Deep in the woods of literature, stories of speculative fiction defy your expectations.

They twist and turn, take on new forms, and speak in voices far removed from the everyday.

Yet despite how distant they might seem from our everyday life, these stories can tell us a great deal about our lives and the world at large. They can open our eyes to other cultures, to other worlds and experiences.

But how do we coax those wild fictions onto the page? These bold and innovative authors show us that the most captivating tales can come from the most unexpected directions.