The story behind Then Again evolved from my years as a singer-songwriter, my later career as a science and medical journalist, and my love for Native American culture. From my early teens through my late twenties I worked as a guitarist, keyboard player, and vocalist, playing in several rock bands and as a studio musician. I later became a singer/songwriter, and delved into record producing with limited success. The impetus for writing the novel stemmed from imagining what it would be like to live my life over again while retaining all my accumulated wisdom and experience. In contemplating the changes I might make and their possible ramifications, I soon realized that it would be far more complex and perilous than I had originally thought, and I became fascinated with attempting to extrapolate all the pitfalls and problems I would encounter.
Drawing on my research in theoretical mathematics, quantum physics, and Native American spiritual practices, I decided to try and develop a story through which such a scenario might take place. At first, combining these three disciplines seemed like an impossible task, especially since I’d made up my mind early on not to base the novel on a fantasy premise. The most difficult aspect of the writing process was figuring out how to combine hard science with the more esoteric concepts of spirituality. Fortunately, good friend and fellow author, Burt Kempner, who had conducted extensive studies of Native American culture, became my advisor on the project, and I was eventually able to come up with a plausible, though somewhat metaphysical scenario.
I also must give credit to Fritjof Capra and the film Mindwalk, which was based on his excellent book The Turning Point. It was from that film that I derived much of the material I used in Then Again to explain in lay terms the complexities and confounding nature of quantum mechanics and particle physics.
Written in three parts (Now, Then, and Then Again), the novel centers on three main characters: Rix Vaughn, an aging, drug-ravaged, alcoholic singer/songwriter nearing the end of a less-than-illustrious career; Heyoka Husereau D'Ailleboust, a world renowned particle physicist and Native American spiritual adept; and Aurélie, a brilliant mathematician who serves as Rix’s spiritual and scientific mentor.
Though a bit offbeat and somewhat humorous in tone, the story is a serious one that incorporates a variety of emotional, psychological and sociopolitical topics, as well as an in-depth examination of what is known as the “butterfly effect”—that is, how everything we do in life has consequences far beyond what most of us could imagine.
Drawing on my research in theoretical mathematics, quantum physics, and Native American spiritual practices, I decided to try and develop a story through which such a scenario might take place. At first, combining these three disciplines seemed like an impossible task, especially since I’d made up my mind early on not to base the novel on a fantasy premise. The most difficult aspect of the writing process was figuring out how to combine hard science with the more esoteric concepts of spirituality. Fortunately, good friend and fellow author, Burt Kempner, who had conducted extensive studies of Native American culture, became my advisor on the project, and I was eventually able to come up with a plausible, though somewhat metaphysical scenario.
I also must give credit to Fritjof Capra and the film Mindwalk, which was based on his excellent book The Turning Point. It was from that film that I derived much of the material I used in Then Again to explain in lay terms the complexities and confounding nature of quantum mechanics and particle physics.
Written in three parts (Now, Then, and Then Again), the novel centers on three main characters: Rix Vaughn, an aging, drug-ravaged, alcoholic singer/songwriter nearing the end of a less-than-illustrious career; Heyoka Husereau D'Ailleboust, a world renowned particle physicist and Native American spiritual adept; and Aurélie, a brilliant mathematician who serves as Rix’s spiritual and scientific mentor.
Though a bit offbeat and somewhat humorous in tone, the story is a serious one that incorporates a variety of emotional, psychological and sociopolitical topics, as well as an in-depth examination of what is known as the “butterfly effect”—that is, how everything we do in life has consequences far beyond what most of us could imagine.
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