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Brian Franklin
Born	1998 Bridgetown, Barbados
Occupation	Systems Engineer, Author
Alma mater	Callaloo Barbados Creative Writing Workshop
Genre	Science Fiction
Notable works	Iridium
Notable awards	2012 Frank Collymore Literary Award
Website
http://www.antisungrey.com/

Brian Franklin was born in Bridgetown, Barbados in 1998. He was raised by his father, Keith Franklin, and his mother in Barbados. From an early age, he has loved to write, and has been writing creatively since he could hold a pencil. According to Franklin, his favorite places to write are “wherever the wind is cool, the world is quiet, and I can hear the sea”. His favorite Caribbean authors include his father, Keith Franklin, and Shakirah Bourne, author of the collection of short stories In Time of Need. Internationally his favorite authors include Cormac McCarthy and China Mieville. Aside from writing, Franklin “is an avid cricket and videogame enthusiast, and loves dogs, insects and the constant roar of the sea”.

Franklin graduated the Callaloo Barbados Creative Writing Workshop in 2014. He lives in Barbados.

Career

Brian Franklin works as a systems engineer in the financial industry, and as an author. He writes novels, short stories, and poems. He works mostly in the science fiction genre, and his writing is influenced by Caribbean tradition, culture, and mythology. His novel, Iridium, was shortlisted for the Frank Collymore Literary Award, sharing 3rd prize with Glenville Lovell. He is currently seeking publication for his novel. In 2015 he launched his website, AntisunGrey, a showcase of “Caribbean stories with elements of science-fiction, fantasy and magical realism”, and was the first featured artist in “The Bearded Fig Tree’s” ‘Name the Artiste’ series. In 2016, his short story “Quaka-Hadja” was featured in the collection New Worlds, Old Ways: Speculative Tales from the Caribbean.

Works

Novels

Iridium - Franklin is currently seeking publication for his first novel, which was shortlisted for the Frank Collymore Literary Award, awarded to the best unpublished manuscripts in Barbados, in 2012.

Short Stories

"Quaka-Hadja" - “Quaka-Hadja” is part of the collection New Worlds, Old Ways: Speculative Tales from the Caribbean. It tells the story of Lia, a robot in a dystopian Barbados created by “Father”, to serve his every need. Lia’s story deals with themes of body image, oppression, Caribbean identity in a dystopian future, and what it means to be human.

Critic Review "Some stories are science fiction and some fantasy, but all are firmly rooted in the rich folk tradition of the islands . . . None of these writers is likely to be familiar to American audiences, but all are worth getting to know."

AntisunGrey

Brian Franklin’s website, AntisunGrey, was launched in 2015, and features original works, reviews, and rants that “showcase Caribbean stories with elements of science-fiction, fantasy and magical realism, in a very ‘arty’ and unified way, making use of multimedia as much as possible”. Below is a complete list of original works featured on AntisunGrey.

• “Season One” Season One

• "SeeSpeak" SeeSpeak

• "Rain Across the Dust" Rain Across the Dust

• "Pools of Fog" Pools of Fog

Themes

There are several common themes that run throughout Franklin’s work. All of Franklin’s stories exist in the science-fiction/fantasy genre, and take place in mostly dystopian futures. “Quaka-Hadja” and “SeeSpeak” deal with what it means to be human in these future societies and the idea of an ever-watchful, all seeing being. Many of his stories deal with oppression, and the way those in power work to keep watch over and silence those that oppose them. Humanity, and what makes a human, is another major theme throughout Franklin's work.

All of Franklin’s work is influenced by his Barbadian identity. His stories, although set in a distant future, feature characters with traditional Barbadian names, and the Barbadian landscape is often featured. The themes of oppression and humanity in his stories are extended as a metaphor for the way colonizers treated Barbadian, and Caribbean, people. According to Franklin, his work is inspired by “the lives and experiences of the people I meet, see or read about”.