Science Fiction and Horror Author J. Askew #Interview
J. Askew Interview
1. I love how open you are about exploring mental health, LGBTQIA+ issues and disability within your work. Can you tell us a little about your inspiration for bringing these communities to mainstream scifi and horror stories?
Science Fiction and Horror Author J. Askew
I grew up utterly confused at why I was so jealous of other women, and then I realized it’s not jealousy, it’s attraction. It made me wish books and shows had more LGBTQIA+ people to show me an example. When I read The Hunger Games (I was well into my 20s at this point), I always wondered why I wasn’t either team Peeta or Gale, it was because I was team Katniss. I didn’t want her to end up with either, because I wanted to be with her. Growing up, I never had an example to explain my feelings, and as a bisexual woman (I’m actually pansexual but I’ve given up on explaining this every time I mention it), it was tough to reach my sexuality conclusion. It’s so important for young LGBTQIA+ people to have examples to relate to, without this, it’s so difficult to make sense of attraction and to not be afraid of what others think. Normalizing these figures as characters and leaders in fiction will go a long way to help the world be free of prejudice and help young people to love who they are and embrace their sexuality.
Mental health is hugely important to me too. I suffer from an anxiety disorder and OCD, and the only thing that made me feel better was knowing that I wasn’t alone. I believe that normalizing these conditions makes people less ashamed of them, and makes them want to seek help. I’m currently on draft three of a new novel, The Hollow Way, which follows a strong matriarchal prison guard with OCD compulsions (in space), and Green Again follows the heartbreaking story of a young woman in the apocalypse with a reality-slipping form of psychosis. Putting the spotlight on these issues will show those who also suffer that they can be the hero of their own story, come through the struggle of their own mind, and rise stronger than they have ever been.
2. Congratulations on the completion of your book Green Again! What inspired this plot?
I wanted to write the book I most wanted to read. I wanted to read about complex relationships and people with neurodiversity, all within a natural, wild setting. I wanted to explore how people react when their lives depend on every single thing they do, that’s why I wrote Green Again. Green Again follows a young feral woman who is taken against her will by a family steeped in the politics of the end of the world. At first, Hazel struggles to communicate, struggles to stay in reality as her psychosis takes over, but soon Hazel grows into a survivor and takes up arms against the villains. She discovers an affinity with the wilderness that helps her heal and find herself in a broken world. Dorian Ford in the story will outlive everyone, not because he’s strong and patriarchal, but because he has Asperger’s and can see the world differently, much like protagonist Hazel Fox. Their strange way of navigating each other is the foundation of Green Again, it is neurodiversity healing a broken mind, and vice versa. Green Again isn’t readily available for readers yet, it is currently on submission and looking for an agent to represent it. I’m looking for the right person to get this into the mainstream, not for fame or fortune, but so we can show people out there that they’re not alone, they’re not crazy, they can rise and use their individuality to become the heroes in their own story. (Any agents reading this, I’m all ears.)
3. If Green Again was made into a movie, who would you cast as the leads?
As a writer, I feel like you have to pretend you don’t constantly obsess over this question, when in reality, you’re waiting for someone to contact a Hollywood legend to be your lead. On that note, a British Harrison Ford would certainly star in Green Again as the elderly politician, John. For our protagonist, Hazel Fox, I would love Billy Lourd to star. She’s got that special twinkle in her eye like her mother, Carrie Fisher, whilst being her own person able to pull off complex roles and characters. Although she doesn’t have many acting credits to date, she’s already iconic to me. Dorian Ford would be Zachary Quinto or Max Greenfield. Both of them are able to pull off the intensity his character needs. The female matriarch of Green Again, Leah Ford, would either be Julianne Moore (not because I have been crushing on her since the 90s) or Gina Torres (also crushing on her since Firefly). These women have always inspired me in their roles as strong women.
4. You’ve had several short stories published. What tip would you give a newbie writer who is looking to submit to an anthology or literary magazine?
The best thing I ever did for my short-story writing career was to get a mentor. It was an accident at first. I hired a beta reader to test my stories on, but she became so much more. Elle Turpitt has helped me navigate the world of indie anthologies, mags and submissions since I started writing shorts. Having a mentor is so important to the writing process. It helps you spot opportunities and sound board ideas. It also gives you someone to talk to when you feel like you’ve lost your way. A lot of writers (probably all of them) have moments of doubt that tell them to quit, when you have a mentor, or writing buddy, it keeps you lifted, keeps you accountable. When you’re starting out (which I feel like I still am), having a guide to the weird and wonderful world of writing is the best way to make the most out of opportunities and not get lost in a tangle of books, pages and words.
Also, remember that editors reading your submission are human too. Wish them a good day, be yourself, don’t be a submission robot. My favorite editor to submit to is C.C. Finlay at Fantasy and Science Fiction mag, because he’s a super lovely chap who wants writers to do well.
5. When did you first develop a passion for the horror and scifi genre?
I’m pretty sure I spoke Ewok before English. I’ve been so enamored by sci-fi all my life and saw it as a boy’s thing so naturally hid it. Nowadays, women are taking the reins of sci-fi and more women are becoming hard-core fans of the genre. I sometimes sit there and design a complete space-ship on a scrap of paper and then have to remind myself that we’re not quite there yet technology wise. I’ve worked in science and tech non-fiction copy-writing all my adult life so I’ve been exposed to amazing advances in tech, especially tech for good, and I know it’s just a matter of time before we’re planet hopping. Along with every other sci-fi fan out there, I just hope it happens within my lifetime.
As for the horror aspect, I like my blood to boil, my heart to race. I want the stakes to be as high as they possibly can.
6. Do you have a favorite author?
Joe Hill. I have never known anything quite like his work. He writes female protagonists with such accuracy that it leaves me considering how he knows so much about the female psyche. His wife must be very lucky. He creates incredible antagonists too and answers deep-rooted societal questions in the horror setting. He also makes me laugh out loud with some of his lines in his books. Anyone who can reference Firefly in a novel about a vampire child abductor or quote Dire Straits in an apocalypse, is a genius in my opinion.
7. What book(s) are you reading right now?
With a huge stack of amazing new books to read, I’m obviously now on my second read through of Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, only because there is so much incredible detail in it that I’m afraid I may have missed something beautiful on the first read. When I’m working on a novel, I tend to avoid too much reading of others’ work. I find that it helps keep my mind in one universe, instead of multiple (also I am terrified of accidental plagiarism).
Saying that, this year I’m aiming to only read works by female authors. I have Helen Marshall’s The Migration, Sarah Pinsker’s A Song for a New Day, Becky Chamber’s To Be Taught If Fortunate, and Sarah Gailey’s Feb 3rd release, Upright Women Wanted all lined up for the first quarter of this year. Becky Chambers is a role model for me and many LGBTQIA+ writers (if you’re reading this Becky, thank you for being such a beacon to the queer community).
8. What is next for you? Anything in the works?
Along with the ongoing task of trying to get the best representation for Green Again, I’ve been working on my space opera, The Hollow Way, for the past four months and it is nearly ready for my beta readers. The Hollow Way follows Wren Novak, a prison guard on board a prison ship with OCD, as she is thrown into a task beyond her remit, tracking down the Galaxy’s most elusive serial killer, the Nova Ripper. I’m of Eastern European descent (Ukrainian) and have long put up with near-weekly comments of “you speak really good English” and “but where are you really from?” due to my legal surname. I wanted to have a protagonist that represented this heritage. I also wanted to write something different to Green Again. Green Again is emotional, powerful and moving. The Hollow Way intends to be funny, witty and dangerous.
9. Where can people find you online?
You can find all my short stories and their links on my website, chat to me on Twitter and read more about the Green Again project too.
10. Thank you so much! This is you chance to say anything that wasn’t asked. Closing thoughts?
Quick plug for a great sci-fi anthology just released! TL;DR’s Beneath Strange Stars is one of my favorite projects I’ve been part of. All funds go to an amazing British STEM charity, The Association for Science Education, who support excellence in science education. This is so important to me. I feel if we can encourage more young people and especially women into STEM subjects, the future is within our grasps and maybe I will live to see advanced space travel. My story, The Einsteiners, features in the anthology collection. It follows the relationship between two women time travelers who are part of an insurance scheme for the human race. The entire story is set floating in the expanse of space.
