A Nightmare of Our Own Making: Crafting Ecological Themes In Our Writing (Nicholas Belardes)

Does writing about nature sell? How about when writing about the destruction of our natural world? Join Nicholas Belardes, author of THE DEADING and TEN SLEEP, as he defines and discusses climate fiction and eco-horror, and then takes us on a journey into the deep, wild unknowns in our own writing. Followed by a Q&A.

Nicholas Belardes’s debut eco-horror The Deading combines elements of literary, horror, and science fiction. The New York Times Book Review says The Deading “perfectly balances social critique, lyricism and ghastliness. It’s a claustrophobic mosaic of a novel, and an outstanding debut.” Belardes’s follow up, Ten Sleep (2025), blends elements of gothic and eco-horror with Western fiction. While attending UCR Palm Desert’s MFA Program, Belardes received its Founder’s Award. When not writing, he’s either birdwatching or teaching essay writing at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo’s Ethnic Studies Program.Does writing about nature sell? How about when writing about the destruction of our natural world? Join Nicholas Belardes, author of THE DEADING and TEN SLEEP, as he defines and discusses climate fiction and eco-horror, and then takes us on a journey into the deep, wild unknowns in our own writing. Followed by a Q&A.