We had the pleasure of interviewing Zulu Alitspa, Author of Cephalopology. Here are the excerpts from the interview.
Hi, Great to have you with us today! Please share with our readers about your book, Cephalopology.
Hi, I’m an indie author, and Cephalopology is my fourth book. Cephalopology is a novelette set on the coast of Washington state in a near future of ecological devastation. This story is about a man who is captured by sapient octopi who wish to study him for signs of intelligence. The man is trying to escape, and his tribe is trying to get him back, and there’s also a bit of discontent among the individual octopi and people.
Please tell us about your journey.
I put a lot of thought into trying to accurately convey an octopod’s view of the world and his place in it, but at the end of the day, my goal was to write an entertaining story packed with suspense and action. I pulled a lot of inspiration from War of the Worlds and a bit from The Call of Cthulhu, and I think this story really hits the ground running while inviting the reader to see the world from a fresh perspective.
What are the strategies that helped you become successful in your journey?
I never let anything go. Whether it’s childhood grievances or interesting images that pop into my mind, almost anything can become the foundation of a story or the motivation necessary to keep pushing ahead in the absence of success.
Any message for our readers?
The Giant Pacific Octopus seemed like a fascinating creature when I first conceived this book, but the more I learned about them, the less I liked, so I stopped learning about them. I would ask that the reader suspend their disbelief regarding octopus biology.
Fantastic! So tell us, how can people find out more about you?
I keep a pretty low profile, but I’m active on the Unreal Press Podcast featured on YouTube. They talk a lot about indie authors and alternative viewpoints, so if you’re interested in something different and fresh, that’s a good place to look.
Thank you so much for giving us your precious time! We wish you all the best for your journey ahead!