Eden’s Cage:

Behind the Story

Chloe took the photo that opens this story in Maymont Park in Richmond, VA on August 3, 2022. When I first saw the photo later that month, I knew immediately that I wanted it to be the focus of a short story—and from the start I was certain what I wanted the theme to be. For just over a year I walked around with that photo in my head, an idea slowly forming that the shot was taken on a distant planet and it would loosely fit into the science fiction genre. Perfect, since I had never written a SF story and this would give me the chance to once again explore and experiment.

Since October, 2023 I have been writing this short story, working off and on until the first draft was completed on January 6th. (Special thanks to my son, Max, who had invaluable commentary.) As always, it felt good to have all the dots connected between the plot points and I was ready to revise, revise, and revise again.

Two problems.

1. I seem incapable of writing a truly short story. The story just kept growing until it really needed two installments. (Promise, the 2nd and concluding installment, to be sent on March 1st, is much briefer!) I think for April I will make sure I send you all a true short story. I’m crossing my fingers.

2. I really, really wanted to write a SF story in the spirit of Larry Niven’s Ringworld, or Asimov’s Foundation. Except that isn’t really who I am. Instead the story veered toward a much different author that I have the most respect for. Who, you ask? Well, I dropped a little hint at the beginning of the story.

When I first started writing, I received advice many sources. One suggestion, from different sources, was start by trying write in the style of your favorite authors. Love Sherlock Holmes? Study how Doyle writes his mysteries. Love fantasy? Study Tolkien, CS Lewis, or dozens of other masters of the genre. You get the idea.

So the day after I finished that rough draft, it hit me whose writing I was subconsciously trying to imitate. The incomparable master storyteller, Ursula K. Le Guin.

You may know her for the Wizard of Earthsea series, which is how I was first introduced to her writing when just a wee young lad. Loved, loved it. In college I found other works such as The Left Hand of Darkness, the Lathe of Heaven, and one of my favorite short stories of all time, “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas.”

Sometimes her work is labeled as science fiction, fantasy, and speculative fiction. But the title I love the best is “philosophical fiction.” It seems to me that no matter what the setting was, Le Guin sought to explore the nature of the human condition. Can there be any more worthy goal?

So then I went back and, with that frame of reference in mind, revised my story. Revised it with Le Guin’s works in mind.

I hope that I have done her memory and her body of work suitable tribute.

I hope that, were she alive today, she would like to read my little story.

Have a great February and thanks for reading!

—Phillip