The Creative Writing workshop will focus on the exciting new genre of speculative historical fiction. The first part of the workshop will begin with an overview of the genre and an introduction to some of its most famous authors, including Philip K. Dick, A.S. Byatt, Jorge Luis Borges, and Hilary Mantel. Two short stories of speculative historical fiction will then be read. Theme of the Traitor and the Hero, by Borges and The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher by Hilary Mantel. Attendees will have the opportunity to discuss these stories and consider the possibilities of this narrative genre today.

In the second part of the workshop, participants will be invited to recall or narrate recent historical events from the 20th century—events they did not witness directly but which were passed down to them by family or acquaintances. Once these stories have been examined, participants will be offered various narrative techniques to work with these memories, respecting their historical essence while transforming them into literary pieces: short stories, poems, or chapters of a longer narrative. Above all, they will be encouraged to reflect on their own history and identity through fiction, creating a space in which to creatively explore historical events.

Inés G. Labart

Born in Madrid. Studied Modern Languages ​​and Communication at the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM). Completed a Master's degree in Creative Writing at Lancaster University, where he received the Chancellors' Medal for his thesis: “The Novel McTavish Manor”, which was published by Holland House Books in 2016. Later she obtained a PhD in Creative Writing from the same university.

She has lived in Ireland and Scotland, and now resides in southwest England. She writes and publishes in both Spanish and English. Her publications include a trilogy of novels for young adults. The Pentasonics (Edebé, 2008-2010), the gothic horror novel McTavish Manor (Holland House Books, 2016) and the novel Kabuki (Dairea, 2017). In 2023, Blackwater Press will publish her new novel. The Three Lives of St. Ciarán in the United Kingdom and the United States. This latest novel blends different genres, including magical realism, speculative fiction, and fantasy. She has written several short stories, which have been published in anthologies and British magazines. She has taught Creative Writing at Lancaster University, the University of Central Lancashire, and the University of Wolverhampton. Currently, Inés works as a Creative Writing lecturer at the University of Plymouth. Since 2018, she has hosted the podcast and digital magazine. The Wandering Bard.