We Are Satellites (9/21)--Ask the Author!

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

Author Sarah Pinsker has graciously agreed to join our discussion of her book, We Are Satellites!

Please use this topic thread to post questions or comments to which you would like the author to respond. She will not be reading or commenting in the other topic threads, so this is the place to get her answers and insights!

A huge thank you to Ms. Pinsker for offering to join our discussion!

[Sarah]

Hi!
I've actually been a member of this group for ten years, but I stopped participating in groups a few years ago when my deadlines got crunchy. When I saw the email saying this was up next, I was delighted! I'm only going to keep an eye on this thread and stay out of the others, so you don't feel stifled by my presence. In the meantime, I'm here to answer questions.

[Shel, Moderator]

I’ve only just started the book but I’m looking forward to coming back with questions when I finish! Thanks so much for joining us!

[Shel, Moderator]

As you can see, I ripped through the book in two days. I may or may not have stayed up too late reading last night... :)

I really loved it. I'm curious about a few things --
What came first for you, the concept behind the title or the plot? Did you start with the metaphor or the story?

Do you have personal experience with epilepsy or other disabilities that inspired the character of Sophie?

If the Pilot were a real device and unlike in your book, was reliable and trustworthy and properly overseen by folks with customers' best interests at heart, would you be tempted to get one?

I'm sure I'll think of more and come back later. Thanks so much for being here!

[Sarah]

Hi Shel,
Glad you enjoyed it!
Q) What came first for you, the concept behind the title or the plot? Did you start with the metaphor or the story?

I started with the device and the family. A combination of something I'd heard about at a symposium and this single mental image of a bunch of teenage boys with blue lights on their heads running across a street.
Then plot. My working title for years was just "Pilot Program," which was never intended to be permanent. The metaphor came later, but helped solidify both the title and some of the themes.

Q: Do you have personal experience with epilepsy or other disabilities that inspired the character of Sophie?
I worked for my local epilepsy foundation for fifteen years, doing various things including running support groups and a teen group, working on legislation, and answering information calls. I met so many wonderful people at that job. It was really important to me to honor their experiences and create Sophie as a person who learned to live with her epilepsy despite the roadblocks thrown by both our society and the slightly different one I invented.

Q: If the Pilot were a real device and unlike in your book, was reliable and trustworthy and properly overseen by folks with customers' best interests at heart, would you be tempted to get one?

The idea of it is tempting. I've spent so much of my life pretending I could multitask and failing miserably at it. That said, I'm usually a last adopter even for things that don't involve brain surgery, so I have a feeling I'd probably sit it out. How about you?

[Shel, Moderator]

I tend to be a late adopter too, so yeah, I'd probably hold out for a while at first and wait to see how folks around me did with it. I'd probably end up getting one when I had a specific reason to do so - I resisted getting a cell phone until I was in grad school and was going to be on campus all day without any way for anyone to get hold of me, and I didn't get a smart phone until I had a baby that needed to be photographed a million times.

[Shel, Moderator]

Oh, and one more thing - not really a question, just a thank you for the matter-of-fact LGBTQ+ representation in the book! I'm cis-het myself but I am the faculty advisor for a middle school pride club and the world needs more of that.

[Sarah]

Shel wrote: "Oh, and one more thing - not really a question, just a thank you for the matter-of-fact LGBTQ+ representation in the book! I'm cis-het myself but I am the faculty advisor for a middle school pride ..."

You're welcome! That's always been very important to me as well. It's still a rarity to find books where characters' gender and sexuality are part of them but not major plot points, and I enjoy adding to that canon.

[Wekoslav]

Hi Sarah,
No questions from me, just accolades :)

I'm a huge hard sci-fi fan, but your book ... well, it touched me. I'm not ashamed to admit that this book reduced me to tears in a few places. The train/hospital scene hit me right in the feels.

Starting from the finish, I loved that the ending stayed focused on the family, and did not turn out into a corporate thriller, even though the material was there - that was not important in the book's universe, and I applaud you for staying true and not shifting focus.

Additionally, I have to inform you that you will be held up as a shining example of how to properly do multiple viewpoints - each character has their own distinct voice.

Thank you for this, and hoping for more :)

[Sarah]

Векослав wrote: "Hi Sarah,
No questions from me, just accolades :)

I'm a huge hard sci-fi fan, but your book ... well, it touched me. I'm not ashamed to admit that this book reduced me to tears in a few places. T..."

Thank you! This family was in my head for so long, and it's always lovely to hear that what was in my head made it to the page.
I teach classes on writing near future SF sometimes, and one of my exercises involves looking at how the same concept could be written in a dozen different modes. As a political thriller, or a medical thriller, or a corporate thriller, or harder SF. For me, this was always a ground-level, family story, because that's what I love to read most: ordinary people dealing with science fictional circumstances. I'm glad it spoke to you.