Exploring worlds of “what if?” with sci-fi author Julie Novakova

On an alternate Earth, a version of me sat in front of his laptop, reading a curt, insipid email response from an irate Julie Novakova; a thinly veiled attempt, no doubt, at telling alternate-me that an interview would just be a waste of her time.

On another, there was no correspondence between me and Julie at all; two word-slingers 6,000 miles apart, blissfully unaware of each other’s existence.

Fortunately, on this Earth, I had the opportunity to speak to the sci-fi author — and this Julie turned out to be as pleasant and accommodating as she was brilliant. Despite the fact that the entirety of our communication was solely through the internet, I felt her enthusiasm and energy all the way from the Czech Republic.

Julie believes that the essence of science fiction is one simple question. “The tantalizing ‘What if?’ The fantastic speculation, the far-reached implications of rigorous scientific theories or the far-flung fantasies with little to do with actual science.”

I pictured, in my head, how this prolific writer’s fingertips zigzagged across her keyboard as she responded to my questions and shot a few right back at me.

“What if I had chosen another [genre]? How would the present have looked like? [Who] would you be interviewing now?”

Crisis on infinite careers

While there was no way I could have given satisfactory answers to those hypothetical questions, I did know exactly whose words I was reading at that very moment.

An accomplished science fictionist whose work has graced the page of Asimov’s Science Fiction and Clarkesworld Magazine, Julie is a PhD student of Evolutionary Biology at Charles University in Prague, where she also teaches part of an Introduction to Astrobiology course.

I also knew what she wanted more than anything else: more time. One would think that simultaneously wearing the hats of a scribe and a scholar is already quite a task. Try adding public speaking, organizing science-related events for children, and translating fiction to the list.

Julie was recently in the Philippines, where she launched her new anthology, "Dreams from Beyond" at the Manila International Book fair.

“[I loved] everything,” shared Julie, after which she quickly added, “Okay, everything apart from the heat! I’m used to considerably colder weather.”

Meeting people, seeing the country’s breathtaking cordilleras and coasts, and trying calamansi juice and halo-halo for the first time made Julie's experience quite pleasant.

“I hope I’ll be able to come back in the near future,” she said, “because there’s so much more to see!”

Days of fictions past

Having published her first short story at sixteen and her first novel at eighteen, Julie had, at a young age, already beaten the curse that keeps aspiring writers from going beyond ‘aspiring’. Instead of telling herself she would do it, she simply did. “You never find out whether you can do something,” she affirmed, “until you try.”

The road to getting published was certainly not a cakewalk for Julie. Her first works never got published, but instead of getting disheartened, Julie saw it as an opportunity to improve. Eventually, she successfully penetrated the English-speaking market with a short story in 2013.

Julie’s novels exist in Czech — “Very few Filipinos would be able to read them!” — but she has written quite a few stories in English. Among these, her favorites are "Becoming,”"The Symphony of Ice and Dust,” and "Dancing An Elegy, His Own."

Julie has a pretty straightforward, step-by-step approach to writing; the same one she has stuck to from the very beginning. Have an idea — Julie stressed that this was, in fact, the easy part — and work on transforming that idea into a story.

Julie would then, in her own words, “sit down on [her] butt and actually write.” A cycle of re-reading and editing would follow, after which, when Julie believes that her draft is finally ready for review, she would submit her work, even when there’s no guarantee of acceptance, publishing, or payment.

None of this deterred Julie from writing, and neither did the notion of science fiction writing as a male-dominated field. “Is it [really male-dominated]?” According to Julie, she was under the impression that it used to be. “If I look at major Czech [science fiction & fantasy] writers, it's about half and half, and among world authors I can recall, it's close to that.”

The brave and the bold

Numerous realities and possibilities may exist in Julie’s mind, but one concept that certainly does not share space with any of them is writer’s block.

“I have an almost compulsive urge to reply ‘I have never researched it thoroughly,’” Julie quipped, noting the existence of studies focused on the subject. “There are times when I just don't feel like writing, but it's mostly because I'm too overwhelmed by other work. I try to write daily, but it's not always possible.”

Julie’s advice to writers who want to break into the industry is simple: Keep writing, find yourself reliable beta-readers, be sensible and critical — but not too critical —  and try to get in touch with the industry. “And most of all, keep sending out your stories. No one's going to buy them if they stay in your trunk.”

After all, it never really hurt anyone to ask… What if? — LA, GMA News