Reading and Writing Addiction was able to catch up with Matt Mayevsky, Author of Homosexocracy for an interview. We are excited to share this interesting interview today with our readers.
RAWA: When did you first discover that you were a writer?
MM: I don’t consider myself a writer. I’m the author of non-fiction and fiction books. And above all, I am a foresight analyst. Today you too easily juggle the labels, which indicates the word devaluation and thus the devaluation of the original values contained in certain definitions. A writer is someone more than the author of books, he or she is a wizard of words, or more appropriately he or she is a master of words. To be called a writer you have to earn it. That's why, that I am the author, I have a deep respect for the real writers. As someone once said, "I want to be well proportioned."
RAWA: What is your favorite part of writing?
MM: In connection with this question, I remember the statement of a traveler who, to the question of what is best to travel through the jungle, replied "the day when you walk into the jungle and the day when you come out of it.” The same is true about writing. What is beautiful is the creation, the plot and characters formation, the act of drawing a detailed script. Different ideas are coming to your mind, the plot becomes more colorful, elaborate when creating a new, complete world. It's a really fascinating stage of work, when you see the idea being developed in your head. At the beginning there is an inspiration, a ray of light, which is trying to break into your imagination. If you notice this, then you will want to see more. You think about it and the new plots, new ideas appear, which attract you more and more. Up to the moment in which the screenplay is ready and you can start writing. Although , to tell the truth,the whole process can be much extended in time. Especially when you have support yourself with additional knowledge, the information necessary to create a complete scenario. The next step is sweat and toil. As writing can be very stimulating, it might be an entertainment, the final form as impressive content is usually the result of hard, creative work. Of course, not always the effort is noticed and appreciated by the recipient. Sometimes , what is a remarkable , creative achievement for an author, is barely noticeable by a reader. And vice versa. What an author considers as the average effect of his / her work may reflect a strong echo in the publishing market. According to me this is the most fascinating.Book text interpretations. Surprising thoughts, nuances, which sometimes aren`t recognized even by an author , are raised to the rank of the monument by a reader. Well, the last phase of the work is very pleasant. Getting out of the jungle, that is what I call the "machining". Out of a severe form of raw text, the author brings the final shape of his / her work. That's when the author decides about the final form and content of the book. That's when the words and sentences tremble in fear of the guillotine of reduction or complete change. I like this stage. This is is the moment where you feel like a master of words.
RAWA: What do you think is the most challenging aspect of writing?
MM: The idea and shape. On the idea, on the initial concept depends whether you are able to encompass the subject, and whether the plot that is in your head, absorbs you so much that you dedicate it your time, energy, and you give it a part of yourself. You ask yourself a question , to what degree your idea is original, what you want to say through the book, what you want to convey to the reader. For me the important book is the one I enter into an interaction with. The book speaks to me, and my imagination interprets it in its own way. The text which I am reading is invading my ego like a virus, taking my time and mental space. The challenge is to choose the topic, the problem that you are going to take up. You ask yourself a question: is it worth it? Has my idea for the book has the sufficient potential? The second major challenge is the form. The bad form can kill the excellent idea. A beautiful person`s looks can be spoiled by a hideous outfit, hairstyle, fragrance. The same applies to the story. Every story needs a proper arrangement of carefully selected words. Professional writing is a hard work because of the requirement devilishly good concentration from the beginning to the end of the whole creative process.
RAWA: Tell us about your latest release.
MM: "Homosexocracy" is a complete, alternative world of the future. It's a world lensing contemporary phenomena: waves coming out, post-feminism, gender, trans-gender, post-macho, post-patriarchy. We are the witnesses to and participants in the interregnum. We live in a world of postmodernism and I am pre-scaling this world and moving to the indefinite future. And paradoxically, in this future world, I put questions similar to today's. Quo Vadis man? Who are you? Are you aware of your individual and group identity? In "Homosexocracy" I come to grips with the social cracks, the conflict that is embedded in social DNA. The pretext is a civilisation in which the dominant sexual orientation is homosexual. I present reality, which in its way is mature, rich and welcoming, and above all tolerant. Only by going deeper into this world, I discover the refraction of light, exposing more imperfections from shadow to darkness. I describe the "Homosexocracy" through the eyes of characters who live on both sides of the social, psychological and gender barricade. My characters live according to their compulsory social dogma. This dogma pushes them to the activities in which they will have to make increasingly difficult decisions and choices. Like in an ancient tragedy there are no winners. The wave of changes triggered by the conflict sweeps everyone with with equal ruthlessness, regardless of sexual orientation, gender, and place in the social hierarchy. And every choice of key characters turns out to be a tragic choice. I define "Homosexocracy" as the dystopia, but the complementary term is definitely the political thriller. Here,the reader will find not only vividly described, conflicted world, but also diverse, interesting characters, new customs, fashion, surprising patterns of behavior. I’m fascinated with such an aces of utopia and dystopia as Aldous Huxley, George Orwell, or Strugatsky brothers and my ambition was to brush against this high ledge of SF classics with my book. As far as I managed to do it, let the readers evaluate themselves.
RAWA: How did you come up with the title of your book?
MM: I wanted the title to be essential, memorable and provocative at the same time. "Brave New World" was a reference to create a new title. But how to close a world described by me in a one word or phrase avoiding cliché or repetition? I was looking for an inspiration in the vocabulary of gender, a different type of "-cracy" defining the different forms of statehood. Until,in my head, ‘Homosexocracy’ finally appeared "Homosexocracy," which I thought was the most appropriate title.
RAWA: Who are some of your favorite authors?
MM: In high school I used to read the classics and my favorite author was Leo Tolstoy. I also loved the Soviet war books. At the time, it did not bother me, or I didn’t notice a propaganda overtones of this literature. I still remember the Konstantin Simonov’s trilogy, especially one of his books, "No one is born a soldier”. At University, one of the first books, or even it was the first one, in the field of cultural anthropology ‘The Golden Bough’ by James G. Frazier, made an amazing impression on me. As I am starting to think about the novels significant for me, my mind opens a whole shelf full of books, "The World According to Garp" by John Irving, "The Master and Margarita" by Mikhail Bulgakov, "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller, "Animal Farm" by George Orwell, "King Rat" by James Clavell, "The Shining" by Stephen King. My spread of interest was in this field. Speaking of ... I started to discover SF after University time. Philipp K. Dick was an amazing, creative character for me. He excelled in short forms, with unsophisticated language he was creating new worlds, new ideas. I'm afraid that this interview has limited space, and listing here the authors and titles could be quite a lot. I cannot, however, refuse to note "The Forever War" by Joe Haldeman, "Stranger in a strange land" by Robert A. Heinlein, and "Dune" by Frank Herbert.
You can read a lot of books, but few remain permanently in memory. Sometimes these books become a life or professional inspiration. Passed by us, shape our imagination, awaken new areas of consciousness. Such books I love, such books I'd like to write.
RAWA: What do you think has influenced your writing style the most?
MM: Surely all that I dealt with professionally and certainly what I had read. I put up my life`s passion at the interface of science and business. It's like colliding tectonic plates forming new lands, new shape of the Earth. Business has its own rules, which often undergo ruthless Occam's razor. This hard fact sometimes penetrates the content created by me. On the other hand, I’m a fan of social sciences, which requires an open mind, asking questions about basic things and constantly pushing the boundaries in search of unrecognized areas. So there are questions and curiosity, but it is also the ambition for discovering patterns, new paradigms. In the literature, philosophy, or the ambitious SF I took pleasure in traveling through the possible but not necessarily probable scenarios of the future. Let's take an example of such authors as earlier mentioned: George Orwell, Aldous Huxley, and also Jonathan Swift, Karel Čapek, William Golding, Francis Bacon, Herbert George Wells, and Thomas More. They're all asking questions about things fundamental for humans as a species. Another issue is how they have formulated their answers: adventure books, essays, philosophical treatises. For me SF is a contemporary philosophical agora, where you can ask questions about the cause and effect of social mechanisms included in the framework of civilization. There is no restrictions on business, scientific, ethical. There are only questions that may implode or explode with new energy.
RAWA: As a writer what is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?
MM: At the moment it is "Homosexocracy", although I still hope that the greatest work of life is still ahead of me. However, dystopia, which I created is a milestone fane regardless of what else I will write, this book is a breakthrough and is very important for me. "Homosexocracy" let me look in the mirror of my capabilities and limitations. "Homosexocracy" is a key azimuth on my map of development. Apart from this dystopia I'm also proud of a series of stories that I am just finishing. This collection is called "Fantasy is a Woman" and I think it has been quite an interesting challenge to deal with the creation of short forms. A new milestone, by which I could learn myself and develop myself further.
RAWA: How did you get published?
MM: I work with publishing houses, but I don’t avoid the recently trendy formula of self-publishing. My books are published in an electronic format (ebooks) and in the printed form. Besides, I have published in various languages. Primarily in English but also in Spanish, German, Russian and Polish. Generally, I’m open to new challenges and I will be happy to establish cooperation with a professional literary agent or an international publishing house.
RAWA: Do you have any advice for writers looking to get published?
MM: Yes. One and specific. Never give up and don’t stop believing in what you are doing. In addition to my professional passion, I’m also a bodybuilder. Once, one of my coaches told me before the competition; "You're not going there to win the competition. You're going there to show that you are the best …" And I wish that all who live for passion and thanks to the passion. Show the world that you are the best.
Homosexocracy by Matt Mayevsky is available online at Amazon.com.
RAWA: When did you first discover that you were a writer?
 |
| Matt Mayevsky, Author of Homosexocracy |
MM: I don’t consider myself a writer. I’m the author of non-fiction and fiction books. And above all, I am a foresight analyst. Today you too easily juggle the labels, which indicates the word devaluation and thus the devaluation of the original values contained in certain definitions. A writer is someone more than the author of books, he or she is a wizard of words, or more appropriately he or she is a master of words. To be called a writer you have to earn it. That's why, that I am the author, I have a deep respect for the real writers. As someone once said, "I want to be well proportioned."
RAWA: What is your favorite part of writing?
MM: In connection with this question, I remember the statement of a traveler who, to the question of what is best to travel through the jungle, replied "the day when you walk into the jungle and the day when you come out of it.” The same is true about writing. What is beautiful is the creation, the plot and characters formation, the act of drawing a detailed script. Different ideas are coming to your mind, the plot becomes more colorful, elaborate when creating a new, complete world. It's a really fascinating stage of work, when you see the idea being developed in your head. At the beginning there is an inspiration, a ray of light, which is trying to break into your imagination. If you notice this, then you will want to see more. You think about it and the new plots, new ideas appear, which attract you more and more. Up to the moment in which the screenplay is ready and you can start writing. Although , to tell the truth,the whole process can be much extended in time. Especially when you have support yourself with additional knowledge, the information necessary to create a complete scenario. The next step is sweat and toil. As writing can be very stimulating, it might be an entertainment, the final form as impressive content is usually the result of hard, creative work. Of course, not always the effort is noticed and appreciated by the recipient. Sometimes , what is a remarkable , creative achievement for an author, is barely noticeable by a reader. And vice versa. What an author considers as the average effect of his / her work may reflect a strong echo in the publishing market. According to me this is the most fascinating.Book text interpretations. Surprising thoughts, nuances, which sometimes aren`t recognized even by an author , are raised to the rank of the monument by a reader. Well, the last phase of the work is very pleasant. Getting out of the jungle, that is what I call the "machining". Out of a severe form of raw text, the author brings the final shape of his / her work. That's when the author decides about the final form and content of the book. That's when the words and sentences tremble in fear of the guillotine of reduction or complete change. I like this stage. This is is the moment where you feel like a master of words.
RAWA: What do you think is the most challenging aspect of writing?
MM: The idea and shape. On the idea, on the initial concept depends whether you are able to encompass the subject, and whether the plot that is in your head, absorbs you so much that you dedicate it your time, energy, and you give it a part of yourself. You ask yourself a question , to what degree your idea is original, what you want to say through the book, what you want to convey to the reader. For me the important book is the one I enter into an interaction with. The book speaks to me, and my imagination interprets it in its own way. The text which I am reading is invading my ego like a virus, taking my time and mental space. The challenge is to choose the topic, the problem that you are going to take up. You ask yourself a question: is it worth it? Has my idea for the book has the sufficient potential? The second major challenge is the form. The bad form can kill the excellent idea. A beautiful person`s looks can be spoiled by a hideous outfit, hairstyle, fragrance. The same applies to the story. Every story needs a proper arrangement of carefully selected words. Professional writing is a hard work because of the requirement devilishly good concentration from the beginning to the end of the whole creative process.
RAWA: Tell us about your latest release.
MM: "Homosexocracy" is a complete, alternative world of the future. It's a world lensing contemporary phenomena: waves coming out, post-feminism, gender, trans-gender, post-macho, post-patriarchy. We are the witnesses to and participants in the interregnum. We live in a world of postmodernism and I am pre-scaling this world and moving to the indefinite future. And paradoxically, in this future world, I put questions similar to today's. Quo Vadis man? Who are you? Are you aware of your individual and group identity? In "Homosexocracy" I come to grips with the social cracks, the conflict that is embedded in social DNA. The pretext is a civilisation in which the dominant sexual orientation is homosexual. I present reality, which in its way is mature, rich and welcoming, and above all tolerant. Only by going deeper into this world, I discover the refraction of light, exposing more imperfections from shadow to darkness. I describe the "Homosexocracy" through the eyes of characters who live on both sides of the social, psychological and gender barricade. My characters live according to their compulsory social dogma. This dogma pushes them to the activities in which they will have to make increasingly difficult decisions and choices. Like in an ancient tragedy there are no winners. The wave of changes triggered by the conflict sweeps everyone with with equal ruthlessness, regardless of sexual orientation, gender, and place in the social hierarchy. And every choice of key characters turns out to be a tragic choice. I define "Homosexocracy" as the dystopia, but the complementary term is definitely the political thriller. Here,the reader will find not only vividly described, conflicted world, but also diverse, interesting characters, new customs, fashion, surprising patterns of behavior. I’m fascinated with such an aces of utopia and dystopia as Aldous Huxley, George Orwell, or Strugatsky brothers and my ambition was to brush against this high ledge of SF classics with my book. As far as I managed to do it, let the readers evaluate themselves.
RAWA: How did you come up with the title of your book?
MM: I wanted the title to be essential, memorable and provocative at the same time. "Brave New World" was a reference to create a new title. But how to close a world described by me in a one word or phrase avoiding cliché or repetition? I was looking for an inspiration in the vocabulary of gender, a different type of "-cracy" defining the different forms of statehood. Until,in my head, ‘Homosexocracy’ finally appeared "Homosexocracy," which I thought was the most appropriate title.
RAWA: Who are some of your favorite authors?
MM: In high school I used to read the classics and my favorite author was Leo Tolstoy. I also loved the Soviet war books. At the time, it did not bother me, or I didn’t notice a propaganda overtones of this literature. I still remember the Konstantin Simonov’s trilogy, especially one of his books, "No one is born a soldier”. At University, one of the first books, or even it was the first one, in the field of cultural anthropology ‘The Golden Bough’ by James G. Frazier, made an amazing impression on me. As I am starting to think about the novels significant for me, my mind opens a whole shelf full of books, "The World According to Garp" by John Irving, "The Master and Margarita" by Mikhail Bulgakov, "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller, "Animal Farm" by George Orwell, "King Rat" by James Clavell, "The Shining" by Stephen King. My spread of interest was in this field. Speaking of ... I started to discover SF after University time. Philipp K. Dick was an amazing, creative character for me. He excelled in short forms, with unsophisticated language he was creating new worlds, new ideas. I'm afraid that this interview has limited space, and listing here the authors and titles could be quite a lot. I cannot, however, refuse to note "The Forever War" by Joe Haldeman, "Stranger in a strange land" by Robert A. Heinlein, and "Dune" by Frank Herbert.
You can read a lot of books, but few remain permanently in memory. Sometimes these books become a life or professional inspiration. Passed by us, shape our imagination, awaken new areas of consciousness. Such books I love, such books I'd like to write.
RAWA: What do you think has influenced your writing style the most?
MM: Surely all that I dealt with professionally and certainly what I had read. I put up my life`s passion at the interface of science and business. It's like colliding tectonic plates forming new lands, new shape of the Earth. Business has its own rules, which often undergo ruthless Occam's razor. This hard fact sometimes penetrates the content created by me. On the other hand, I’m a fan of social sciences, which requires an open mind, asking questions about basic things and constantly pushing the boundaries in search of unrecognized areas. So there are questions and curiosity, but it is also the ambition for discovering patterns, new paradigms. In the literature, philosophy, or the ambitious SF I took pleasure in traveling through the possible but not necessarily probable scenarios of the future. Let's take an example of such authors as earlier mentioned: George Orwell, Aldous Huxley, and also Jonathan Swift, Karel Čapek, William Golding, Francis Bacon, Herbert George Wells, and Thomas More. They're all asking questions about things fundamental for humans as a species. Another issue is how they have formulated their answers: adventure books, essays, philosophical treatises. For me SF is a contemporary philosophical agora, where you can ask questions about the cause and effect of social mechanisms included in the framework of civilization. There is no restrictions on business, scientific, ethical. There are only questions that may implode or explode with new energy.
RAWA: As a writer what is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?
MM: At the moment it is "Homosexocracy", although I still hope that the greatest work of life is still ahead of me. However, dystopia, which I created is a milestone fane regardless of what else I will write, this book is a breakthrough and is very important for me. "Homosexocracy" let me look in the mirror of my capabilities and limitations. "Homosexocracy" is a key azimuth on my map of development. Apart from this dystopia I'm also proud of a series of stories that I am just finishing. This collection is called "Fantasy is a Woman" and I think it has been quite an interesting challenge to deal with the creation of short forms. A new milestone, by which I could learn myself and develop myself further.
RAWA: How did you get published?
MM: I work with publishing houses, but I don’t avoid the recently trendy formula of self-publishing. My books are published in an electronic format (ebooks) and in the printed form. Besides, I have published in various languages. Primarily in English but also in Spanish, German, Russian and Polish. Generally, I’m open to new challenges and I will be happy to establish cooperation with a professional literary agent or an international publishing house.
RAWA: Do you have any advice for writers looking to get published?
MM: Yes. One and specific. Never give up and don’t stop believing in what you are doing. In addition to my professional passion, I’m also a bodybuilder. Once, one of my coaches told me before the competition; "You're not going there to win the competition. You're going there to show that you are the best …" And I wish that all who live for passion and thanks to the passion. Show the world that you are the best.
Comments
Post a Comment