Science Fiction Adventure for a New Generation, Black People, Psychic Whales and More: Author Interview with Zig Zag Claybourne
Posted on: June 8, 2016
I first heard about Zig Zag Claybourne from an interview on The Dead Robots’ Society podcast. On the show, he talked about his latest novel, The Brothers Jetsream: Leviathan. It is a science fiction adventure that centers around two African-American brothers out to save the world. There are psychic whales, explosions, warrior angels, Atlanteans, and corporate conspiracies. I immediately thought, Whoa—way cool and original! Zig Zag was witty and offered great insights about building a writing life over a number of years. After his appearance on DRS, I knew I wanted to help spread the word about his work.
Prominent writer Dave Eggers has said about Zig Zag, “This is a truly original writer. He sounds like no one else, plays by no rules, and creates wildly entertaining books that create an indelible stamp on the mind.”
I’m looking forward to meeting Zig Zag, in person, at the upcoming State of Black Science Fiction Convention. In the meantime, I’m delighted that he agreed to appear here at The Practice of Creativity.
Tell us about your recent novel, The Brothers Jetstream: Leviathan. What inspired it?
The Brothers Jetstream: Leviathan came from me wanting to highlight a book where black folks do what they’ve always done: save the world one way or another but get zero credit for it. I describe the book as Buckaroo Banzai by way of Ralph Ellison. It’s an adventure with heart, humor, and the coolest crew since Sulu and Uhura. The characters have been with me a long time. So has their battle against the False Prophet Buford. If you have two black brothers named Milo and Ramses Jetstream, there is absolutely no way they are not going to wage war against the status quo.
How did you get bitten by the ‘writing bug’? Did you always wish to become an author?
I took up writing before puberty. I loved reading, not just science fiction, everything. I was the kid who got excited when the teacher assigned Hamlet. One day my mama said I read so much I could probably write a story. That was the Pearly Gates opening moment for me! I wrote my first terrible short story (about aliens using humans as hunting dogs against other humans) and have been going ever since.
How do stories usually come to you? Do you start with a character? Setting? An image?
I usually start off with a feeling or a mood then dig deep to find characters and a situation to bring that mood to life. Jetstream, for example, was the feeling of the world being utterly ridiculous when you actually stopped to think about 99% of what we accept as daily life.
What’s the less glamorous side of a published writer’s life that aspiring writers often don’t see?
That makes me laugh! I haven’t found a glamorous bit yet! I don’t think aspiring writers realize that just because a writer gets to “the End” means the book is done. There are rewrites on top of rewrites, then there’s the marketing/publicity push which, for most authors (seeing as we’re generally solitary, quiet people – HA!) is as glamorous as a root canal. There’s still this feeling out there that folks get to write a book, dust their hands of it, and watch as the angels waft it heavenward. To quote Lana Kane from Archer: “Nooooooope.”
What’s on your bookshelf, next to your bed (or in your e-reader)? What are you reading right now?
There’s nothing better for me than finding a new author to love, so my bookshelf is a workhorse; I’m always adding way more than the max carrying load to it. Right now I’m reading a sword & soul epic called Woman of the Woods by Milton Davis, a YA fantasy called Basajaun by Rosemary Van Deuren, and am about to jump into the macabre with Victor LaValle’s The Ballad of Black Tom.
What’s your best writing tip that you’d like to share?
The best tip ever is care about what you’re doing. All else flows from that. If you don’t care, the readers won’t care, and if you’re writing under the assumption that your book is “good enough” you’ve already failed. For me the process of taking a book from idea to completed drafts is a lot smoother if I operate under the hope that a reader will feel what I’ve given them and appreciate the respect for them.
Zig Zag Claybourne (also known as Clarence Young) wishes he’d grown up with the powers of either Gary Mitchell or Charlie X but without the Kirk confrontations. (Anybody not getting that Star Trek reference gets their sci-fi cred docked 3 points.) The author of Neon Lights, Historical Inaccuracies, and By All Our Violent Guides (the last under C.E. Young), he believes a writer can be like an actor, inhabiting a delightful variety of roles and genres. As such, his work takes you where you’ve never been, but makes sure you have fun getting there.
Find out more about him here.
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