From the Mind of the Author

I think many fiction writers would agree that we write what we write because it does not represent who we are and what we do in every day life. These are fantasies, our fantasies, dreams turned into stories to share with…well…with the world. Sometimes readers make the mistake of thinking they can know the author as a human being through reading that author’s works. Sure, you will get glimpses of the person behind the words–it’s the nature of our craft. But we are not our writing and our writing isn’t us. At least that’s my understanding.

Classical lore has been a love of mine since my parents played records of the great tales for me when I was a toddler. I wasn’t surprised that one of my first viable novel concepts would include some of the highlights. The trick was turning ancient stories into a story of my own, one that wove classical elements with original plot ideas. In a sense I created a new epic from ancient elements, which I didn’t realize I was doing until I was deep in the middle of the project. I would be very happy if Sex and Chaos inspired readers to investigate the ancient world for themselves. Granted, you won’t find Iphisia (more’s the pity, really), and while you won’t find an Amazonia as exists here, you will find that contemporary sources discussed the “Women of the Moon” and their homeland, today believed to have been somewhere in Asia Minor (Turkey).

Sex and Chaos as a title certainly doesn’t sum up my life, but it does underline two of the main themes of the Thermodon Trilogy. I’m not bogged down with all kinds of sexual rules and decorum, nor is chaos reigning at the center of my life. However, I like these concepts. I enjoy writing about them, and that’s what I’ve done. There are a set of themes that are the most germane to our experiences as humans, and if either sex or chaos isn’t among them, I can’t imagine what would make the cut.

Sooner or later someone is going to think I’m a nympho, or a sadist, or a man-hater, or Dog knows what else. Well, people will think what they think, and if they’re thinking at all, I say it’s a win. Additionally there’s a lot of sex in these books–not just the act, but thought, reflection, longing, and all the other jellybeans in the sex jar. When I step back a bit, I don’t see where things sexual are any more on the minds of my characters than they are on the minds of modern folks.

It is what it is. I hope that what it is provides much reading pleasure.