Ask the Author: Umut Orhan
Answered Questions (4)
Umut Orhan
As the last human alive, while my consciousness faded, I asked the universe one final question: "What was the meaning of all this?" A voice from the void answered calmly: "I'll explain next time."
Umut Orhan
As a writer of artificial world colonies, I'd be most interested in meeting the inhabitants of one of those ships. It’s not the metal corridors or the recycled air that attracts me, but the idea of feeling the pulse of a civilization built from scratch. It would be priceless to witness how art, traditions, and even simple daily routines can evolve without a familiar world as their foundation. I would choose a single conversation with someone born into that culture over a silent view of the stars from an observation dome. For me, the ultimate discovery would be to understand what kind of humanity we construct inside the worlds we construct.
Umut Orhan
This summer I’m planning to read the latest books by Zülfü Livaneli, I really love the way he approaches events with such a rational kind of emotionality. I also want to dive into a few Jack London novels I haven’t read yet; I enjoy the subtle philosophies he weaves between the lines. And I’m especially excited to revisit The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin. I listened to it as an audiobook before, but I realized I’d missed some details, so this time I’m looking forward to experiencing it slowly, page by page.
Umut Orhan
I still remember the day during a holiday in Antalya when I first learned that Santa Claus was actually inspired by Saint Nicholas, who once lived there. For hours, I couldn’t stop wondering how those reindeer could possibly fly. Later, while hiking in the famous Taurus Mountains, I suddenly locked eyes with a deer. Of course, it fled—but no one ever believed me when I said I had really seen it. That same day, just as our trip was supposed to end, the hotel apologized for a mishap from the day before and offered us one more night free of charge. I’ve always carried a quiet suspicion about why that happened. If I were to write a novel about a mystery from my own life, it would be about that strange day I never fully understood.
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