Surreal Magical Curiosities with Jasmine Griffin

In Surreal Magical Curiosities, poet and novelist Jasmine Griffin will combine lecture, discussion, and readings to demonstrate the differences and similarities between fantasy, magical realism, fabulism, surrealism, absurdism, and newly coined "curio" fiction, including the themes that make up each subgenre. 

Come prepared to write, discuss, and workshop: short generative prompts will be provided and participants have the opportunity each week to workshop short pieces or excerpts of larger works (up to 1000 words) to help identify which themes suit their work.

Though these sessions are generative spaces, attendees will be asked to participate via chat, voice, and/or video.

This class meets online for three two-hour sessions.

Meeting Dates:

October 12,19 & 26, 2-4 PM Pacific

The instructor will provide readings before class. If you are interested in having your story workshopped, be prepared to submit it in advance!

About the Instructor: 

Jasmine Griffin (she/her/they/them) is a black queer writer based in Cincinnati, and a teaching artist with Women Writing for (a) Change, Clarion West, Lighthouse Writers Workshop, and Hugo House. Jasmine previously held roles with Lighthouse Writers Workshop, the Mercantile Library of Cincinnati, and Carve Magazine. Jasmine was recently published in Sage Cigarettes, Writer's Digest, midnight & indigo, Coffin Bell, Vast Chasm Magazine, Eunoia Review, Random Sample Review, Cincinnati Refined, Genre: Urban Arts, and Cleaning up Glitter. Jasmine received an MA in Creative Writing from Wilkes University. Jasmine is releasing a debut poetry chapbook Strange Religion in July of 2024 and is currently at work on her first novel, Blackbird at the Crossroads, which is set in New Orleans and steeped in Southern lore. Find her online: @jcgriffinwrites.

This event will be held in Zoom. By registering for this class, you agree to follow the Clarion West Code of Conduct and Zoom policies. 

Limited Free Seating: 

We offer a percentage of seats in every class to People of the Global Majority (Asian, Black, African, Latina/o/x, Middle Eastern, Indigenous, Pacific Islander, and/or have been racialized as 'ethnic minorities') for free, regardless of financial need. 

Eligible folks should complete this form to enter the lottery for free seats.  If a seat is available, we will email you 7-10 days before the class begins. For more information, see our equity and inclusion policies.

Sliding Scale Pricing:

The Supporting Tuition rate is shown for each class or workshop for folks who can pay it. Paying the Supporting Tuition rate enables us to continue to pay our staff and instructors equitably, as well as support access to classes for others who may be in a different situation. 

The Helping Hands rate is available to folks under more limited economic circumstances, no matter your background.

For more information, see our financial aid policies.

Our Refund Policy:

Clarion West will refund all class fees if the request is made 30 days before the class date. Refund requests made within 30 days of the class will be honored if we can fill the seat.

Any exceptions are subject to approval by our workshop staff.