The Strange and Madcap World of Rowena Wright

November 23, 2006 - SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - Seattle author Rowena Wright introduces a strange and enchanting world in A LOOP IN TIME, Book One of the POLIS series. Here is some advance praise:


"For fans who desire something different in their science fiction…"

— Harriet Klausner, Amazon Top Reviewer

"Wright has clearly done her research well: as a scientist I was impressed at how accurate the science is."

— John W. Weiss, CICLOPS/Space Science Institute

"Time travel, historical scientific personages, and mythology and ancient spirituality are themes tightly woven in this very readable story. I highly recommend it..." — Euro-Reviews

"…intriguing…[Wright's] style is poetic and descriptive…"
—October 2006 Voya

Rowena Wright answers some questions about the book and the inspiration for her work, and responds to fan and reviewer comments.

Q. The book is mostly about the three kids, Ericca and her friends, Elle and Matt, trying to solve a mystery. Yet, there are chapters like The Proletarian Prince and Blind Chess which refer to issues in politics. Explain this odd combination.

Time travel, reversal of history, and the politics of war become questions in Ericca's quest for her father who was lost in a wartime situation. Magical elements — her baby blanket where deceased thinkers come alive, and a magical subway token — help present these somber themes in an optimistic and engaging way.

Q. There are many references to Egypt and the culture of pre-historic tribes. Explain how these references tie into the story and the fascination you have with ancient history.

The story introduces the idea of Ringgolds and Saplings. The idea of a pre-historic humans with longevity and intelligence superior to humans is not a new idea. In fact, mythology from all world cultures, Egyptian, Greek, Celtic, Sumerian, etc., refer to predecessors to modern humans with super-human if not godly powers, and also to intermingling and cross-breeding between mortals and immortals.

In the POLIS series, these characters bring a charming element of magic, but this magic is explained in terms of the concepts and theories of modern science.

Science and ancient history make a colorful background for fiction. The fascination of ancient history is already apparent in many of the popular books today. What is interesting is a melding of history and science where technology is a mirror of culture.

Art and artifacts have always expressed the spirit of a society. Consider the spectrum of art history: the earliest stylized cave paintings and exuberant shapes of pre-historic tribes contrast distinctly with the painstaking realism of the Greeks and Romans. The spirit of nomadic tribes in an environment where nature dominated is expressed in their art; the Greek and Roman preoccupation with a centralized infrastructure, where human power has conquered the environment is evident in the muscular, idealized images from this period. What different societies create, use and invent says something.

Q. Explain some of the references and influences for A LOOP IN TIME.

Can I say everything that has ever happened to me? I had the idea of being a writer for a long time. While developing the plot, some important ideas came to me, in part influenced by what I was reading at the time.

I am a fan of Brian Greene, but not just because his book cover has a cute picture. His books THE ELEGANT UNIVERSE and THE FABRIC OF THE COSMOS help explain some of the boldest concepts in physics. I also like Amir Azcel whose books GOD'S EQUATION : EINSTEIN, RELATIVITY, AND THE EXPANDING UNIVERSE, and FERMAT'S LAST THEOREM, also explain math and science in a clear and engaging way. I am also a fan of the website edge.org created by John Brockman, which features some mind-bending articles on science and the nature of reality. So John Weiss is absolutely right, there is a bit of research in the book.

I am also fascinated with pre-history and speculation about the origins of belief in ancient pagan cultures. There are some important ideas that are explored with the Elves in THE LORD OF THE RINGS, and other popular books (THE DA VINCI CODE, REALM OF THE RING LORDS, PEACEMAKER AND THE KEY OF LIFE, THE OLDEST EUROPEANS, etc).

A LOOP IN TIME focuses on characters whose subtle powers and connection to ancient magic help with personal problems. But these personal problems are part of larger problems that are real and familiar. Some of the events in the chapter The T-Gate, for instance, are based on Ed Cobleigh's WAR FOR THE HELL OF IT, a highly-readable, first-hand account from an American fighter pilot.

For all these references to science and war, however, A LOOP IN TIME reflects a distinctly female point of view. The book celebrates little things from the sweetness of a hand-made keepsake baby blanket to the private thrill of first attraction. This whimsical and unabashedly personal viewpoint contrasts with the mechanistic, reductionist and detached approach emphasized in politics and science.

Q. POLIS is a planned science fiction/fantasy series. Tell us about the sequel(s).

The end of A LOOP IN TIME resolves the mystery that eludes Ericca and her friends. But the Tunnel Wars are not resolved. I look forward to developing the ongoing story of Ericca and her friends. But that I suppose will depend on whether the first book catches on.

Q. There are references to motherhood, hip-hop, online social networking, feminism and fashion in the book. Are any of these references personal?

I am a mother and of course that experience has influenced me greatly. In fact, some of the motivation for writing a book about politics and science came from my kids, who are at an age where they start asking questions like Why is the sky blue?

I think teens and young adults will like the book, even though it doesn't fit easily into the young adult genre as currently defined. I'm thinking of Naomi Wolfe's New York Times article about the young adult genre. I went to high school with Naomi and we were both in the creative writing club.

Other parts of my life, including my interest in hip-hop, online social networking and fashion are there as well. The series is called POLIS and the setting for the first book is New York city, so important aspects of urban culture need to be included. Hopefully the "message" about online social networking is that there is a fascinating world of diverse characters out there, but more importantly, beware of liars!

Q. How did you become an author, and who do you hope to reach with your book?


I have always loved reading and was told early on I might consider being a writer. Now I find myself engrossed in the world I've created and I'm enjoying the process immensely. And now I'm finding with my aversion to exercise and housework, the only thing I'm qualified to do is write.