Khan Wong

In past chapters of life, Khan Wong has published poetry and played cello in an earnest folk-rock duo. As an internationally known hula hoop teacher and performer, he’s toured with a circus, taught workshops all over the world, and produced circus arts shows in San Francisco. He’s worked in the nonprofit arts for many years, most recently as an arts funder for a public sector grantmaking agency.

Wong's new novel is The Circus Infinite.

My Q&A with the author:

How much work does your title do to take readers into the story?

The title brings the reader right into the main setting, so I'd say it does quite a bit of work! Part of the story, of course, is the circus evolving into its new form - it has a different name in the beginning. I also think of the title as a metaphor for existence, but there's really nothing in the text that suggests that. The working title had been Big Top on the Edge of Forever, but that was too derivative of a classic Star Trek episode. I mention it because it hints at the sort of poetic grandeur I was going for. It wasn't until I got to the part with the circus revamping itself that the current title fell into place.

What's in a name?

The alliance of worlds that is the basis of the society in which the story is set is called the 9-Star Congress of Conscious Worlds. The how and the why of it is not explored in great depth in this book because that backstory isn't plot-relevant, but I wanted this society to have a name that was unusual and that conveyed key elements - specifically that there are 9 stars involved, that it's a representative form of government, and a suggestion of the sentience of the planets themselves.

How surprised would your teenage reader self be by your new novel?

My teenage reader self would be absolutely delighted by this novel! If it were a book written by a stranger, he'd be mildly surprised that such a book would come to be, given the rampant queerness. I think it would give him hope for the future (little would he know what else that future would hold...) If he knew that his future self were the author - I think he'd be overjoyed, but not surprised.

Do you find it harder to write beginnings or endings? Which do you change more?

I find it easier to start a new story than to develop it and wrap it up, yet it's the beginnings of my projects that are revised the most. The characters Jes and Esmée meet in chapter one, but in the first draft Esmée didn't exist yet. So Jes making his way to Persephone-9 was always what happens in Chapter One, but the details of that trip changed quite significantly in revision.

Do you see much of yourself in your characters? Do they have any connection to your personality, or are they a world apart?

Part of the fun of writing different characters is having them say or do things that you would never say or do in real life! I think if someone really wanted to psychoanalyze me and my work they could find connections between myself and every character. They did all spring from my psyche, after all.

What non-literary inspirations have influenced your writing?

Pop music was a big influence in the worldbuilding for this project. Also, my experience working in the arts for my entire adult working life has certainly impacted how I look at the world and what kinds of characters I want to write about. Science Fiction movies and TV, including superhero media, has influenced my concepts for stories, but maybe not so much the actual writing.

Visit Khan Wong's website.

--Marshal Zeringue