Why do you write?
It’s compulsive. I am a storyteller. I relate to narratives and tropes. I think life and art comment on each other.
What are your influences as a writer?
News. History. Utopian Soviet science fiction. Golden Age science fiction. New Wave SF. Dystopian SF. Graphic novels. 19th and early 20th century Russian literature. Dostoevski (I have a troubled relationship with his ideas). TV, movies, pop culture. Philosophy. Religion. Science. Socioeconomics. Institutional and workplace cultures. Anthropology. I was heavily influenced in my youth by Kurt Vonnegut, Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, Frank Herbert, George Orwell, Anthony Burgess, Arthur C. Clarke, Ray Bradbury, Frederick Pohl, Anne McCaffery, Margaret Atwood and Gene Roddenberry. But I also read a lot of literary fiction and consume a lot of non-SF and non-fiction. My favorite TV shows are “Farscape,” "Babylon 5," and “The Wire.” I like Australian New Wave movies, especially “Mad Max” and “The Cars That Ate Paris,” and I like the New Queer Cinema. I watch a lot of Gregg Araki movies. “Mysterious Skin” is one of my favorite films and was an influence on my first novel, “Rentkids,” along with Heinlein’s YA novel “Citizen of the Galaxy.” My worldbuilding is also influenced by Herman Hesse's novel "Siddhartha" and Chinua Achebe's "Things Fall Apart." I draw a lot from my work in mental health and social services with marginalized young people who live with disabilities or have experienced abuse, and I try to use psychological realism in my stories and novels. Trauma theory is highly influential in my writing. I often am inspired by music videos or lyrics from songs. Sometimes a lyric will affect me deeply and it burrows inside my mind and spawns a story. "Old Men and Children" was based on a line from the Al Stewart song "Roads to Moscow."
Why Anarchism?
Well, I tried being a socialist. There’s a lot to admire about socialism. This isn’t a “political” blog, it’s a blog about politically relevant science fiction, and I’m pretty tongue-in-cheek about my anarchism online, but basically, I think anarchism resolves a lot of the contradictions between safety and autonomy, and belonging and independence that socialism, with its problematic relationship with authoritarian structures, doesn’t handle well. Many of my comrades and fellow workers are socialists but over the years, as I have seen the impact of the liberal welfare state on the marginalized people I work with, and been exposed to anarchist ideas through other organizers, I have drifted toward anarchism. Police brutality and the persistent extrajudicial state executions of unarmed black people radicalized me and was a big reason that, after not being engaged with a broader Leftist community for a long time, I became an organizer. At that time I didn’t consider myself an anarchist. I had some negative experiences with a prominent socialist organization I will not name, and I was basically labeled an “anarchist wrecker” for wanting to focus on organizing non-unionized workers instead of pursuing electoral strategies, which I don’t think have ever worked for the Left in the United States. I don’t have a top-down view of change. My view of change is bottom-up. I think it comes through grassroots organizing, coalition-building, direct actions and workplace organizing, not getting “the right people” in at the top. I identify as an anarcho-syndicalist and subscribe to the theory and practice of Industrial Unionism as pioneered and sustained by the Industrial Workers of the World. I am an atheist, and a materialist, but I believe scientific skepticism is best framed in terms of humility, and I am very alienated by “New Atheism” with its absurd and unscientific conclusions, toxic culture and western chauvinist, orientalist and colonialist tendencies. I am a police abolitionist and I oppose the military-industrial and surveillance-capitalism complexes. I don’t like to give out personal information online. My moral philosophy is constructivist and I would say I broadly identify with secular humanist values. So, anarchism seems right for me! There are things I am passionate about and take very seriously but I don’t take myself too seriously all the time. I used to do that, and it was exhausting and bad for my relationships.
What is your favorite science fiction book?
“Dune.”
If you were stuck on a desert island and you could only bring one book, what book would it be?
I’ll take anything I haven’t read yet.
What do you think of conservatives?
I think most of them are exploited by an oligarchical elite, but the straight white Christian majority of them don’t keep their own privilege in check, and everyone, leftist, rightist, black, white, everyone is complicit in racism and patriarchy and needs to challenge and deconstruct those things. I also believe government services should be secular and inclusive, and I oppose the neoliberal and neoconservative policies of stripping public funding away and giving the money to private corporations. That includes nonprofits. As an anarchist, I make a distinction between government services like transportation, education and healthcare, and the state and its militarized protection of private property and imperial and colonial interests. I am anti-cop, I think cops are class traitors regardless of the color of their skin or their sex or gender. But I think most people in the military are being exploited to fight wars that are not in their class interests. I’m actually far more alienated by the neoliberals and left-liberals than I am by conservatives, because I get that the conservatives are alienated too, under the industrial-capitalist mode of production and social organization. I have empathy for that alienation. But I don’t sympathize with their often racist, misogynistic, quasi-libertarian, crypto-fascist and sometimes theocratic or theonomic views. I have conservatives in my family who are decent enough people in one-on-one interactions, and also loving partners and parents, but have horrific voting records and are prone to authoritarian views. They paradoxically frame these views in terms of “negative liberty” without a well-grounded historical understand of why women, workers and minorities have had to fight for positive rights even under liberal, "representative" democracy. Conservatives and libertarians also tend to confuse small-a “authority” with big-A “Authoritarianism.” I don't think they handle nuance well. I maybe an anarcho-punk, but I’m also a social worker with a background in anthropology. I am totally intolerant of Christian Nationalism, Christian Reconstructionism, and Dominionism, as I don't see these things as being compatible with a free society. I think these are forms of fascism. But I don't think everyone who disagrees with my views is a "fascist," fascism is something very specific; it's a "wing" of the war machine, a far-right wing within a legitimizing imperialist mainstream that's afraid to call it out.
What is your opinion of Israel and the Occupation?
I am a (secular) Jew who opposes the Occupation and I share this opposition with many Jews, religious and secular, including many people in Israel who are not supporters of the fascist Netanyahu government. Military occupations are never okay. There was never any moment in history when a military occupation turned out well for anyone.
If you’re an atheist, why do you write so much about religion?
I guess I don’t find atheism that interesting to write about all the time. My stories are very pro-secularist/pluralist, and I like to write about futuristic cultures that are diverse and have different approaches to spirituality and religion that appeal to different characters. Some of my characters are atheists, and others are believers. But there is no one type of atheist, or believer. Not all atheists are skeptics or consistently scientific, and not all believers are anti-science. I think religion will always be with us in some form, and as a futurologist I am fascinated by the possibility that religion will evolve in tandem with new technology and new modes of social organization into something less oppressive than many of its modern and historical iterations. I have many religious friends and comrades, and others who would describes as “spiritual, not religious.” I don’t like to live in an echo chamber. And I like to write about things that matter to people. Religion matters to a lot of people. So it matters to me, even though I am not religious. Writers shouldn't write only about themselves. That's a bit narcissistic, isn't it?
Why do you write so many young characters if you are not a YA writer?
I write fiction with crossover appeal for YA readers and the more conventional adult-oriented market, but the stories have violence and sex and often abuse. I tried writing YA and what I came up with was a bit... edgy. Not something any YA agent thought was appropriate for their market. I reworked that novel into a more conventional bildungsroman. I think younger characters are good cultural insiders. Kids follow pop culture obsessively. Their interests are a good gauge of where society is at, at any given moment in time. But they also have received some recent instruction in their culture's traditions, and they tend to dramatically over-explain things, which is good when I do a lot of extensive worldbuilding. Unlike adults, kids tend to find every detail of a thing important. I work with kids, and I think I relate to teenagers the most. They’re often alienated and rebellious, and I appreciate that about them. But my fiction would not be appreciated by the moral guardians who try to keep kids sheltered from reality instead of helping prepare them to deal with the real world. When I was a kid, I resented most other kids, because they were bullies, and I resented the adults for not stopping the bullying. That trauma affected me throughout my life and I am still processing it. I find it therapeutic to write younger characters also because they have more potential for growth than my older characters, who are often more jaded or set in their ways. They’re more willing to let themselves be changed by experience. They are where I locate hope in my stories.
Why don’t you write using your real name?
I have been involved in highly sensitive organizing, including acts of [redacted] civil [redacted], and I don’t want to put myself or anyone close to me at risk. I have also experienced ethnic prejudice and maltreatment due to my real name that I don’t like to talk about in great detail as I find it re-traumatizing. There's only so much of that a person can take until they have to make a change to protect themselves, so I use a pen name.
Why do you write so much about sexual abuse?
I work with children and teenagers, some of whom were sexually abused, and I was also sexually exploited when I was a teenager. It’s a subject close to my heart and I am trying to find a way to process my own trauma and also be a good ally and advocate for other survivors (I prefer this term, "survivor," to "victim"). It’s the same reason I write a lot about trauma, in general. As a child welfare worker I am very passionate about protecting kids from this kind of thing. It’s never okay, and it often has lifelong effects. I am very fortunate in that I had good supports to get through this. Not every kid is as fortunate. So some of my stories are about recognizing abusive relationships and overcoming trauma.
What is your favorite movie?
I like a lot of science fiction but my favorites are probably the psychedelic ones, like “Altered States” and a recent Spanish-language, Colombian film called “Monos,” which is surreal and not science fiction. I like Stanley Kubrick's "A Clockwork Orange," and David Lynch's "Dune," and I think I mentioned already, I’m a big fan of Gregg Araki’s work. "Mysterious Skin" (the film, and the book it was based on) was very influential on my first novel. Also the Max Max films. Particularly the first and second movies ("Max Max" and "Road Warrior.") "The Cars That Ate Paris" is a good one. So is "The Quiet Earth," and "Ever Since the World Ended." I have a huge collection of movies, so there are probably dozens I am not thinking of right now and will add to this list later when they cross my mind.
What kind of music do you listen to?
Pretty much everything. Punk, rock, rap, folk, some industrial, plenty of pop and a lot of weirder stuff. My favorite musical artist is Nick Cave, and I appreciate the satirical and bombastic mock-authoritarianism of Laibach. I also love Soul Asylum (my dad’s influence) and Queen (one of my mom’s favorite bands), and I’m a big fan of Kendrick Lamar, the Coup, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and the Sisters of Mercy. Also, I’m from Philadelphia, so I listen to Meek Mill. And obviously, Utah Phillips (what anarchist doesn't Utah Phillips?). The first rock song I fell in love with was Billy Joel’s “The Ballad of Billy the Kid.” The second was Soul Asylum's "Runaway Train." I religiously attended Ozzfest in my youth, and went to a lot of shows at the Electric Factory and some more obscure spots in Philly that probably don't operate anymore. I've also been known to listen to Rush, to the annoyance of my socialist friends. I'm kind of a lighthearted troll these days.
What is your theory of anarchism?
My journey to anarchism involved very little theory. It was mostly about practice and deconstructing my own white, male, middle class biases to the point where I could admit enough new information to change my views. I’m very process and practice-oriented. I also tend to respond to overwhelming evidence that I am wrong by adapting my views to take that evidence into account. This is not the way most people change their views. But it works for my dogged Scientific Materialist ethos. Social work school, where I learned something called “Anti-Oppressive Practice” (AOP) also challenged a lot of my preconceptions about socioeconomic, sexual, racial and cultural privilege and hierarchical authoritarian structures. Basically, I think capitalism alienates us from our labor and from each other, and leads to a lot of problems that could better be solved by workers’ syndicates operating under principles of industrial unionism and participatory workplace democracy. As I mentioned, police brutality and the constant deaths of unarmed black people in the news and on social media were a big factor in pushing me further toward the radical left. I could not longer deny that we lived in a fundamentally racist society and that was my gateway. So my "theory" is close to Anarcho-Syndicalism and the "practice" is mutual aid and industrial unionism.
Where did you go to college?
That’s a bit too personal. It could be used to identify me.
Are you originally from Philadelphia?
No, but very close. Three blocks over the city border. I’d rather not state the specific location as that is too personal and could be used to identify me.
Are you married or in a relationship?
Not in the traditional sense. I’m married to my job. I don’t want to adopt or foster kids. I like my single gay bachelor lifestyle too much. But I'd probably change my mind for the right guy. I feel my job, working with kids, satisfies my generative impulses to make an impact on the next generation, but I could see myself running an LGBTQIA youth shelter some day if I can get the resources together. I don’t feel I’m ready for a long-term relationship right now, and I’d rather just have good, healthy fun with decent, hardworking people. I have a “type,” and it’s older, blue-collar guys. Not a joke. That’s about as personal as I will get.
Are you a therapist?
No. I am trained in therapeutic techniques and use them at my job, and I have a license from the state of Pennsylvania to practice social work, but my job is case management. I handle everything that therapy doesn’t address directly and therapists are often part of the support teams I work with.
Why are you so paranoid?
I’m not. I’m cautious, and very skeptical of social media. I have to engage with it as a writer seeking a readership, but I try to avoid getting drawn into the drama, and as noted, I don’t use my real name. I work in a sensitive position, professionally, with clients I need to protect, and I don’t like to be the center of attention. I just want people to read my stories and engage with the ideas. I barely post on twitter, and when I do, it's union stuff, or it's links to posts on this blog.
Are you a member of Antifa?
No. Antifa is an idea, not an organization. I am a dues paying member of several organizations and one union. Antifa is not one of those. I do consider myself anti-fascist. I am also anti-imperialist.
Why so serious?
Who said I was serious? LOL. There are things I’m serious about, but I’m comfortable with who I am and I don’t need to take myself so seriously. I’m a relative old-head on the Left, so I try to approach things with humor. Mostly self-deprecating.
Why are you so anti-social?
I’m not anti-social. Just not a big fan of social media. I prefer direct and in-person, face-to-face, or verbal interaction. Quarantine was hard.
Are you some kind of militant?
I am militant about protecting my online data.
Do you support Joe Biden for president?
I don’t support the idea of having a president at all. I will vote against Trump, but I think he’s a symptom of the disease called Late Stage Capitalism, and in many ways a distraction from over 400 years of brutal oppression and systemic inequality. I don't like how white liberals virtue signal about voting and lecture more disenfranchised people about it. I'm not against incremental progress. Obviously, a living wage is better than minimum wage right now, a 40 hour work week is better than 60, weekends are better than not having weekends, etc. But I think electoralism on the state and national level at the least, is a misguided and ineffective strategy. And most of these thing were not gained through electoralism, they were gained through workplace organizing and direct actions. I think radical change and transformative justice will be accomplished through direct action and grassroots and workplace organizing. I look forward to never being obligated to vote in a presidential election again after this. I don't even think I want to vote for governors. I don't want to support that system. I don't want to be beholden to it. I used to obsessively follow national and state-level electoral politics. I followed it because I thought it mattered. But my views changed with time, and I'm really only interested in following more local elections now. I don't think even if Bernie Sanders were elected (or another "Socialist"/Social Democrat) that such a president would be able to effect much long-lasting change from the top. There would be a conservative backlash like we saw after Obama and whatever good things a leftist president can do by executive order can be undone by the next person, who will probably be an even worse right-winger than Trump (though, likely a Christian Nationalist, so it won't be considered polite to call them a fascist, but the word is accurate).
Do you hate America? Do you hate Israel?
I don’t have any nationalistic tendencies. I don't believe in the necessity of nation-states. I especially don't support ethno-states.
If you don’t like it here, why don’t you move?
It’s my home. I’ll fight for it. And I’m not alone. You move!
Would you be a full-time writer if you could?
No. I think it’s good for me to have a day job. To quote a classic 90s alternative comic, “Writers should have experiences.” I’m as passionate about social work as I am about writing, and I think it keeps me grounded and connected to people and communities. I respect people who write full-time, but I could never see that working for me. I’m a labor-punk. What would I write about, if not labor?