Liz Jensen

In a merciless summer of biblical heat and destructive winds, Gabrielle´s main concern is to rebuild her career as a psychologist after a shattering car accident. But when she is assigned Bethany Krall - violent, delusional and insistent that she can foresee natural disasters - she begins to fear that she has made a terrible mistake. When catastrophes occur on the very dates Bethany has predicted, the apocalyptic puzzle intensifies and the stakes multiply.

The Rapture was inspired by Liz Jensen´s preoccupation with climate change. Using illustrations from the book, she charts her journey of discovery during the writing process, and explores the ways in which scientific fact can become blockbuster fiction.

Liz grew up in Britain with a father who seemed very eccentric. He had a passion for whipped cream. He worshipped the boiled potato. He craved marinated herring. And despite being a rabid atheist, he became uncharacteristically sentimental and dewy-eyed at Christmas.

It was only when she visited Denmark for the first time as an adult that Liz realised her father wasn´t eccentric at all: he was simply ….Danish. Since that time, she has learned more about her roots - but nagging questions remain. Such as: since when has white been the only colour for an interior wall? What´s so bad about conflict? Why do you all own the same lampshade? What makes you the happiest people on Earth? And, could the most powerful person in Denmark actually be a little green man?

In her exploration of the hands-on craft side of the creative process, from first page to final climax, Liz Jensen uses illustrations from novels, plays and films to analyse how storytelling - be it that of Homer, Hans Andersen or Hollywood - respects narrative rules that are almost as old as language itself. This talk is ideal for fiction-readers, film-goers, and anyone who loves writing. If the audience wishes a participative workshop element, Liz Jensen can include an enjoyable writing exercise - in either English or Danish - for participants.