Introduction & About the Author
Welcome
I read voraciously, one book after another, with little to no time between books. I love them so much, and there are so many to read, I speed through to fit as many as I can into a lifetime. But what would it look like to slow down, to engage in a book fully and with as many sensations as possible? The Fiction & Flow idea was born of that question.
This series is meant to facilitate thoughtful engagement mentally and physically with a novel. Through yoga positions and a culminating sequence, meditations, crafts, music, and journal prompts, we will fully experience this month's selection, "How High We Go In The Dark". This is the pilot series, so I am excited to see how the process goes--thoughtful feedback is appreciated!
About The Book
"How High We Go In The Dark" is a 289 page science fiction novel, spanning from the year 2030 through thousands of years. It begins with a grieving father witnessing the beginning of a global pandemic, spiraling into heavy themes of mass death, euthanasia, child death, terminal illness, suicide, and the ways we grieve. It is also about hope, resilience, and the power of connection. From deep space, to a talking pig, this book covers a lot of ground.
October is a time where the seasons turn. We watch the leaves change, the flowers whither, and the earth prepare for wintering. It feels an appropriate time to invite in these heavy topics, though they may be difficult to sit with. Take on what you can, and honor your personal boundaries.
Structure & Schedule of Content Release
"How High We Go In The Dark" has 14 chapters, each of which centers a different character in an interlocking storyline, giving the novel the feel of a short story collection.
Starting October 1st, content for one chapter will be released every other day to give members a chance to read, reflect, and participate in any activities they wish. Everything is invitational, and I encourage you to take part to the fullest extent you are able.
About the Author
Typically, I will come to the end of a book and skim the "About the Author" page on the back flap, only then realizing the extent to which the author's lived experience influenced their writing. To start of our relationship with this book, below is Sequoia Nagamatsu's bio from the hardcover version of the book. To learn more about Nagamatsu, feel free to peruse his website at https://www.sequoianagamatsu.com/.
"Sequoia Nagamatsu is a Japanese American writer and managing editor of Psychopomp Magazine. Originally from Hawaii and the San Francisco Bay Area, he holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Southern Illinois University. He is the author of the award-winning short-story collection Where We Go When All We Were Is Gone and his work has appeared in such publications as Conjunctions, The Southern Review, Fairy Tale Review and Tin House, among others. he currently lives in Minnesota with his wife, cat, and a robot dog named Calvino."
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