How did literature come into your life?
Thanks to my mother. She encouraged me to read since I was little, buying books at school. They were children’s books, she probably didn’t even know how this would change my life, but it was the path I followed to develop my imagination. As a teenager, I was already a bit of a nerd and RPG – that game of paper, pen and imagination – stimulated me even more. I read to discover the world (as internet access was scarce) and also to imagine myself in other realities.
What is the biggest challenge of writing science fiction?
The biggest challenge is to write sci-fi in Brazil. We do have a tradition in this type of literature, but it did not become popular enough, like realistic and naturalistic literature – these established the foundations of literary thought and shaped the structures of the publishing market and the Brazilian Academy of Letters. They are overvalued, and science fiction is left aside or considered to be literature of a lower value (as it was at the beginning of sci-fi in the USA, with pulp fiction). Therefore, few Brazilian authors of the genre are not independent. It is still difficult to see panels dedicated exclusively to science fiction in big literary events, even more so on Afrofuturism, which is what I write.
Can you share who your favorite writers are?
My writing references go beyond literature, they are also in rap lyrics, with Emicida, Rashid, Coruja BC1, Racionais and Marcelo D2. They are in samba, with Candeia and Cartola, Clementina de Jesus. They are in the movies, with Shonda Rhimes, Tarantino, Guillermo del Toro, Ruth E. Carter, Tomi Adeyemi, Jordan Peele. And, finally, in literature, with Isaac Asimov, Jules Verne, Machado de Assis, Tolkien and many others.
In your opinion, what is Brazilian Afrofuturism?
There are a lot of people using the term Afrofuturism for so many different things on the internet, many things that I have no commitment to or interest in discussing. That is why I like to use the term “Afrofuturist fiction,” a speculative fiction narrative that addresses black Brazilian reality in the context of technoculture and cyberspace that emerged in recent decades. We are still establishing the foundations of how this will take place artistically, in literature, music and fashion, with Afro-Brazilian elements, so it is a concept that is yet to be studied in the future.
Why do you think there are so few sci-fi or fantasy authors in the country?
Because realistic thinking is overvalued in our territory. Nowadays, not even soap operas can show magical realism. This thought was guided by positivism in the military era, the defense of the naturalist novel by the great authors of the Academy and the contempt for fantastic thought – not just in literature. Brazil almost never takes risks in producing fantasy for cinema and streaming. So it is important to understand that there are many sci-fi and fantasy authors spread across the country, but the majority are ipublished by independent presses, because there is no evidence platform for the fantasy created here. This was also fueled by behavior encouraged by many different players in this market, who bought and compared it with foreign fantasy literature, demeaning ours as something naive, not yet mature.
How do you deal with public and critical recognition?
I have a vision for what I want from my writing, and I want to pursue that vision. I like to feel that my works generate discussions, butI try to keep them from interfering with my plan. Of course, I can emphasize something somewhat, or discuss with the publisher a path for a character that understand it is preferred. However, I keep track of the construction of my work.
Is there any pressure on you to always keep writing?
My own. I am very critical of myself. I am constantly improving myself, wanting to expand my writing craft and narrative construction technique.
How do you overcome moments of lack of creativity?
I write. I’m a focused author, and I follow a similar method to Stephen King’s: I simply determine how many words I should write per day and go after them. On some days I reach my daily goal, on other days, I exceed the goal. I view writing and creativity as a craft and not as divine inspiration.
What dream do you still want to achieve?
To make my works popular and enter the history of Latin American science fiction in a positive way.
Science fiction is a genre that talks a lot about society, futures and sustainability. What can we do now to positively impact tomorrow?
In my case, what I can do is reveal the worst predictions and fears in dystopian ways to alert society to how uncertain the future is. That is how my fiction works.
