Sci-fi workshop for alien writers

The event is aimed readers and writers of sci-fi, fantasy and horror

Science fiction, fantasy and horror writers are sharpening their imaginations for a conference on how the genres are coming to life in Wales.

A day of workshops at the University of Glamorgan aims to encourage authors and readers of tales of the fantastic.

Saturday's event traces the history of sci-fi in Wales from the 16th Century stories right through to Doctor Who and Torchwood, both filmed in Wales.

Some see the Mabinogion as an example of early fantasy writing in Wales.

The Medieval Welsh-language texts' tales of magic and mythic events are said to draw on pre-Christian oral story-telling traditions.

The conference will look at how sci-fi, fantasy and horror writing has changed over the centuries and is now reaching new audiences through books, films and the internet.

The workshops includes advice on how to make budget sci-fi films.

Mark Brake, professor of science communication, is a speaker at the event with the theme: Space. Time. Monster. Machine.

He said: "The first alien contact story was written by the Bishop of Llandaff, Francis Godwin, in 1638.

The success of Doctor Who reflects a rise in sci-fi writing, say organisers

"There's a rich tradition of fantasy in Wales. The Mabinogion was an early work, sort of proto-science fiction.

"You can trace it all the way through the 20th and 21st Centuries with TV science fiction like Doctor Who and Life on Mars."

Writers giving workshops at the conference include Jasper Fforde, author of The Thursday Next series of novels.

The former film industry worker who lives in Hay-on-Wye, was last year picked by booksellers Waterstone's as one of 25 writers who were the "future of British writing".

Rhymney Valley based website editor Steve Upham, has published the eZine 'Estronomicon' for the past three years.

He is using the event to launch two books by Welsh authors.

Swansea-based Rhys Hughes's book The Post-Modern Mariner is described as being full "of implausible adventures featuring absurdities, anachronisms, exaggerations, outrageous puns, pirates, mythological beings and giant cups of tea".

Terry Cooper's 'Kangazang!' is said to be a comic romp about a man and his barber escaping the rigours of modern life by jumping in the nearest spaceship and looking for adventure and escape.

Around 100 people are expected at the conference, which is open to the public from 1000 and 1630 BST on Saturday.

It is backed by the South Wales Valleys Literature Development Project, which is run by Wales's literature body, Academi.