SPSFC 3 Author Interview- Shannon Knight

1. What inspired the world, characters, or core concepts of your story? Was it a particular event, piece of media, or a speculative scientific idea?

Insiders springs from many inspirations. I wanted to write an ensemble piece, as Korean dramas do so well, where each member has unique skills and is a valued part of a team, even if their personalities clash. Ecologically speaking, the world is not just about us. I created a sentient plant as a core character because plants are amazing and often overlooked. I was very enamored with the concept of plants in space and what that might mean or how that might work. I also wanted to integrate many concepts from world mythologies, starting with the oracles of ancient Greece. Mythology is a fascinating window into human cultures, and I wanted to not only show that in the far future, but also create links to our cultural pasts. I also love sci-fi that doesn’t focus entirely on the elite. I wanted identifiable blue-collar workers all over the place as well as people living with poverty. Life can be amazing even without great wealth. I also wanted to work with cosmology and the notion of the reversal of the Big Bang. Ever since I was a child and first learned about the Big Bang, I wondered what that meant in terms of borders because doesn’t that mean there’s an inside and an outsides, so there’s some kind of edge? I find that entire notion super fascinating.

2.       How did you approach the creation of your main characters? Were they modeled after real-life figures, or did they evolve organically as you explored the world of your story?

I wanted my cast to represent the world, so I aimed for diversity. I created space-versions of diversity as well, such as low-gravity maturation. I also wanted individuals to showcase different social concerns that we have, particularly viewing others as outsiders, unlike ourselves. A lot of our conflicts arise from separating people into different categories and deciding who is like or unlike us.

One of my protagonists is Sachi, a teenage girl. Society often views children as incomplete humans or, even worse, property. Teenage girls, in particular, receive a lot of mockery. However, children are complete humans, and adults should protect them. Also, teenage girls are amazing.

I crafted each character with these types of thoughts. People come from different backgrounds. We have different goals, fears, beliefs, and values. Our bodies are capable of different things. Our differences make us special.

3.  Science fiction often delves into questions of ethics, technology, and humanity. What central theme or moral question does your story grapple with, and why did you feel it was essential to explore?

My central theme is that no matter how outrageously difficult the odds, no matter how huge the obstacle, if we all come together, we can do something about it. When you look at our real-world problems, from climate change to pandemics to systemic racism to untreatable illnesses, we can’t win if we treat these as problems for the individual to overcome. These are not you-do-you situations. We must all lend our unique strengths and firm resolve to create solutions.

4.  How did you approach the integration of futuristic technology or scientific concepts in your story? Did you base them on existing theories or let your imagination run wild?

I mixed imagination with existing technology for most of what I created. I started by reading profusely on cosmology, space, botany, and other subjects related to my story ideas. I also followed scientists on social media to see which concepts related to their fields they found the most exciting. Then I researched those. It was pretty fun.

5.  The sci-fi genre provides a canvas to depict diverse cultures, species, and worlds. How have you incorporated representation and diversity in your work, and why do you think it's vital for the future of science fiction?

I kind of answered this one already. Fiction allows us to talk about the real world. The real world is diverse. We can often get readers to see real-world issues in a new light through the distance that science fiction creates. We can also imagine solutions, and people with different skills than ours might be able to take that imagination and help make it reality. Diversity on the page could humanize and make accessible a group of people that the reader had never interacted with in real life, creating a bridge for future connections and understanding.