Interview with Dana Schoel (D. R. Schoel)
And Xstersiisterpeeze
Q. So tell us about The Galactic Culinary Society. So far, you’ve released three in the series, and all this year.
DRS: I actually started the first story about three years ago, just for fun, for myself. My day job’s in film and TV (as a screenwriter and editor) … and when the pandemic hit and production was temporarily halted on the show I was working on, I decided to more seriously pursue publishing the Galactic Culinary Society stories. I held back on publishing until I had a few stories ready, so the wait between them wouldn’t be too long.
Xstersi, the alien (who looks like a little squid): Hiya, mind if I join? Anyhow, I’m here. What’s going on? Mmm, uh-huh (reading above) … just three stories so far? What a slow poke! That’s like… uh … three divided by three… uh… one a year? Have you checked what REAL writers are doing on Amazon?! You should have like twenty by now!
DRS: Well, I still have my regular job.
Xstersi: Uh huh. Sure. If you say so.
Q. Okay, then. (And welcome to the interview Xstersi. You can stay as long as you behave!) So, Dana, where did the idea come from? Do you cook yourself, or are you more of an enthusiastic food critic?
DRS: I’ve long wanted to write something about food in space: it seemed like a fun idea with potential. Food’s always been important in my family – something we talk about. I cook myself, but I’m nothing like a pro. That would be my brother, who owned a gourmet restaurant in Texas, and he also does some catering jobs on the side. He’s the Master Chef. I’m more into exploring the ‘culture’ of food. I travel a lot, having been to China many times (my wife is Chinese) and through my documentary TV shows, I’ve travelled to the Arctic and worked with Inuit. I learn a lot about other people when we eat together, plus I like to try new things. What we eat is the basis for our very survival, on a daily basis, though we don’t think much about it. So, I found it could be an interesting way to explore different topics, in the tradition of Sci-Fi that examines social issues and ideas –
Xstersi: Oh, what a load of hogwash! Don’t put me to sleep! The truth is, he gets the stories from me! But then he changes it, so instead of it being all about me who saves the day, there’s this annoying Jeane Oberon female person. What the heck?!
Q. Ha, ha. So Dana, I think I’m right in saying that this is your first sci-fi project, although you’ve been a fan of the genre for a long time?
DRS: That’s right. I grew up on Asimov and Heinlein. Working in film and TV, I’ve never had the budget to do something proper in science fiction. Writing these stories has been very liberating. Plus, I don’t have to worry about production costs.
Xstersi: Yeah, ’cause ideas are cheap. You expect someone to give you a hundred million bucks to make a movie about space food?
Q. Well, you never know! So in the trilogy so far there are a lot of different aliens, planets, worlds and cultures. Have you mapped it all out in note form, or do you simply create as you write?
DRS: The sci fi universe I use for my setting is something I first started when I was 13; that’s over thirty years ago. So, I have lots of notes and things.
Xstersi: What’re you yammering about? It’s all real!
Q. Mmm … Of all the aliens you’ve created, do you have a favourite?
Xstersi: That would be me! Me, me! Right? It’s me? It’s me, isn’t it? … Is it me?
DRS: No comment.
Q. There is an element of comedy in the series. Do you try things out on people first, test the humour?
DRS: Some of the characters just seem to take over and have a life of their own –
Xstersi: Like now?
DRS: – and my process is that if I laugh and then, when I read it back later, I laugh again, it’ll stay in.
Xstersi: So, you’re gonna cut this?
DRS: I also have readers who review the story, including my brother, but so far no one’s commented on removing a joke.
Xstersi: I’d remove this bit.
Q. The three books so far are all of novelette length and I wanted to ask, do you think there’s a future in this type of book? (I know from the last time I was in Japan that over there, books are often divided into bite-sized chunks for reading on the commute, etc.)
DRS: When I first started, I was thinking of publishing in magazines, but the stories kept getting longer than a typical magazine short story.
Xstersi: Translation: he doesn’t know what he’s doing.
DRS: As of now, the stories are available only as ebooks. It’s a good way to get feedback directly from readers. When a complete stranger says they like it, that’s encouraging. My plan is to collect them into a print book later on.
Xstersi: When will that be?
DRS: So far, there are the three novellas. I’ve ideas for a few more stories I’d like to include… wait, who’s asking the questions here?
Q. No problem, no problem. What can you tell us about 3rd Wheel Press?
DRS: It’s an offshoot of my production company, 3Rd Wheel Films. I run it with my wife. We publish some other books, including a book of Chinese poetry we’re working on now.
Xstersi: Zzzz
Q. The covers were all created by the artist Josh Newton. Did you work together on the designs?
DRS: I had a pretty firm idea of how I wanted the covers to look. I scoured the internet for someone who’s aesthetic seemed to embody that (on websites like ArtStation). Josh used to work for Disney. Fortunately, he got my vision and was really into it. We worked closely on the designs. He’d send me mock-ups and illustrations that I’d comment on. I think his art is just fantastic.
Q. Agreed. So as well as being the author of these books, you’re a filmmaker too and quite a successful one. How do the creative processes differ?
Xstersi: Successful? As in making money, that kind of successful? Has the interviewer done any research?
DRS: Film is obviously a collaborative process, a team effort, where producers and other people contribute –
Xstersi: – you mean, interfere, muddle with, and totally wreck whatever pathetic idea you’re working on?
DRS: With film writing, I’ll often get well paid for something that never gets produced, and only a few people will have read it, at the end of the day. Even if I earn less from my Sci-Fi, it’s great when it actually reaches people.
Xstersi: People read your stuff? Uh huh. At least the ebooks don’t waste paper.
Q. Okay, Xstersi. Be nice! So Dana, I’m interested in your work with documenting Inuit culture. However, since this is a sci-fi blog, maybe I should stay on topic – but now the question suddenly arises: In Inuit culture are there any science fiction type myths or legends?
DRS: There was this Czech guy, Jan Welzl, who lived among the Inuit in the 1920s and wrote fabulous stories about Inuit coming from Mars. I’d like to write about him someday. More to the point, I’ve worked with Inuit for over twenty years and the next Galactic Culinary Society story, which I’m working on now, is heavily influenced by those experiences… in particular, their hunting culture. So, Jeane Oberon’s next mission will involve that.
Xstersi: Spoiler alert!
DRS: I’m also creating another Chef Hunter who Jeane will have to compete with, a sort of Kahn to her Captain Kirk. Someone who’s her equal, or even more so. I feel she hasn’t had a proper opponent -
Xstersi: Wha-? What about me?
DRS: - someone who can really defeat her. Someone, who’s her equal in intelligence.
Xstersi: Ok, now you’re just getting insulting. I’m outta here.
Q. Okay, and as a final question, do you have any more sci-fi projects to come? Can we expect more adventures from Jeane Oberon in her work for the Galactic Culinary Society? And how about for Xstersi?
DRS: I have three more stories planned, at least for the first book or print collection: the one I mentioned above, then a final story involving Xstersi’s kidnapping (he’s not here anymore, is he? I wouldn’t want him to hear about that), as well as a prequel story which will establish Jeane’s background a little more. I’ve really enjoyed writing about the Galactic Culinary Society, so we’ll see where it goes from there.
Thanks very much for the interview, Dana (and Xstersi!)
Check out more from The Galactic Culinary Society here
Dana's facebook page is here
You can connect with him on twitter here
And on Goodreads here
No comments:
Post a Comment