Ask the Author: Sam Wilson
Answered Questions (3)
Sam Wilson
Hi! Sorry I took so long to answer your question! I'm really glad you're enjoying Zodiac. I only knew a bit about astrology before I started researching the book, but I wanted to be as diligent as possible so I learned enough to read a birth chart or a basic horary reading. I realised pretty quickly that astrology is a skill that people spend their lifetime researching and practicing, so I know I'm very much a beginner.
I'm sure you've noticed that zodiac-based social groups in the novel don't perfectly reflect the traditional sun signs. This is partly because I gave myself some leeway to create a society that I thought was interesting, but mostly because I was trying to imagine how time, history and prejudice would have warped the groups' perceptions of themselves. I went into the writing fully aware that Aries aren't criminals and Cancers aren't ultra-conservative, but I imagined how, for example, Cancer's love of the home and distrust of strangers would get distorted by time and politics.
I'm currently side-tracked in writing a very different kind of novel, but I'm hoping to be able to share some good news about Zodiac soon.
Thanks for the question!
I'm sure you've noticed that zodiac-based social groups in the novel don't perfectly reflect the traditional sun signs. This is partly because I gave myself some leeway to create a society that I thought was interesting, but mostly because I was trying to imagine how time, history and prejudice would have warped the groups' perceptions of themselves. I went into the writing fully aware that Aries aren't criminals and Cancers aren't ultra-conservative, but I imagined how, for example, Cancer's love of the home and distrust of strangers would get distorted by time and politics.
I'm currently side-tracked in writing a very different kind of novel, but I'm hoping to be able to share some good news about Zodiac soon.
Thanks for the question!
Sam Wilson
I'm an Aries. (I felt it would be a bit rude to turn any other sign into the hated underclass in Zodiac.)
Sam Wilson
Hi Colleen. You're right, of course. I greatly underestimated how interested readers would be to see how their signs played out in San Celeste. Gemini wasn't a deliberate omission - I just had the plot structured the way I wanted it and I didn't think about covering my bases. If it's any consolation I'm working on a follow-up to Zodiac that's set in the same world but following different characters, and I'm making sure that I'm more representative this time. One of the three major characters this time is a Gemini PR expert.
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