Diamond Bookshelf Magazine #42: ALA Annual Summer 2024 | Page 17

In terms of audience , who is this book for ? We would love to think it ’ s for any dreamer , for anyone who imagines “ what if ”, who goes to sleep wondering what happens after they are gone , after the earth is gone , after time has run its course . So yes , this book is for the heady fan of far future sci-fi and the people who love to speculate on evolution and the lifespan of a civilization .
If you are one to think about the legacy of mankind , of all kind , or really … if you ’ re a fan of incredible art and compelling science fiction tales then this book is for you .
Joe Harris , writer of X-Files , Marvel ’ s Spiderman and X-Men along with DC ’ s iconic Batman went on to say “ Writing about the final beings left standing at the end of the universe was this huge idea , but in order to make sure these celestial mega-gods were compelling , they had to have distinct voices and wants , fears and motivations that were relatable and , frankly , human .”
Personally , for me , ( Matt again ), I am obsessed with how J . K . Rowling always talked about writing the last chapter of book 7 first , a wild achievement and something I think is singular in its execution . For us , coming up with the ending first for a single book , was an amazing challenge to work from . We knew where we were going but we didn ’ t fully understand the path we would take . When we got to the third act we consistently challenged each other to come up with more compelling moments , bigger twists , grander exits , it was the closest thing to a “ writers room ” I had been a part of , and I can see why they work so well . Creativity challenges creativity to come up with something unique .
What would you say is the most rewarding part of the process ? It is without a doubt watching Lorenza ’ s incredible talent translate our words into stunning pieces of art . We set out nearly 4 years ago now with this idea of a council at the end of time , to decide what to do with time . An idea so insane , so out there that even if we were to write something of renowned quality it would be nothing without the mastery of someone ’ s stroke . We continue to this day , as we put the final touches on the print files to be astounded and wowed every page we turn by Lorenza ’ s stunning art .
What are you hoping readers take away from this book ? First and foremost , we are not alone in the universe . Second , the power of emotional connections and cooperation . And third , that our way is not the only way ; how could we improve or avoid mistakes to make our civilization better . And lastly , that sentience demands exploration , the moment we stop exploring , is the moment we die , regardless of what physical form we are in . We don ’ t climb Mt . Everst to pitch a tent at the top and build a city to live at the pinnacle , no , we go back down to do it again .
We are explorers , life itself , is an exploration , and in an age of hyper technology we should never forget to explore . Explore alone , explore together , but explore , because without exploration , without contemplation of that adventure , we are not giving ourselves the gifts that this universe has bestowed upon us .
If the universe is all connected , then we may just be the universe attempting to experience itself , and if that ’ s the case , shouldn ’ t we see what we are all about ?
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