‘Amos the Amazing’ Blends Chongqing Solarpunk Sci-Fi with High Fantasy, Says Canadian Writer

Chongqing- In 2038, in the SOLARPUNK futuristic city of Chongqing, a dangerous story threatens our entire multiverse. The world's spiciest ice cream, a trip to Chongqing's rural countryside, and a strange collection of curious belongings begin this unforgettable tale, one that mixes Solar Punk science fiction and high fantasy for a thrilling modern fairytale about a boy who risks his soul to chase a 9-tail fox into the dreamlands for the adventure of a lifetime, and the chance to save his family. (Excerpt - Amos the Amazing)

A published Canadian author based in China, Jorah Kai has experienced a life full of uniquely fascinating perspectives: he's been a teacher, columnist, martial artist, web designer, music producer, disk jockey, and even worked as a fire-breathing circus performer and standup comedian. These profound insights into the human condition preceded his ultimate decision to upheave to Chongqing, a municipality of 34 million people halfway across the world from his native country.

Having always been an avid reader since childhood, Kai first began writing short stories and poems during his formative years but didn't become a published novelist until the pandemic inspired him to write Kai's Diary (The Invisible War), which has since been published in multiple countries, editions, and languages. Determined to build on this success, he recently completed his solarpunk sci-fi fantasy novel set in Chongqing named "Amos the Amazing".

Chongqing meets solarpunk

While the novel has already been published to wide appraisal in the West, Kai is now looking forward to the audiobook edition read by the award-winning voice actor Christian Neale, due for release around the upcoming Spring Festival. In addition, the Chinese edition will be published later in 2023, a prospect that infuses Kai with intense anticipation for the new year.

In this context, Jorah Kai met with iChongqing to provide an exclusive interview, where he shares his personal inspiration behind Amos the Amazing, the recipe for success, and insights into his life-based in Chongqing. Following the release of his first book, The Invisible War, Kai explained the main character's origins and the unique plot behind this fantasy story.

"Amos the Amazing is a complicated mix of observations from a Canadian perspective in China over the past decade. During this time, I have seen my international students travel around distant rural areas in China and have supported them in teaching local children there. I blended these experiences, mixing urban and rural life in China with thousands of classic tales I loved growing up with magical and fantasy elements, both Chinese and western. I tried to bring all of that into the story of Amos and share a solarpunk vision for the future with readers," said Kai. "Set in the year 2038, we have overcome many challenges and have employed incredible technologies to improve the world. I hope young readers who enjoy the book this decade will go on to make these technologies of tomorrow a reality."

When it comes to the main characters, a question of interest for many readers may be how Kai formulated them and whether he followed a proscribed method or leaned upon inspired creativity as the book unfolded. In response, he described the blend of life experiences, past acquaintances that have gone into the plot and characters, and his personal touch.

"I wouldn't say I use any formula, but I have often been inspired by people I know, characters I've read in other stories, and my personal ideas. As a result, I'm sure all my characters have a piece of myself and others I've known over the years in them. I spent about 25 years as a touring music performer in my younger days, so I've had the fortune to know a great many people and see countless places across the world, and this culmination of weird and wonderful experiences in life has been a rich source of inspiration for me."

Many new writers encounter the challenge of finding a publishing house to accept their work and commonly experience the traditional phenomenon of writer's block. With respect to these natural stumbling blocks, Kai revealed how a blend of good fortune and pragmatism has allowed him to achieve his goals with relative ease.

"I have been fortunate because my first book came about organically. My agent offered the book to a major publisher in China, and they accepted it off the bat. In the case of my second book, we also hit gold and found a very prestigious Chinese publisher to take on the book. I hope it will prove a big commercial success. Their last big science fiction novel (The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu) was the biggest Chinese sci-fi novel since the Qing dynasty, and it's been published in more than 30 countries and sold millions of copies. So we hope that together, we can recreate some of that magic and make Amos the Amazing a big commercial success for children in China as well as the rest of the world."

"As for writer's block, I sit down and work every day. I might struggle on some days to get 1000 words down on paper, while on other days, it just flows, and I can write  5000. Generally, I aim for about 2000 words or one chapter a day when drafting a new book. Much of the magic comes in the revision and the synergy between myself and talented editors who push me to go further and just have the patience to rework a scene over and over until it's ready. This way, I can take solace in constantly growing and challenging myself."

A slower pace is key for creative writing

A further source of curiosity among readers is undoubtedly the lives of writers when they are not busy creating and how this ultimately complements their work. In the case of Jorah Kai, he has gradually transitioned from the action-packed lifestyle in his youth to following a quieter and more family-orientated daily routine. Naturally, a range of new pursuits has come hand in hand with the slower pace he now enjoys in Chongqing.

"Once I finally retired from the deejay circuit and music production ... a slow process that began in 2014 and ended with my final world tour in 2016, the first step was relocating to a mountain city in China and focusing on meditation, stoicism, exercise, healthy sleep, nutrition, and listening to my thoughts. I love my simpler lifestyle in Chongqing with my wife and family, and I couldn't have achieved this quality of work without this atmosphere of peace and quiet."

"I finally started learning the guitar this year and really enjoy it. It's a different skill than writing, and although I used to produce music in my younger days, it is something I have never tried before. This helps me to relax, like a kind of therapy. I also love to cook with my wife and watch films together. My new habit has been slowing down and appreciating life to the fullest."

Now that Amos the Amazing has hit the shelves in bookshops and well-known online vendors, the public reaction has been overwhelmingly positive, with five-star ratings and strong words of praise. An online review from lisabookishlife read, 'The beautifully descriptive writing creates an almost fairytale feeling to this solar punk story. Full of excitement, adventure, and magic, it was a really enjoyable story, and I will definitely be encouraging my daughter to read it next!'

One more online comment from popular Instagram influencer book_st_gram also lavished the book with praise; 'Kai did an amazing job at the world-building aspect of the book, and I absolutely adored the character that was Amos. It was kind of Harry Potter meets Lord of the Rings. The creative spin of solar punk meets medieval (fantasy) is the first of this genre I've read.'

Hot prospects for Amos sequel

Finally, when asked to give advice to prospective writers, Kai emphasized that perseverance, instinct, and intrepidness towards failure are the keys to success.

"There are so many reasons to feel like you're not good enough, but the most important part of being a writer is to sit down and put the time in. If you feel like a writer, and your heart says this is right, then do it. Failure is part of the journey, so just keep going and keep rewriting. This is the only way you can learn, and you'll only go pro when you treat it as more than a hobby."

Looking to the future, Kai expects he will return to Amos but has no rush at present and instead prefers to wait until the moment feels right. "I want the next installment to be much better and more developed and pick up where the first leaves off. There are so many stories to develop and still to tell: this book is just the tip of the iceberg for that world. I'll return when I feel the time is right. I have a few other books, both fiction and nonfiction I'm working on first. I've had so many unique opportunities as a foreign expert, writer, and teacher in China over the past nine years, and I still believe moving to China was the best decision I ever made. I hope for many great experiences still to come.'

In advance of the audiobook edition of Amos the Amazing, recorded by the award-winning voice actor Christian Neale, Jorah Kai has agreed to release a sneak hour-long preview for iChongqing readers in the link below. We are sure you will enjoy the book thoroughly and wish to purchase the original version on sale now, or the audio and Chinese versions are coming up in the near future!

Social Media: @JorahKai, www.jorahkai.com