Marianne de Pierres

Gunnas Sci Fi Writing Masterclass With Marianne de Pierres

Date: Saturday, June 24th, 2017
Time: 10am-4pm
Venue: La Luna Bistro

Interested in writing science fiction, fantasy or speculative fiction? This is for you!

In this full day master class, Marianne de Pierres will address some of the key components of writing speculative fiction, including how to build convincing worlds, maintain narrative drive, and effectively blend sub-genres. A section of the workshop will also be spent on sharing current industry insight and the exploring the concept of creating adaptable content for New Media–how to survive in the brave new world of publishing.

Learning outcomes

• Excellence in world-building
• How to maintain narrative drive
• How to successfully blend speculative fiction genres
• How to create speculative fiction for the new world of publishing

Bio

Marianne de Pierres is the author of the popular PARRISH PLESSIS trilogy and the award-winning SENTIENTS OF ORION and PEACEMAKER series.

Marianne has also authored children’s and young adult stories, notably the Night Creatures trilogy a dark fantasy series for teens.

Marianne is an active supporter of genre fiction and has mentored many writers. She lives in Brisbane, Australia, with her husband and a galah. Marianne also writes award-winning crime under the pseudonym Marianne Delacourt.

Visit her websites at www.mariannedepierres.com  www.tarasharp.com.au and www.burnbright.com.au

As with all Gunnas classes, a sumptuous gourmet morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea is included.

Great food, awesome people, brilliant day. Full $290

Conc/student/artist/unemployed/anyone povo $250

Join the Facebook event here

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Marianne de Pierres

I’m hoping some of my Brisbane friends and readers will join Trent Jamieson and I at the Avid Reader Book Club evening in May.

Details are as follows:

Science Fiction Bookclub – Marianne de Pierres

Monday 29 May 2017
6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
In store at Avid Reader Bookshop

Tickets $7.50
Tickets available until 29 May 2017 6:30 PM

We’ll be discussing PEACEMAKER and MYTHMAKER, published by Angry Robot Books.

Jamie Marriage

Jamie Marriage is an internationally published Australian cyberpunk author with a taste for the dangerous and obscene aspects of life. His work ranges from the sarcastic to the satirical. Links to his work can be found at https://jamiemarriage.wordpress.com

Rebellion is an elemental creature. It takes shape within the air, the water, the earth, and the fire. In the soil of dystopia, the seeds of defiance are slow to bloom, but spread faster than wildfire once it takes root. When the population is oppressed, belittled and degraded, told what to do and who they can be, the only thing left for them is Resistance.

Set in the post-apocalyptic city of Otpor, orthodoxy is expected of everyone; every individual is brought up into an Elemental caste – Fire, Water, Air, Earth – which dictates their position in society in an almost Brave New World level of genetic manipulation. Once you have been placed, you cannot change, don’t rock the boat, observe the status quo. Any disobedience is punished immediately, publicly and violently. The worst offenders, those who spread the crime of Heterodoxy (having opinions against those of the masses) are executed as an example to the rest.

Resistance is a harsh, gut-wrenching story about Anaiya, a top-caste Fire Elemental who has been chosen to infiltrate a resistance cell of lower-level insurgents who have been spreading anti-establishment messages throughout the city; a trend that could topple the fragile balance.

Trapped between the desire to expunge the taint of heterodoxy laid upon her by her insurgent mentor, and the new emotions she feels after her brain is altered to allow her to blend in with other Elementals, Anaiya is quick to lose her sense of self as she attempts to track down the resistance leader, experiment with her new-found abilities, and keep her superiors happy.

Written in an unforgiving and blunt manner, Kopievsky has illustrated a new world of distrust and struggle where even the most basic natural functions are controlled or sterilised. No trees grow within the high walls of Otpor. In such a world relationships are strained and interactions between the castes terse to the point of aggression. Escapism is sought in any way possible and leads to excess; mood altering drugs a normal state of affairs to keep the populace under control.

Characters are written with depths that will no doubt be revealed as the series evolves, with each caste maintaining their own attitudes and slang. Settings are starkly contrasted between the authoritarian bleakness and artistic embellishments, drawing strong walls between those of the establishment and the free-spirited. When it comes to the smaller-scale world building Kopievsky has done an incredible job of establishing both a setting and society that is unique, while at the same time portending of a future that could all too easily become our own reality.

The first book in the Divided Elements series, Resistance a great read for its incredible prose and its unsettling message. When life is oppressive, all we can do is Resist.