Ghosts, witches, and devils can be a lot of fun to read and to write. But what else can they do in a story? In this lecture, we will look more deeply at the roles of the supernatural in fiction, not just as fun conceits or convenient plot points, but as ways to destabilize old certainties, claim marginalized realities against established narratives, and create rich, lasting work that can change and haunt the reader beyond the page.

Ananda Lima is a poet, fiction writer, and translator. Her fiction debut, Craft: Stories I Wrote for the Devil (Tor Books), received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Library Journal, which described it as “one of the most original and unforgettable reads of the year.” Her poetry collection Mother/land (Black Lawrence Press) won the Hudson Prize. Originally from Brazil, she lives in Chicago.