First time Asimov’s writer Gregory Marlow brings “Seeking” to our [July/August edition]! Read this interview for the behind-the-scenes details!
Asimov‘s Editor: How did this story germinate? Was there a spark of inspiration, or did it come to you slowly?
Gregory Marlow: Almost a decade ago, my cousin lived with my wife and me while he was in opiate addiction recovery. Despite all three of our efforts, he relapsed, and we watched him go through several phases of detoxing and seeking behavior. He eventually did get clean after a long jail sentence, but I was struck by how addiction overpowered all other wants and needs. Nothing was more important than the next high. The experience lived with me for a long time, until I finally read the classic Arthur C. Clarke book Childhood’s End. When the two clicked together, the story practically wrote itself.
AE: What is your history with Asimov’s?
GM: I’ve been a fan my whole adult life, but this is my first story published in Asimov’s. I have a second story coming in the near future that is completely unrelated to this one.
AE: What made you think of Asimov’s for this story?
GM: At its heart, Asimov’s publishes stories about people. Plot, world, language, all of those things are important, but the stories in Asimov’s are not about spaceships; they’re about people in spaceships. Although sometimes people make me angry, they seem to be who I keep writing about. I also have to confess that seeing my name in the same table of contents as Robert Silverberg was a pretty significant life goal of mine.
AE: Who or what are your greatest influences and inspirations?
GM: Did I mention Robert Silverberg? I’m also a huge fan of Kurt Vonnegut, Octavia Butler, Ursula K. Le Guin, Martha Wells, Christopher Moore, Mary Robinette Kowal, Sara Pinsker, and Nathan Ballingrud. I’m not sure if obsessively reading their work has rubbed off on me, but I hope it’s at least helped me refine my taste.
In my daily life, my wife inspires me to try to be a good person and to question the things I think I already understand. I’m still amazed I get to live my life with her.
My dog, Sadie, reminds me not to take cheese for granted.
AE: Are there any themes that you find yourself returning to throughout your writing? If yes, what and why?
GM: I keep coming back to people confined on a spaceship for a long journey. It could be months, years, or centuries, but it’s a great incubator for conflict, plot, and character. Every time I think I’ve said what I need to say about it, another idea pops into my head that I have to write down.
AE: What inspired you to start writing?
GM: My mom. She is a voracious reader and why I first fell in love with reading. She’s also one of the first people who told me that someone out there might want to read something I wrote, too. Beverly Cleary’s book, Dear Mr. Henshaw, added fuel to the flame, and I tried to write my first novel when I was in the fifth grade. I do not have plans to publish that one.
AE: What other projects are you currently working on?
GM: I just finished a first draft of a novel that, if I’m being honest with myself, is mostly a fan fiction about my dog, Sadie, going on adventures in space. I’m an adult, and I can do what I want. I had a blast writing it, so maybe a few people will enjoy reading it when it’s finished. I hope to clean it up and start sending it out in the fall.
AE: What SFnal prediction would you like to see come true?
GM: Teleportation. Steven Gould’s Jumper books hooked me on the trope, but it’s even more appealing since I’m always late to everything.
AE: What are you reading right now?
GM: I just finished two books that I can’t stop recommending; I’m being pretty obnoxious about it, honestly. The River has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar packed so much heart and emotion into 100 pages. The writing is intimidatingly lovely. It felt like a story I should already know by heart, but was getting to read for the first time. The other is When We Were Real by Daryl Gregory. I want a whole novel for every character in that book. It managed to be both fun and whimsical while still sending me into an existential crisis.
AE: What other careers have you had, and how have they affected your writing?
GM: I’m an associate professor at East Tennessee State University, where I teach animation. I’ve also worked as a freelance animator for video games for over 20 years. So I guess writing is my third job, but they all feel like different slices of the same pie to me. I create things, and I help other people create things. I like the process of an idea becoming something someone else can experience. Plus, being a teacher has given me the presumptuous impression that people actually want to hear what I have to say. So when I get a free moment, I make up stories about robots and spaceships and send them out into the world. I am eternally humbled that this story landed on Sheila Williams’ desk and she liked it. She is an absolute legend!
AE: How can our readers follow you and your writing? (IE: Social media handles, website URL…)
GM: I have several social media accounts, but honestly, I’m detoxing from them as much as possible (yeah, I like puns). Probably the best way to find me is on my website, GregMarlow.com. I live vicariously through my dog, Sadie’s Instagram @lickinfaces. Occasionally, I will post some publishing news on my personal Instagram @gbmarlow. But Sadie is way cuter than I am.
