Author Interview: Nina Munteanu

Welcome back everyone! If you read my review of Nina Munteanu’s latest work Darwin’s Paradox, you know how much I appreciated the symbolism laced throughout this new eco-thriller. Today, Ms. Munteanu is here to answer some questions about the metaphoric content found in the book.

TA: I have to admit, although speculative fiction is a guilty pleasure of mine, it has been a while since I’ve actually had the chance to read any. Although I was prepared for the technical language and scientific theory, I was pleasantly surprised by the level of literary allusion, symbolism, and metaphor found throughout Darwin’s Paradox. I notice that names appropriately reference a French Utopian movement, a British social movement, and Greek mythology, but I was intrigued by your choice to name your antagonist Gaia. Considering her objective in the story, I was wondering why you chose to name her after an ancient earth goddess.

NM: Well, without wishing to give away any spoilers, part of the answer lies in that character’s own vision of herself (e.g., she gave herself that name) as an all powerful (and benevolent) goddess. She doesn’t really see herself as a villain in her own story. In truth, this character is very much in tune with the planet and what’s happening. In the end, we find that she is the one who has guessed the truth all along. It’s just how she applies what she knows that is rather dubious and underhanded. So, I played with the whole good vs evil thing here. Giving the “villain” a name that basically stands for all that is good and nurturing in the world also points out that every person, no matter how bad, has good in them; that even a “villain” is a well rounded, complex person with some meritorious traits. In the end, if you think about it, she does end up triggering some good things. And it also points out that most villains don’t see themselves as villains. I needed to create a powerful, charismatic and intelligent antagonist as a foil for the main character; someone you would be drawn to; someone alluring yet dangerous and deadly. The antagonist needed a name that would reflect her paradoxical, well-meaning yet self-serving character. Hence, the paradox in her name. “Darwin” is full of paradoxes like that.

TA: Yes, I noticed the repetition of the word paradox to describe a number of people and situations throughout the novel. There is a definite sense of dualism. Forces are not only in opposition but interconnected. If I recall correctly, that is the basis of the chaos theory referenced throughout the book correct?

NM: Yes…chaos theory embraces paradox. Aspects of it, like synchrony and self-organization defy the second law of thermodynamics. Evolution through cooperation vs. the neo-Darwininan concept of the “selfish gene” and evolution by competition ( e.g., survival of the fittest) is another posit that defies traditional definitive science. The stuff Lynn Margulis talked about decades ago with endosymbiosis. We live with paradox all the time, in our lives. We just don’t realize it often, and certainly don’t embrace it most of the time. Biology is full of it. It’s messy, complex and in some ways not understandable. The title of my book encompasses many aspects of paradox, from the main character down to the concept of evolution. I like inter-layering themes in my stories. Makes them more interesting–and meaningful–for me and hopefully for the reader.

TA: WOW! That’s a lot of science for a literature major like myself, but I understand the basic concept. During the Victorian and Modern periods, Darwin became quite a “pop icon,” and heavily influenced literature and society in general. Today, the phrase “survival of the fittest” seems to carry as much weight as the proverb “Do unto others.” The idea of cooperative evolution is definitely a fresh perspective, and one of the elements I enjoyed in your book, which brings me to the governing body–the Circle. Interesting concept. Would you like to tell us more about it?

NM: Well, it’s basically the governing body of North America, which now encompasses Canada and the United Stares, and includes as its members the mayors of each self-contained megalopolis or Icaria, as they are called ( e.g., Icaria-1, Icaria-2, etc.). That name, of course has its own symbology (. . . wry grin). The Circle runs on consensus; that is, in order for a decision to be ratified, ALL members must agree in one form or another. The Circle as symbol is an interesting one and I didn’t choose it whimsically either to represent the arcane governing body of Icaria. Like the “mandala” of ancient times, the “circle” is a basic structure of creation and can be found throughout the natural world from the tiniest atom to our beloved planet Earth. There is something beautiful and sacred about this shape, that represents wholeness, infinity and eternity. So, just like our “villain” paradoxically giving herself the name of Gaia (rightly AND wrongly), the government, responsible in some ways for the escalating environmental problem, gave itself a name that also seemed paradoxical. Yet, the paradox reconciles with itself in the end.

TA: I see. The fact that all members must agree with a decision once again points to a cooperative rather than a competitive existence. It sounds a lot like a Native American ideology. Did the Iroquois Nation serve as a model for the Circle in any way?

NM: I don’t think they did consciously for me when I conceived it. But it’s interesting that you mention them. It does very much resemble their model, doesn’t it? Including the name, “the Circle”… that’s how they arrange themselves during their council meetings. And the Native American teepee is a conical shape built around a pole that represents the “axis mundi” or world axis…another “mandala” or circle… I honestly didn’t think of this until now. Which brings to mind how intuitive writing is, which is wonderful. Intuition is seeing the “truth” without having all the facts. When a writer reports the “truth” through metaphor, symbology, or imagery (often unknowingly; often intuitively), they are tapping into something much larger than themselves. They are resonating with an autopoietic tapestry of thought, energy–call it what you want…a muse–some might call it God–that guides the writer. We all have felt it as writers…when that certain scene just sings to us, or the hairs on the back of our neck stand up at a phrase or action in what we’ve just set down on paper or screen. Oh…but I’ve probably slid off topic with this, Tricia.

TA: No, I think you are most definitely on subject. As writers, symbolism is not merely something we choose, but something that chooses us—the cultural and environmental awareness that is embedded in the back of our psyche. The evolving meaning of symbolism in literature is a testament to this cooperative evolution featured in Darwin’s Paradox. Writers take traditional meaning and infuse them with ideas of their own. Of course, now that we’re discussing conscious and sub-conscious symbolism, I’m curious about the derogatory comments made about both the protagonist and the antagonist. At various times throughout the novel they are both referred to as witches. Although it doesn’t carry the linguistic taboo of other female derogatories, it is filled with historical and religious connotations. Was that symbolism intentional or another “Freudian” slip?
NM: WOW! Really? I wasn’t aware of that, Tricia. I guess that was another Freudian slip. But now that you’ve brought it up, I’ve read a fair bit lately about the history and phenomenon of “witches”. It’s a concept I explore in my current novel, in fact…the one I’m writing now, which takes place in medieval times. I find the whole concept of witches compelling. How women with power and intelligence were branded by a basically patriarchal society (mostly the Church) who obviously felt threatened…and rightly so, I suppose…They feared being supplanted. Which is exactly what is happening today… (LOL)…The two main characters, protagonist and antagonist, are women, and both are women with power. Julie possesses a gift for transforming an entire world. Gaia possesses hidden knowledge that could do the same. Transformation…Sacred knowledge…These are elements fiercely guarded by a patriarchal power and also the purview of the “witch”. So, yes…though it was unintentional, my reference to witches, particularly for these two main characters, certainly makes sense. Thanks for pointing it out!

TA: Yes, there’s almost a trilogy of female power in the book between Gaia, Julia, and Julia’s daughter Angel. What motivated you to write an eco-thriller in which women represent the proactive force in the novel?

NM: Well, the thought behind that…even though again it likely wasn’t a conscious one…is that our life-force, the energy of our planet is decidedly female: Mother Earth; the goddess Gaia, etc. It’s only fitting to have the drama of our co-evolution on this planet is played out by strong female characters, who each in her own way embodies the life-force of our beloved planet Earth: 1) Gaia, of course, representing the powerful goddess of Earth herself, the character wishing to orchestrate evolution from her supposedly wise point of view; 2) Angel, Julie’s daughter, who embraces the natural world like a child of nature, and who brings a simple yet elegant sense of natural ecology to problem solving that even her own parents don’t come up with; and 3) Julie, the main character, who, of course as Darwin’s Paradox bridges the dichotomies of the opposing worlds of Icaria and the wilderness in both horrific and wonderful ways that will translate into something quite spectacular for the human race.

TA: Darwin’s Paradox tells a very simple story (the need for balance) in a very exciting way (the eco thriller). Can you tell us a little bit about your process? How do you transform an idea into a novel?

NM: WOW! I like how you said that! I’m glad you called it simple because I strive for that: simplicity. It’s also a large part of what makes up balance, I think. I think doing one achieves the other. Which leads me to your next question, about how my ideas get transformed into stories. That too is a balance, a balance between my conscious, often scientific and rational mind and my unconscious intuitive thoughts…My muse, I suppose. I’m a scientist, Tricia. What that means is that I’ve been trained to think in a certain way, to look for proof of reality. At the same time the other part of me, the part that always wanted to be a paper back writer muses not on the question of proving it but what it means. That’s where the novel comes in. It’s one thing to have a great idea; it’s another to translate it into a story that has resonance. The idea is the premise, the what if, which is usually carried by the plot. In Darwin it would be the question of what would happen if an intelligent virus joined with an intelligent machine. But a good story isn’t just an idea. The story has to take that idea and apply it to an issue, usually carried by the main protagonist. The issue could be healing and forgiveness or control and letting go, or trust…and so on. In great stories the premise/plot and theme/issue(s) resonate both directly and metaphorically to produce a multilayered story arc that is seamlessly intertwined. Hopefully I achieved a little bit of that with Darwin’s Paradox… (silly grin).

TA: Interesting response, Nina. In The Heroine’s Journey, Maureen Murdock sites the ‘integration of the masculine and feminine’ (the rational and the intuitive) as the ultimate goal in the woman’s quest for wholeness. It is a paraodx that brings balance and unity. Before I ask you my final question, I’ld like to thank you for your time and the insights you’ve shared with us today. As a writer who is deeply concerned about the messages embedded in writing, what advice would you give your fellow authors? As a mentor to aspiring women writers, what is the most important lesson you would like to share with them?

NM: First, you’re very welcome, Tricia. And my thanks to you for doing this interview. I really enjoyed your questions. Well, this last question is very interesting and rather wonderfully timed. I just finished giving a seminar to a class of 17-year old girls interesting in writing at the University of British Columbia and my single piece of advice to them is to find what they are passionate about and write about that. Find your passion. Everything will come from that. With passion comes the courage to write from the heart, even if it is subversive–especially if it is subversive. With courage comes faith in oneself, and the ability to surmount all the obstacles that come your way (like all those rejections you are sure to get; I still get them!). With faith comes perseverence in the project you are pursuing (including all those rejections…LOL). And with perseverence comes success. Only passion will sustain the journey. It fuels the writer’s drive to be inspired, tap the muse, and the motivation to learn her craft and the tools she will require in her career. We need more women writers in the SF genre, Tricia, so I hope this helps. Now, I’ve just opened another topic, but perhaps we’ll leave that for another time.

If you would like to read more about Ms. Munteanu’s new book, you can find excerpts and book tour dates at darwinsparadox.com and if you’ld like to read more of Ms. Munteanu’s work, check out her blog, The Alien Next Door.