Chapter 1: A New Beginning

As I entered this month and the new year, I felt somewhat adrift, both personally and in terms of crafting a prompt for this month. I was uncertain about the direction I should take.

One aspect that started to guide me was finalizing my reading list for the Counter Arts Book Club for 2023. Among the titles, I have been captivated by the audiobook of "Everybody: A Book About Freedom" by Olivia Laing. As I approached the last chapter, titled "22nd Century," I came across a song of the same name:

This rendition of the song, which Olivia Laing describes witnessing live, was originally performed by Exuma, a Bahamian artist, and later covered by Nina Simone. The lyrics evoke a haunting vision of the future:

“There is no oxygen in the air

Men and women that lost their hair

Ashen faces, legs that stand

Ghosts and goblins walk in this land

Then today becomes yesterday

And tomorrow becomes eternity…”

— ‘22nd Century’, Exuma (1970)

Another intriguing title on my list is "This Is How You Lose The Time War" by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone, which Marc Barham has already praised (and rightly so—it's a must-read!).

At this point, my thoughts were drifting towards themes of science fiction and future possibilities. I also stumbled upon the fact that January 2nd is designated as ‘National Sci-fi Day’ in the UK, coinciding with the birthday of the renowned author Isaac Asimov!

When I engage with any future-oriented literature or media, I often find myself pondering how near we are to achieving the technological advancements imagined in fiction. For instance, we can recall the handheld communicators featured in shows from decades past that bear a striking resemblance to modern mobile phones, or the robotic arms used in surgeries, which allow for improved precision and control.

For an illustration of this technology, check out the video linked below:

The Prompt

The month of January is named after Janus, the Roman god depicted with two faces: one looking back and one gazing forward. For this month, I invite you to create pieces that focus on future possibilities.

Your writing can cover a wide range of topics: literature, television, cinema, artistic expression; medical innovations and challenges; technological advancements, artificial intelligence, and space exploration; employment trends, societal issues, politics, religion; fashion, architecture; global peace or conflict; climate change; personal aspirations—essentially anything related to the future.

Consider writing about this year, the next, the upcoming decade, the next century, your nation, another country, this world, another planet, or any time beyond or in between. Share your hopes, fears, or simply present factual insights.

Submissions can be nonfiction for Counter Arts, while fiction and poetry are welcomed in our sister publication, Rainbow Salad, which connects with our monthly prompts.

If you're not yet a contributor but wish to be, please reach out in the comments, and we’ll be happy to include you.

I eagerly await your submissions and thank you for reading!