifying the university’s position as a hub for creative and intellectual exchange.
The event commenced with a roundtable discussion moderated by SLU-Madrid English professor Timothy Ryan Day, Ph.D.,exploring the analytical benefits of fantasy and speculative fiction. participants delved into themes encompassing dystopian societies, historically-inspired narratives, and forward-looking storytelling. Following the roundtable, Clark and Lee led a creative writing workshop, offering students direct instruction from established voices in the genre.
Anne Mulhall, Ph.D., director of the English program at SLU-Madrid, recounted a fittingly dramatic start to the event’s planning process: the initial Zoom meeting in June coincided with a national blackout in Spain, which she described as “a good foreshadowing of the fantasy element.” Mulhall expressed the department’s enthusiasm for participation, stating, “We’re delighted to be involved. We’re flattered to be part sponsoring.”
Students from short story, creative writing, and news writing courses attended, alongside interaction majors who engaged with discussions on the gothic and cinematic dimensions of fantasy storytelling. A photograph by Fernando Béjar captured Clark,Day,and Lee during a panel discussion in the San Ignacio Hall Auditorium. Mulhall observed that the visit generated “a lot of buzz,” with many students remaining after the workshop to seek advice and share their own writing. The event emphasized not onyl writing technique and organization but also the practical realities of publishing.
