A
project that has fascinated me ever since I first got the idea for it is soon
to be released by Dog Star Books (on June 20, but it’s available for pre-order
now with a special offer for a free insert—see my previous blog post or click
on the link.)
Temporary
Planets for Transitory Days is an anthology of poems supposedly written
by Mykol Ranglen, the main character from my two science-fiction novels, The
Man Who Loved Alien Landscapes and In
a Suspect Universe (he’ll be the protagonist of at least two more
books, one of which I have in draft already).
The poems relate to his
experiences, some of which can be seen in the novels, biographical details of
his life, his thoughts on what’s happening in his 22nd century,his
feelings, his adventures, and the many wonders he’s seen in outer space.
This concept was exciting to me
because, in the novels, Ranglen has always been tight-lipped about his emotions
and his past. He’s not very revealing in
either his dialogue or his private thoughts. Whenever I wanted to open him up a
little, he seemed, uncannily, to shut me down, saying, “No, sorry, not yet.” So
maybe these very personal poems were waiting inside both of us, brewing,
cooking.
And now, about to be published,
they are ready to be viewed, and thus to reveal more of him.
And here’s the clincher: I found that revealing him in poetry was much
easier than in prose. (Or maybe, rather, he’s more revealing in poetry
than in prose. It does get peculiar at times, as if you’re dialoging with your own
created character.)
But do be aware that he still can
be obstinate. He maintains a number of mysteries, and he maybe even adds to
them. Yet a reader will know a lot more about Ranglen and his interstellar
worlds after reading the collection, his ties to different planets, his
reactions to the past, his hidden interests, the deeper parts of his
personality, his emotions, doubts, dreams, fears, and his loves. Many notions
raised in the previous books are clarified—and a number of further questions
are introduced. Some poems, seen only in fragments in the two books, are here
presented in their complete forms. So aninteresting and stimulating connection
among all three works can sometimes be seen (and I even made a few ties to the
novel I’m writing now). You don’t need to have read the first two books to
follow the poems since the anthology stands completely on its own. But the
works do enrich each other and thus give the reader a deeper view of Ranglen
himself.
Incidentally, the preorder
giveaway deals with these connections between the books, illustrating a
particular tie by showing both a passage from the novel and several lines from
the poem.
So, all in all, I do recommend
trying this experiment. If your main character is a bit too reticent and
tight-lipped with you, then maybe write some poems from that character’s point
of view. It unearths and stimulates the viewpoints the character might not want
to share, and you might then even learn the reasons why the person is so
reluctant.
The anthology was a true
pleasure to write, an exploration, a creative quest. I’ve never felt so close
to, or so lost in, a created character. It’s been intriguingto plot out the
byways of the man’s past—and how he’s dealt with it—as well as his longings and
hopes for his future. And equally intriguing how he would express them, what he
would say, the words he’d use.
I can’t wait to share it!
The book will be released by Dog
Star on June 20, but you can pre-order
it now and receive a copy sooner.
