Steve's 2 Cents: Interview: A.J. McCaffrey, author of Fractalia

We have a special treat today. I recently wrote a review of the book Fractalia, Episode 1, Reversing the Tipping Point and we have an opportunity to talk with the author, A.J. McCaffrey.

What genre would you categorize this book in? Fantasy, science fiction, or?

It leans more toward science fiction in my opinion because I put a lot of physics and math into how the world works (especially fractal geometry and chaos theory). For example, an unsolved puzzle spreads chaotic energy that can mutate plants, start earthquakes, or cause storms. Solving the puzzle with a clever solution can release enough energy to reverse these things back to a balance between chaos and order. Also, almost everything in the world is fractal, from its canyons right down to the ear lobes and hair of its residents. That's right, Fractalians, Talians for short, have fractal hair. In sum, there is a lot of thought behind the physics and math of the world so this moves it toward the science fiction genre.

Does the genre make a difference?

Ultimately though, I don't think the genre makes that much of a difference, whether its fantasy or science fiction. At its core, the book is about good guys trying to outdo bad guys to win back their world, but instead of swords or lasers their medium of battle is puzzles. However, all the interesting features in Fractalia sure give the world more allure, mystery, and a sense of reality that it would not have without them. I know this from presentations I have given in front of middle-schoolers. The puzzles are fun by themselves but when I start talking about fractal canyons, glowing mountain ranges, and energy traps that are blown apart by clever answers, these things take their interest to a whole new level.

Yes, it is a different world. One of the difficulties of doing a book in a new world (versus a recognized or common world) is that you (the author) need to develop the world as well as the story line without the world development hindering the story line. How concerned were you with this?

I never considered placing the story in a common world. I have been fascinated by fractals and chaos theory for many years and I knew that I had to try to construct a world that worked by these principles. The main concern I had with creating the new world was that the action at the beginning of the first book would move more slowly because of all the things about the new world that had to be introduced. You try to keep the action moving but you do need to introduce many new things. It is a balance that is difficult to achieve. The feedback I have received from several readers indicates that there is a good deal to learn in the first forty pages but then the adventure really takes off and after they were done reading they wanted to read more. They wanted more puzzles. They wanted to know more about the characters and what happens next. So, I cannot say that I achieved the perfect balance at the beginning but the fact that they do want more and are asking for the next book indicates that overall it is working.

Having just recently finished Fractalia, I can agree with that. The story really takes off once the teenagers meet up with the Talians. At the beginning, I did not find it so slow going that I wanted to leave the story though. There was enough happening at the start to keep me interested.

Let talk about the puzzles: What is an outtie?

Just like bellybuttons, there are two types of puzzles: innies and outties. Most puzzles are innies that converge inward to one right answer. Outties open out to a potentially unlimited number of answers. I believe that outties are the next frontier in puzzles. Not only are outties used in Fractalia, but I am also developing a line of board games based on different types of outties.

How did you come about developing them?

The idea first came to me at a party. As I milled about the room past groups engaged in various conversations, I heard a line that took me aback as being almost nonsensical, but all the members of that conversation took it in stride as making perfect sense within their conversation. (I don't remember what that first line was.) After that, I started giving highly ambiguous sentences to my middle-school students and asking them to create as many different situations as they could where the sentence would make sense. For example, I know of 27 different situations in which “There are dreams on the sidewalk” makes perfect sense, but you'll have to read the book or go to my blog to see the answers. As well as creating many types of linguistic outties, I also create visual outties that are highly ambiguous doodles that can be seen as many different things.

I have had some fun with the outties. They are good to stir the creative side. I can see them being used in a variety of ways. There seems to be a master plan for all of this. Did the work on Episode 1 change anything in the master plan?

Not really. I just tried to open up as many avenues as possible for future episodes to explore knowing that they will all lead someday to an ultimate showdown between the villain Kayoz and our young heroes.

So now, when can the readers expect to see Episode 2?

Here's the scoop on Episode 2. Currently, an animation company in Toronto is interested in turning Fractalia into a cartoon series for Canadian television. They advised me to write only episode one because they will be adapting the world to animation and will probably make some changes. After their adaptation, then I can move ahead on the next episode. However, if they are slow in moving ahead on their end then I will ignore their advice and write the second episode.

There are risks with that I am sure you are aware of. Part of the joy of Lord of the Rings was that each of us had the world picture in our minds. One of the early cartoon versions did not do well simply because it differed in the depiction of some of the major characters whereas the movie succeed with a more accurate portrayal (oh and the computer graphics certainly played a major role in making the whole task possible). Is their a particular kind of reader you had in mind when you created Fractalia?

Fractalia is for kids who feel confined by their school classroom. In Fractalia, the 'zeroes' on Earth become the heroes of Fractalia. The trouble-making underachievers that we meet in a detention room become the superstars in Fractalia. As a teacher, I know how difficult it is to create a classroom that reaches every student so I created Fractalia to help me. In Fractalia, you have to think 'outside the box' because everything is so different there and the puzzles don't have one right answer. Some students naturally think 'outside the box' and have trouble finding a voice in their classrooms that tend to teach toward one right answer. So, Fractalia is primarily for them to spread their wings and shine in a world created with them in mind. But, Fractalia is also for other students who have trouble thinking creatively because the puzzles in it will help them think 'outside the box.' So, there is something in Fractalia for everyone.

I can also agree with that. I enjoyed Fractalia and can hardly wait for Episode 2. In the mean time, we can practice some outties on your blog: Fractaliathebook.

Thank you A.J. for taking some time with us today. Let me know when you get closer to having a date to publish Episode 2. I certainly want to know and I am sure some others will be interested in finding out.