The Uncanny

It’s alive! Or is it? Genre writers know how to make your skin crawl. A favorite item in their toolkit: The uncanny. I don’t just mean something spooky. I mean something that seems familiar but also  strange. Think of the pod people from Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Why do they creep us out? Freud has a theory (http://web.mit.edu/allanmc/www/freud1.pdf ). So do robotics engineers (http://www.movingimages.info/digitalmedia/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/MorUnc.pdf). Intriguing enough, but tonight we’ll practice the uncanny, first by looking at examples from some masters, then by revising our own poems that didn’t quite work. Bring an old poem that seems too ordinary and we’ll drop a zombie on it. Scot Brannon is your facilitator.

Uncanny Valley

Writers of all ages and skill levels gather Tuesdays at 7P to read new work, the work of someone else or to just be in the engaging company of other writers. Your donation of $5 helps SPLAB continue our programming. Please bring 8 copies of the work you plan to read. If you do not bring copies, they are available for 10c.

Living Room happens in the new SPLAB in the Cultural Corner of the old Columbia School, between Rainier AV S and 36th AV S, on Edmunds. We’re 2 blocks from the Columbia City Link Light Rail Station. (Parking is available on the school grounds.)