Q&A: Kevin Hincker talks alien invasion comedy ‘The Story Eaters of Yamm’
A group of misfit sci-fi writers write up a fictional alien takeover scenario… but what if their story about invading alien snails starts coming true?
“The structure of the book grew naturally. The real challenge was cradling a bunch of little stories inside a few medium-sized stories inside one overarching story. They all had to work together.”
What if only a sci-fi writer could save Earth from invaders? Author Kevin Hincker’s alien invasion comedy The Story Eaters of Yamm is an irreverent, suspenseful, profoundly original novel about a group of science fiction writers hired to gameplan an alien invasion. But what if those extraterrestrial snails turn out to be real—and launch an actual invasion?
“Hincker’s yarn is immensely fun. Reminiscent of cult authors such as Terry Southern and Kenneth Gangemi. Tasty and clever comedic SF flavored with memorably unhinged characters.” (Kirkus Reviews)
“Outrageously imaginative. Powered by potent ideas.” (Publishers Weekly Booklife)
Author Kevin Hincker talks to Monster Complex® about the challenges of writing in this format, what inspired a meta-fictional adventure about alien snails invading Earth through the publishing industry, and why the main character struggles from an inability to, well, tell time.
Hincker is a critically acclaimed author (“Best Books of 2023,” Kirkus Reviews) and award-winning playwright who started writing his first novel when he was 14. As a sidenote, he prefers tequila to mezcal. (Unfortunately, that time he threw up while bowling, he was drinking tequila.) Learn more about Kevin on his website: https://kevinhincker.com.
INTERVIEW: Kevin Hincker talks to Monster Complex® about The Story Eaters of Yamm
Q: What inspired you to write the book this way? What were the challenges of writing in this format?
In my brain, the stories are endless. They own the place. They are always different, but they are in important ways at the same time always the same story.
So, since the book is about mind eating snails taking over the Earth through our stores, the structure of the book grew naturally. The real challenge was cradling a bunch of little stories inside a few medium sized stories inside one overarching story. They all had to work together.
Q: What’s the best way to describe what you’ve done here? How do you help readers “get” what to expect from the book?
The best way to describe the book would be a hilarious, character-driven, meta-fictional adventure story about alien snails invading Earth through the publishing industry. There are definitely some extra pieces a reader will love to “get.”
I clue readers into the eventual surprise conclusion through story specifc formatting tweaks and fourth-wall breaking. I also clue them in by constantly describing it as “a hilarious, character-driven, meta-fictional adventure story about alien snails invading Earth through the publishing industry.”
Q: Your main character has “temporal dysphasia.” What does that mean? What gave you that idea? How does this shape the story?
Before a certain age, no human being has any useful conception of time—not of telling time, or elapsed time, or projected time—time essentially does not exist, early in our development, where experiences are all compressed into a super dense now. But eventually we learn to understand ourselves in relation to time; when it is that we are, when it is that we have been, or will be.
Temporal dysphasia, however, is what happens when a person never learns any of that. People with temporal dysphasia reach adulthood unable to tell time, or follow a schedule, or remember the past or believe in the future.
People with temporal dysphasia often end up living with their mothers and are generally unable to hold any job that requires them to “show up” someplace and “do” anything. Because of this, they can sometimes be found successfully writing science fiction. More often however, as in Larry’s case, they are found unsuccessfully writing science fiction.
Q: Why is humor important—especially in science fiction?
Science fiction as a genre is about reaching for—and across—boundaries, proposing definitions for the unknown, exploring truths in ways that other forms of fiction aren’t designed to do.
But a lot of these truths are dark. A lot of them, when considered honestly, are frightening or upsetting.
And it’s exactly here, in the midst of confronting fear and paradox, that laughter serves its highest purpose. It brings us back to our bodies, our present, where no, there are not giant parasitic mind eating snails invading your planet with spore bombs. So, just relax and have a giggle.
Find The Story Eaters of Yamm online
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What if a made-up story about invading alien snails comes true? “The challenge was cradling a bunch of little stories inside a few medium stories inside one overarching story. They all had to work together.”