| January 6, 1998 Stella Atrium Author |  |
Get Atrium's Book! Her Bio The Q&A Stella's Home Page |
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Stella Atrium's debut science fiction title The Goulep, a planet story about an offworld corporation that steals the mineral wealth of a Third World society, was released in July 1997 and promoted at DragonCon in Atlanta, RiverCon in Louisville and WindyCon in Chicago.
"When I started with The Goulep," Stella said, "who knew it would become a three-generation trilogy? I'm well into developing the last story and count the characters as my friends. I shutter to admit that I'm now looking beyond to a fourth book in the series."
Stella's a contributing writer to EternityOL online speculative fiction magazine. Her commentary articles are fan favorites and have totaled more than 600 hits over eight weeks of display.
Stella is promoted on the internet at Cecil Guy Productions' website Tsing Tse (pronounced sing-say), where you can read an interview, articles and story excerpts for upcoming publications. Stella's second science fiction novel Seven Beyond (about a different set of characters) will be released in Spring 1998.
Stella Atrium holds a BA in Creative Writing from De Paul University's School for New Learning. She's a MFA candidate in Writing at The School of the Art Institute in Chicago.
What would you consider to be your most important literary influeneces in the Sci-Fi genre? Can you tell us more about Seven Beyond, it's release date and how we can acquire our own copy?
Stuart Hall <stuhall@interacces.com
Stuart, good to hear from you. I would have to call myself a classicist, meaning I've read the Dead White Guys, mostly philosophy. I was drawn into sci-fi by way of the satire of Voltaire's _Candide_ and Sullivan's _Gulliver's Travels_. Once I started exploring the genre (25 years ago), there were Herbert's _Dune_ and Bradbury's _Something Evil_. For writerly discipline I'll recommend again Rudyard Kipling's short stories. In _Seven Beyond_, my second novel out this Spring, these influences from the classics are most apparent. For _The Goulep_ my research has centered more on post-WWII current events and the social injustice in Africa and South America. For that area I recommend _Global Dreams_ and _The Prize_. Well, all those should keep you reading for some time.
Stella Atrium
= Monday, January 12, 1998 at 17:24:19 (CST)
When writing ...Which is more important or more interesting for you...the socio-political relationships of the characters or groups of characters or the setting of another planet and solar system and all the future scientific trappings that go along with this setting? Another question or comment...I didn't know that The School of the Art Institute in Chicago offers a MFA in Writing ....how is this degree structured? Adamandia, good question. World-building is an exciting aspect of science fiction writing and one reason why I chose the genre. The discipline is demanding for supplying descriptive detail to make the world alive and concrete for the reader, but the control and variety through surprise make it worthwhile. Also every science fiction story (even those not trying to) is a comment on our world because the stories explore alternative outcomes. The satirical elements can get away from you, but they make the adventure. As for which is most important, screening _The Fifth Element_ will make it clear, to hold the audience/reader's attention, there's no substitute for story. The reader must identify with the hero, sidekick or heroine, plus the events must be plausible and reflect something (some jaw-aching truth) in our lives. By the way, SAIC is great for the student who works independently. Their programs are openly structured and the faculty knowledgeable. For their brochure, call 312-899-5100. Just surfed in from EternityOL. Great site! Read Stella's advise articles, hope your book's as good. Is it at Crown Books? John, welcome! I'm so pleased you liked the articles. _The Goulep_ isn't yet picked up by Crown Books. You can order it through Amazon.com. Just click-thru from the Cybling screen. I liked the hero Brian Miller and his need to belong to the tribes. He seems to dissappear in parts 2&3. What gives? Especially since he's the procesutor at the trial and the hero of the battle.
Mark, I'm so glad you identify with Brian Miller and his bittersweet friendship with Kyle Rula. The story's really about the tribespeople, and therefore about the tribeswomen. To open (and close) with Brian was a writerly choice to involve sci-fi readers (85% male). I hope you also enjoyed the tribes and their cultural points-of-view.
Stella, I just finished THE GOULEP. Thank you for an involving and satisfying SF novel! I would love to hear how you researched and designed he cultures which are so eloquently depicted in the novel. Obviously, you borrowed much from Manchurian and African cultures -- how did you research these? Hey, Brian, how's by you? Thanks for the kind words. Ah, yes, research. Basically I live in the library. I travel when I can, but the specific vocabulary for each tribe could only be captured by way of 'hanging out with the scholars!' I read your _Should I Submit This?_ article at EternityOL. I have some work I'd like published. Should a sci-fi writer breakin with short stories or a novel? Celeste, there's no formula. One should use the story format that best serves character and plot. If your question is which area (novels or short stories) holds the most opportunity for first time publishing, I would have to say magazine short stories. I'm not good at that form, but it seems to work for friends of Steve Algieri. Plus a novel manuscript can be peddled on the strength of magazine story credits. The myth is that agents search magazines and websites for the next _Celestine Prophecy_. I'm not confident that lightening strikes twice. Just be careful with online first serialization rights. The thrill of getting into print and the expose are both positive. Love the cover with the Panda. How does he relate to the story? Hey, Sooz, good to hear from ya! The panda logo on the book cover is the corporate icon for the Company (the bad guys), a Chinese-based mining corporation. The Chinese giant panda is like Mickey Mouse for Disney, only the Company execs use it to mask their nefarious activities, a sort of disconnect. And the use of three narrators, you're going to claim there's writerly precedent for that? Only Victor Hugo's _Hunchback_, Charles Dicken's _Bleak House_ and in this century Vladimir Nabokov's _Pale Fire_. I read THE GOULEP. What's with killing off the narrator Ah, couldn't resist asking me that, huh, Ester? I get that question a lot. Nietzsche wanted to carry his own ashes to the mountain. More recently, select chapters of _Naming the Spirits_ are related by (murdered) victims of Chile's dirty little war. There's writerly precedent, plus it lends closure. Now, Ester, ask me about something I got right. Stella, THE GOULEP is a planet story that takes place in another galaxy beyond a worm hole. Similar to Babylon 5, I suppose. Only the bad guys - Chinese, Scots, American - are from Earth. The reader's sense of distance is valuable to the story since contextual detail is similar to African, Native American and South American tribes. The four Dolvia tribes are individual (some matriarchal, some patriarchal). Overall, however, you could say Dolvia events are a comment on Earth's international current events.
Adamandia <silaspak@aol.com>
Chicago,ILUSA = Sunday, January 11, 1998 at 10:34:43 (CST)
Stella Atrium
= Sunday, January 11, 1998 at 15:33:22 (CST)
John <JBGogol>
Indy,IN = Thursday, January 08, 1998 at 14:48:06 (CST)
Stella Atrium
= Thursday, January 08, 1998 at 16:40:30 (CST)
Mark Wyler <mlwyler@ccmail.monsanto.com>
Chicago,ILUSA = Thursday, January 08, 1998 at 13:42:23 (CST)
Stella Atrium
= Thursday, January 08, 1998 at 16:36:38 (CST)
Also, please talk some about the techniques you use for world building. What sort of advice do you have for novices, and are there ay world-building toolsets you would recommend?
bah
Brian A. Hopkins <brian_a_hopkins@sff.net>
OKC,OKUSA = Wednesday, January 07, 1998 at 15:09:21 (CST)
As for world-building, we could talk about this all day. My favorite recommendation is to read Rudyard Kipling who truly served as a stranger in a strange land. His _Tales from the Hill_ short story collection instructs us on the contextual detail of entering a very foreign and very advance other culture. If you can maintain that level detail within other-galaxy worlds, your reader will keep coming back for more. But then, as the author of _Bleeds to Red_, Brian, you are a master with descriptive detail.
Stella Atrium
= Wednesday, January 07, 1998 at 16:36:33 (CST)
Celeste <celeste@ccmail.monsanto.com>
Chicago,ILUSA = Wednesday, January 07, 1998 at 14:52:57 (CST)
Stella Atrium
= Wednesday, January 07, 1998 at 16:26:17 (CST)
Susan <sooz5555@aol.com>
Flossmoor,ILUSA = Tuesday, January 06, 1998 at 21:10:06 (CST)
Stella Atrium
= Wednesday, January 07, 1998 at 16:17:40 (CST)
Ester Lebo <ester@tsingtse.com>
Chicago,ILUSA = Tuesday, January 06, 1998 at 20:38:25 (CST)
Wait until I get you on the hotseat, Ester. (You can tell we're critique friends and rivals?).
Stella Atrium
= Tuesday, January 06, 1998 at 20:41:50 (CST)
Brian Miller at the end. Can you do that?
Ester Lebo <ester@tsingtse.com>
Chicago,ILUSA = Tuesday, January 06, 1998 at 20:19:04 (CST)
Stella Atrium
= Tuesday, January 06, 1998 at 20:25:13 (CST)
In reading your book I found the society of the native people of the planet interesting. At times their society seemed matriarchal and at times patriarchal. Did you base this society on some current earth group?
Janice <janice@cybling.com>
Chicago,ILUSA = Tuesday, January 06, 1998 at 10:52:56 (CST)
Stella Atrium
= Tuesday, January 06, 1998 at 17:50:00 (CST)
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