Category: Brunel University

We Wrote a Book During a Pandemic

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by Chloe Perrin

In May 2020, Britain went indoors and stayed there. Out of this sudden extreme burrowing came a flood of tweets and Insta posts documenting the myriad of activities the country was using to keep itself occupied while the world outside shut down.

Some people learned to knit. Others took up yoga.

We, the Horror, Sci Fi and Fantasy module class of 2020, wrote a book.

(Look! our book is the #1 hot new release on Amazon!)

Robots, Rogues and Revenants is an example of what happens when a group of writers are told to use their imaginations during possibly the most anxiety inducing period of their lives. And when you read the anthology of short stories for yourself, you’ll get to experience first-hand the kind of book a global catastrophe makes.

While it’s nice to have something soft and comforting during a time of such ridiculous uncertainty, some of us decided instead to really lean into the catharsis of creating something even scarier than the situation we were already in. I’m not exaggerating when I say this book contains a deliciously wide variety of nightmares, from the relentless pestering cries of the undead to the best canned meat you’ll find this side of London.

And I’m warning you now. There is gore. Lots and lots of gore.

You won’t be safe from it in the non-horror genres either – even our high fantasy authors decided to splatter a sizeable amount of blood on their pages, mixing magic with deaths so bloody they would make George R.R. Martin squirm.

But don’t worry about it too much. If gut squeezing, bone snapping horror isn’t quite what you’re into at the moment, we can respect that. When locked inside for months on end escapism is the name of the game, which is why entire pantheons of gods live in this book. Feeling terrified by the present day? Go back centuries to a time where deities and fairies mixed with mortals. Or maybe you’re simply missing the present we had only a few months ago, and just one more party will do – no problem. The amazingly cosplay-able rave witches of London have got your back.

And there’s the future, of course, where you’ll be provided with a service that allows you ownership of a late loved one’s memories – and in that vein I should really warn you that one or two stories will definitely have you wiping away a tear. Sadness is a catharsis too, and who doesn’t need a good cry while the outside world upends itself?

There is something wonderfully unique about Robots, Rogues and Revenants, not just in what it is but when. This book is a time capsule of a group’s imaginations during a global pandemic. Real life will always influence the stories we produce, making each story in this anthology probably the strangest insight into the strangest time a lot of us have ever or will ever live through.

Which is exactly why you should pick it up right now and read it.

(All proceeds to NHS combined charities)

Chloe Perrin is a North Walian writer living in West London. Her writing has been featured in previous anthologies such as Hillingdon Literary Festival’s We Are Here and Brunel University’s Letters to my Younger Self, and her one act play The Ghost We Live With was produced by Studio Brunel in 2019. She hopes to continue creating funny, strange, and oddly depressing pieces until someone finally stops her.

Book cover design contest: #Horror #Scifi #Fantasy anthology

On By brunelwriterIn Brunel University, Submission CallsLeave a comment

Brunel University London’s 2nd year undergrad Creative Writing students are preparing to launch their latest anthology of short flash fiction.

Robots, Rogues & Revenants is a collection of flash fiction in the horror, sci-fi and fantasy genres, and will be published in e-book format later this year.

The competition for the cover design is open to all Brunel University London Undergraduate students. If you win, as well as seeing your design on the book & your name credited in the book, we will send you your own e-book copy, and it’s a great addition to your CV.

The design needs to be:

  • High-resolution, 300 dpi .png/.jpg format OR Photoshop .psd format
  • Dimensions: 2,560 (height) x 1,600 (width) pixels
  • Please keep back-up copies of your working files so they can be easily edited.

Entries must be submitted by:
Monday 13th July 2020
by 5pm

to Mr Frazer Lee via email (frazer.lee@brunel.ac.uk) with the subject header:
‘ROBOTS, ROGUES & REVENANTS’

See the previous genre anthology covers for inspiration:

Good luck & happy designing!

Brunel Creative Writing MA Students Write, Record and Mix an Album in a Week

On By brunelwriterIn Brunel University, Lockdown Stories, Student's StoriesLeave a comment

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By Alex and Simone Ayling-Moores

The coronavirus pandemic has affected everyone. Whether it’s our collective isolation and restrictions leaving home comforts, or those fears and concerns for both loved ones, and those we’ll never meet: it is a uniquely uncertain time for almost all of us around the globe.

As both musicians and music teachers (and aspiring writers too!) we had the prospect of losing  a big chunk of our income so, instead of twiddling our thumbs, we decided to try and make something positive from all of this.

Thus the challenge to write, record and mix an album, all in one week, was something we set ourselves… and WE DID IT! Pushing through early mornings and very late evenings, the compositions were crafted and recorded with passion (and a lot of persistence!).

It wasn’t easy. But that’s not to say that it wasn’t fun too!

The album, entitled ‘Escapism’, was started on Monday (March 23rd) and was released Sunday (March 29th). It’s an eclectic album, which presents listeners with a smorgasbord of musicality. From dark harmonies, and electronic distortions, to offbeat lyrics and exotic rhythms, the album blends styles and genres to surprise, entertain and delight.

Like its title suggests, we want it to be a space you can escape into for forty minutes or so, and catch a little novelty and intrigue in moments of dismay and doubt.

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‘Escapism’ is available for download through the link below for merely a fiver.

Any download or share really is massively appreciated – if we can make up even an hour’s worth of lost earning from this, it will all have been worth it!

https://alexandsim.bandcamp.com

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The Brunel Writer Prize 2019

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The Brunel Writer Prize is awarded to the student(s) who achieves the highest graded 600 word article submission for the Creative Industries module on Brunel University’s Creative Writing programme. This year’s prize is shared between two students: Renée Dacres and Russell Christie. Renée’s article discusses diversity in the publishing industry and a new publishing venture that aims to address diverse representation in children’s books. Russell’s article focuses on autobiographical writing and in particular, perceptions related to working class fiction and autobiography.

Congratulations to Renée and Russell.

THE KNIGHTS OF CONUNDRUM:

Is the publishing industry really changing?

by Renée Dacres

Knights-Of-logo-01-787x175So, you want to be able to sniff a freshly printed book hot off the press? Maybe even a book you’ve had a hand in publishing?

As Creative Writing students, it’s often assumed that many of us have a love of books (but don’t worry, I won’t tell Will Self if you don’t). To that end, it’s also assumed that many of us want to get involved with the publishing industry.

As a Brunelian, you are part of a very diverse community and some of us may be guilty of taking that for granted at times. University is enough of a bubble in its own right, without taking into consideration what and who comprise our environment.

The Equality Act 2010 prompted the start of Brunel’s Student Success Project following their five-year plan for 2015-2020. The scheme looks specifically at why there are gaps in the attainment of 2:1 and first class degrees for BAME students. Whether there is actionable proof of improvements is unknown because of the lack of available data.

The progress of racial diversity within the publishing industry is also questionable. There is certainly a push to encourage more BAME candidates to apply for entry roles, what with initiatives like Hachette’s Fresh Chapters eight-week internship programme or HarperCollins’ BAME Traineeship . If you ask me, it seems likes these schemes amount to noise and not much else. After all, research by The Publishers’ Association from 2018 shows that the percentage of BAME respondents to the Diversity and Inclusion survey fell from 13% to 11.6% compared to 2017. The 1.4% fall suggests that these schemes aren’t doing enough to encourage BAME candidates to apply for roles.

Let’s compare these figures to those of us studying at Brunel.

In 2014, there were 14335 students at Brunel. Of those students studying at Brunel who are UK-domicile (i.e. home students) almost 38.8% of the total student population was classified as BAME, not accounting for those who did not wish to disclose their ethnicity. That is around 5590 students. If the publishing industry was to use the student body at Brunel, they would have to increase the number of BAME employees by 27.2%.

That’s over a quarter of the entire workforce!

However, with the birth of Knights Of, it seems that there is actionable proof that the publishing industry is trying to change. Knights Of is a publishing house dedicated to increasing diverse representation in children’s books.

Their shake-up of the submission process is also worth logging in your writer brain. Authors are free to pitch their novel ideas through a “Live Chat” function with one of the team and if they like your idea enough, they’ll ask you to send over a synopsis. This seems a lot less scary than submitting to an agent or publisher the way we normally would, don’t you think? I think this level of approachability is very important; not only when it comes to encouraging BAME authors to submit their novels, but also when it comes to making job applications. The publishing industry is notoriously aloof, so it seems that a shift in tone is necessary if the PA truly wish to achieve their goals of improving ethnic diversity.

The Publishers’ Association suggests that 15% of employees should be Black, Asian and minority ethnic. This is despite the fact that the 2011 census data suggests that 24% of the population in England and Wales would be considered BAME.

Alternatively, the publishing industry should be aiming for a workforce which is representative of the country’s demographics. Hence, they should aim for closer to Brunel’s representative 38.8% BAME demographic. After all, even if that target is not met, it’s still a significant improvement on current conditions.

Maybe if more of us felt like we were represented by the books being published and the people who publish them, we wouldn’t be so worried about offending Professor Self? Because we’d all love books.

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Renée Dacres is a writer of stories, screenplays and personal essays hailing from the grey area that is the Essex/ London fringe. Which one is it? Nobody knows. She has hopes of writing a novel in the future, with interests in both publishing and television development. If you have penchant for ramblings, you can find plenty on her blog.

 

 

 

FACTION FICTIONS

by Russell Christie

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Unfortunately, the Spread-the-Word, life-writing competition email didn’t tell me why my submission had not made the longlist for this year’s prize, just that it hadn’t. Leaving me to my own speculations as to why my story had not made the cut. Was my life-writing too fictionalised for their category? Memoir may be the new novel, but is novel the new memoir? What is the relationship between autobiography and fiction and how does the autobiographical fiction I had submitted differ from what is categorised as life-writing? And: is memoir what it used to be?

An event at Brunel – an examination of autobiografiction in light of The Burnett Archive of working class autobiographies – offered to further stoke my grief-fuelled speculations, or ameliorate them with free wine!

Working class investment in writing autobiographically based fictions has historically been modulated by conscious political positioning of the texts by the genre’s major exponents, apparently. Autobiography fictionalized enables distance and circumspection in using the material of a life. It is a different mode of exposition from the promised authentic intimacies of memoir: it takes place in a fiction form. Significant scenes are often transposed onto other incarnations and protagonists in a distancing that mediates against easy nostalgia. Stripped of the requirement for a psychological accounting of self, this fictionalising ‘shows’ the basic facts. The distinction between fiction and memory in this context is one of genre markers based on style and perspective rather than documentary truth. Fiction is showing, memoir is telling, life-writing is telling by showing.

I reflected that the frequent designation of working class fiction as inherently autobiographical, characterizes working class people as inescapably marked by their situation in a way that middle class writers supposedly transcend. Working class fiction gets categorised as autobiographical because it is suffused with a coal dust which does not appear in the milieu of a middle class oblivious to its own saturated marking with clean crockery and Evelyn Waugh conversations. The middle class, of course, are equally marked by the biographical limitations of the bourgeois imagination. Aren’t they, Alan Hollinghurst?

Denying autobiographical pertinence to your writing – even to speculative fiction – is to pretend that the imagination is undetermined and un-situated: a standard bourgeois conceit and ideological ploy. Fiction no more exists than freedom. Everything I write displays my historic circumstances. I cannot help but express the autobiographical configurations of my life, channelling the people who have influenced me, the travel I have been privileged to, the language that gives birth to this tongue and no other. How would I write outside of this? There is no universal writing, or even any universal to know, apart from this binding we are all subject to: this thrown-ness into our own narrow and total worlds, which we then only transcend through sharing as a limitation, as a specific embodiment, as ourselves.

And where is the proof that would differentiate fact from fiction? Even if you video your whole life, what would you be evidencing in the editing: psychological structure, political reality, one story among others? It’s a naïve understanding of truth that easily marks fiction from documentary. As in the contemporary shift from nostalgically reflective, purple prosaic memoir to the stripped back, New Journalist, first person prose of life-writing, it is the form that distinguishes genres rather than the events these forms are built around.

It is the tenor, the intimacy, the pose, the hands-up, the hidden-ness, the sentences, the perspective that distinguishes fiction from life-writing and memoir. These are genre markers. Fiction has a fiction form, irrespective of its factuality. Self assertion, ownership and marketing is part of the form of contemporary autobiografiction. And what you remember, told as fiction, is not memoir. Except perhaps for Thomas Wolfe’s Of Time And The River and, ahem, my submission to the life-writing prize. Is there more wine?

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Russell Christie is a novelist and procrastinator who’s lived in several countries, often undercover and in various states of legitimacy. He enjoys throwing in curve balls from left field, especially dialectical materialism (still!) and Buddhist ontology. He came to Brunel (like everywhere) to escape the forces of the state but ended up quite liking it (like everywhere). His first novel, The Queer Diary of Mordred Vienna was published in 2015.

Guest blogger Lucy Hunt, Winner of the Brunel English writing prize 2018-19

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Congratulations to Theatre and English undergraduate Lucy Hunt who is the overall Winner in this year’s English writing prize at Brunel University London.

Read on for Lucy’s guest blog:

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image copyright Dominion Theatre / Bat Out Of Hell The Musical

I would do anything to watch Bat Out of Hell again (and I would do that!)

by Lucy Hunt

EnglishBlogPicture2It is safe to say I was a ‘bat out of hell’ when tickets went on sale for Jim Steinman’s award-winning musical at the Dominion Theatre earlier this year. If the large, fiery motorbike towering over the entrance isn’t enough of a hint, this musical is loud, excessive, and it’s batshit crazy!

Since its opening, Bat Out of Hell has received divided opinion due to its lack of conformity to a typical musical – instead, it seems more like a fairy-tale being held hostage by a rock concert. It centres on Strat, the forever eighteen-year-old leader of a group of mutants called “The Lost” whose DNA froze during a chemical war, causing them to stay young for ever. Raven, who later becomes Strat’s love interest, is locked away in her room by her father Falco, the ruler of the dystopian land of Obsidian. If Peter Pan and Rapunzel didn’t just pop into your head, you will probably be amongst the confused half of critics who don’t understand the unusual yet captivating style this musical takes on.

The jarred storyline is matched by the equally jarred yet extraordinary cinematography that director Jay Scheib brings to the musical. Throughout certain scenes of the show, cameramen are on stage and the actors perform to the camera rather than the audience. As the video is projected across the backdrop, so much is going on in all parts of the stage. It is this futuristic style that makes this musical so different but refreshing for the theatre industry. It brings the advantages of the cinema into the theatre, exploiting the strengths of both movie-making and theatre to create an explosive masterpiece.

EnglishBlogPicture3It would be wrong to write a musical review without picking up on the vocals, especially in BOOH. It is no secret Meatloaf’s songs are hard to sing, especially when having to jump around and act at the same time. But the cast of Bat Out of Hell deliver no faults. No matter the opinion on the musical, every critic has praised the talents of the entire cast. Andrew Polec deserves particular praise as he tackles eight belting tunes, such as “I would do anything for love”, each night and leaves the audience roaring with applause. But Rob Fowler and Sharon Sexton, who play Raven’s parents, steal the show with an electric duet of “Paradise by the Dashboard Light”. These songs that are known to be individually ludicrous and comical, surprisingly appear to come together and make sense.

As a jukebox musical would do, BOOH will attract people who may never have been to the theatre, or people who have never heard of Meatloaf’s songs. Either way, this musical provides a fun, jolted experience that makes you so unsure, but at the same time love what you’re watching. It has something for everyone – from comedic moments, to epic ballads; from a Romeo and Juliet vibe, to songs that make you want to get up and sing at the top of your lungs (but it is theatre etiquette not to!).

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Lucy Hunt is a Brunel Theatre and English student, from Northampton, who spends most of her money on musicals and Disneyland trips. Her biggest achievement is being away from her cat this long whilst at University, and aspires to do anything in life that permits her to break into song and dance in the middle of the street.

Guest blogger Tyri Donovan, runner-up in the English writing prize 2018-19

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Congratulations to English with Creative Writing undergraduate Tyri Donovan who was a runner-up in this year’s English writing prize at Brunel University London.

Click here to read Tyri’s blog entry!
(opens in PDF)

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Tyri Donovan refers himself as a diligent, open minded person of mixed ethnicity – British, Jamaican, Egyptian. Family, Friends, Music and Athletics drives his creativity and passion towards Art, whilst global interactions of langauge engage and educate him within international cultures. Tyri views culture with integrity, respect and sensitivity, as he continues to learn and grow through the interest of people’s own culture experiences.

Guest blogger Shania King-Soyza, runner-up in the English writing prize 2018-19

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Congratulations to Film Studies and English undergraduate Shania King-Soyza who was a runner-up in this year’s English writing prize at Brunel University London.

Read on for Shania’s blog entry!

Being a Black British Girl Uninspired by Meghan Markle

by Shania King-Soyza

 

The façade of Meghan Markle’s acceptance into the Royal Family continues to reinforce Eurocentric standards for black women: civilised, dignified, thin, pale and modest are stereotypical characteristics black women are internally conflicted to appeal to. The idea of Markle opposing this standard is improbable…I thought she was white?

Within a BBC article, black British women commented that Markle’s presence “empowered” them as they caught a glimpse of optimism for diversity – she can “introduce black culture to the Royals” they said. Personally, the idea of a black princess dutty wining her way down the aisle, fresh curls popping through her veil as the wedding party feast on curry goat and plantain, and dance to ‘Candy’ is a bit unrealistic…I mean just a bit. However, if she can indeed project positivity and confidence as these women suggest, then who am I to critique their reactions? Some say her marriage is as momentous as Barak Obama becoming president – therefore she must be significant.

Although, it still doesn’t make sense to me…

Genetically and culturally, Markle does not characterise an average black British woman:

Genetically – Markle is biracial and has never referred to herself as a black woman as (rightfully so) she accepts both her cultures and prefers not to reject either. Markle’s complexion is very fair (almost an olive skin tone); she has straight hair, thin lips and nose – she is a very beautiful woman, yet she shouldn’t be idolised by young black girls. The reality of black women being able to see a representation of themselves in such a hierarchy as the Royal Family is still non-existent, as Markle continues to follow the mainstream, Eurocentric standard of beauty. Being able to see a black princess is still confined to Disney as Markle isn’t a Tiana (2009) – though perhaps a Cinderella (1950)?

Culturally – she was born and raised in America – a vastly different environment. Though American culture is highly influential worldwide (affecting Britain massively), she has not experienced the best of British culture– I mean…does she even like Sunday roast dinners? Dead ass. Not all middle- and working-class British women can relate to Markle’s upbringing (or the life she lives now) because it wasn’t British. She didn’t go to Morley’s after Secondary school; she can’t go to Morley’s now – so in what way is she relatable? Sure, anyone can wear outdated clothes, be a philanthropist and besties with the Queen…right?

Meghan Markle does not inspire me. She’s different and that’s okay.

There are many black British women to idolise and feel empowered by such as Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Letitia Wright, Beverly Knight, Emeli Sandé and Estelle. Rich in melanin and black-girl-magic, they can truly inspire the younger generation to love their skin and prosper. The ‘Markle Effect’ is purely a façade of black excellence trying to infiltrate the monarchy. Uninspiring and improbable, she does not represent me…a black British girl.

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Shania King-Soyza identifies as a black girl though her ethnicity is mixed – Barbados and Sri Lanka.  Location and family influence her perception on current affairs. Though she describes herself as unpatriotic, she embraces British culture and is committed to exposing what life is truly like for those whose voices are often unheard. 

Winner of the Brunel Writer Flash Fiction Prize 2018

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All Creative Writing students starting at Brunel University London in September 2018 were invited to submit a piece of flash fiction in any style or genre, which reflected some aspect of becoming a student at Brunel. The quality of the submissions was very high but one piece in particular was felt by the judges (drawn from Brunel’s Creative Writing academic staff) to be the strongest. This is a very well executed and imaginative piece of writing by Chloe Perrin. Many congratulations to Chloe!

You can read Chloe’s winning entry below.

The Creative Writer

by Chloe Perrin

A flock of pigeons scattered as I sprinted through the square. I waved one particularly flustered pigeon out of my face while I dodged a doughnut stand.

“Stop! Police!”

There was no way I was stopping. I was this close to getting away. I skidded so hard I fell and scraped my knee on the damp pavement, which bloody hurt, but at least it gave me a chance to chuck my bloodied screwdriver into a bin before I raced down another alleyway.

I could still hear the police behind me, but further away now. This was good – I was sweating pretty bad and had a stitch like you wouldn’t believe. All I had to do was carry on down the busy street, keep shoving tourists to the side and once I was around the corner I’d be home free, there was nothing in my –

“Chloe?”

I swear I had to stop so fast I probably left a dent in the pavement where my feet skidded. The lady in my way was only marginally better than the police. I tried to stop gulping for breath and stretched my cheeks into a smile.

“Aunt… Olivia,” I panted. “Lovely… Surprise… I’m actually in a bit of a –“

“What are you doing in London? I thought you were up North! Don’t tell me, the job didn’t work out?”

I tried hard not to groan, but Aunt Olivia made it difficult. She was difficult. I could see her already drafting what she was going to say to the family as soon as I left: “Oh yes, she was running through the street like a crazy person, such an oddball. Scruffy, too. Still no job”.

“Actually,” I said. “I… Go to uni here.”

Aunt Olivia’s eyes widened. “You got into university? How marvellous!”

Somewhere in the distance I heard angry voices – “Which way did she go?” I couldn’t wait around too long.

“Yeah, well, clearing so…”

“Which one?”

I blinked. “Hm?”

“Which university?”

Oh, Aunt Olivia, you crafty fox. I started tapping my foot, antsy to leave, when I saw an advertisement on the side of a passing bus. My eyes followed the name…

“Brunnle.” I said.

Aunt Olivia smiled wide. “I think it’s pronounced Brunel. To study Art?”

“Creative Writing, actually.” I tried to sound casual but I definitely heard the clatter of a bin being overturned, and the sounds of steel toe capped boots getting closer.

“Oh,” said Aunt Olivia. “I just assumed Art because of all the red paint.”

She nodded to my jumper. I swallowed.

“Yeah, well, I’m in a society so…”

“There she is! Stop! Police!”

“I really do have to run,” I side stepped my aunt before she could say anything else and gave her a quick wave.

Aunt Olivia waved back. “I’ll call in sometime! I live in Hillingdon, just down the road!”

I turned and ran as Aunt Olivia was bowled over by a group of angry police officers, but I was already down another alleyway, wondering how late Brunel accepted applicants for Creative Writing degrees.

2018 Brunel Writer Flash Fiction Prize Winner

About the author

Chloe Perrin is a 25 year old from Wales and would always rather be reading. While she hopes to be an accomplished novelist and script writer in the future, her main ambition for this year is to keep her cactus alive.