I’m Jeff VanderMeer, the author of the Southern Reach Trilogy (Annihilation, Authority, and Acceptance). AMA!

[u/JeffVanderMeer]

Hi, it’s Jeff VanderMeer. https://twitter.com/jeffvandermeer/status/625342226017685508

I’ve written eight novels, including the recent Southern Reach trilogy: Annihilation, Authority, and Acceptance. Annihilation won the Nebula Award and Shirley Jackson Award. These novels cover a lot of things I love and am interested in: ecology, global warming, our relationship to animals, biology, the scientific community, tunnel-towers, birds, strange rooms, whether to wash your mouse or not—you know, the usual. http://thesouthernreach.com

I am currently helping run the unique Shared Worlds teen Science Fiction/Fantasy Camp—now in our eighth year! https://www.wofford.edu/sharedworlds/ I live in Tallahassee, Florida, with the editor Ann VanderMeer and a monster cat who sleeps with his eyes open and snores. His name is Neo and he has a cameo in Authority as the cat “Chorry.”

Please ASK ME ANYTHING on the thread below. I will try to ANSWER WITH EVERYTHING. I will be here to answer at 5pm EST today.

[u/beautifultomorrows]

Hello Mr. VanderMeer. I really enjoyed Annihilation. As a woman working in science, I really felt your book was a gift. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I related to your Biologist, from her scientific training, to her natural skepticism, to her tendency to take comfort in nature, to her antisocial traits. Plus, your book made me want to put on my boots and take a trip to the local marshes. So thank you for that.

My questions: What are you working on now? What are some new directions/concepts in current writings that excite you? What about recent works by other authors? (I'm fishing for a reading list, actually, now that I've finished your trilogy).

Finally, kudos for the teen writing camp! What a great initiative. I've done some volunteer works in my hometown (crowded capital of a developing country in Asia) to get kids/teens into reading and writing. One of the many obstacles we faced was the challenges of encouraging literacy in a place with few accessible public libraries (we have libraries, but they're treated almost like shrines for serious old folks and academics). Do you have any words of wisdom on how to make reading/writing cool and accessible in this context?

[u/[deleted]]

Hi Mr. VanderMeer!

The Southern Reach trilogy blew my mind. It reminded me of a lot of different science fiction I love—and also growing up in the Pacific Northwest (which, I know the book doesn't even take place there) close to nature and experiencing that sense of natural wonder and respect from childhood.

One of the things I loved most about the trilogy is that you never get any TRUE explanation for what happened, why Area X occurred, etc. I have my own theories as to what happened but again: the unexplained nature of the series not only was thrilling for me as a reader who loves the unexplained, but also amazingly thematic. We often try to harness nature, explain it all away, and can't. Neither can these characters.

My question is: even if you don't share it here, do YOU as a writer have a concrete explanation for what happened? As the God of this world, do you know how it all went down and why? And was there ever a version of the series where our characters did uncover concrete answers before you decided that the story worked better being left with vague threads instead of a shiny red bow?

Thank you SO much for your amazing series and I can't wait to get into your other work!

[u/bosco10382]

I've always wondered about the unusually compressed release schedule of the Southern Reach Trilogy.

Do you think this was a gamble, competing all books before you knew how successful they would be? And who's idea was it (you or publisher)?

Do you think this helped maintain interest in the series?

[u/Wtayjay]

"I think there are two types of writers, the architects and the gardeners. The architects plan everything ahead of time, like an architect building a house. They know how many rooms are going to be in the house, what kind of roof they're going to have, where the wires are going to run, what kind of plumbing there's going to be. They have the whole thing designed and blueprinted out before they even nail the first board up. The gardeners dig a hole, drop in a seed and water it. They kind of know what seed it is, they know if planted a fantasy seed or mystery seed or whatever. But as the plant comes up and they water it, they don't know how many branches it's going to have, they find out as it grows."
-George RR Martin
Are you a gardener or and architect?

[u/MrDuGlass]

Hi Jeff! Big fan of the Southern Reach trilogy. I can't remember the last time I was sucked into the world of a book on that level. You did an amazing job cultivating an atmosphere and a general sense of unease.

My question is, how involved are you in the making of the film adaptation? How close will they be hewing to the book? Will we be getting that same "weird fiction" atmosphere from the movie? Thanks!

[u/[deleted]]

[u/Neurophobic]

Hey Jeff!

I loved the Southern Reach series, absolutely fantastic and terrifying. Thank you for that!

Are you planning to write more about Area X / Southern Reach, or are you done with that setting? (I would love to hear more about the earlier expeditions)

I think there was talk about movie adaptations of the series, are you involved in that?

Oh, and I just have to say that this book cover is amazing.

[u/citizen72521]

Hi Jeff! Thanks for doing this AMA. You're a household name in the weird fiction arena, but I'm ashamed to say I haven't yet read any of your books.
Where do you think would be a good place to start? I'm looking forward to jumping in to your work!
Bonus question, if you could have a conversation over lunch with any author - alive or departed - who would it be, and what would you talk about?

[u/digitaldavis]

How come Michael Cisco isn't the most popular author in the world right now?

:)

Seriously though....

What's that current status of the New Weird? Who are the authors we should be looking out for to hit soon?

[u/[deleted]]

[u/moominsoul]

Hello! What is the most Area X-esque thing you've seen/experienced in real life?

[u/paledave]

Hi Jeff

Half way through Authority and I am dreading this AMA.

I just wanted apologise because I had to pirate these novels due to me being a poor student. I have every intention of buying legitimate copies at some unspecified date in the future.

In light of my crimes, I was wondering what your thoughts are on the 'piracy' of ebooks, how it's affected your income and thoughts on the future of digital books

[u/[deleted]]

Do you have any plans for more Ambergis stories? City of Saints and Madmen is in my top 5 books of all time (Along with Shriek and Finch).

[u/armin8487]

What exactly is the Southern Reach Trilogy about? JK - I really enjoyed that series. I do wonder how you got the inspiration for something like that. I got lost in it dozens of times and I was just the reader - to write something that complex would have driven me insane.

[u/clawser2323]

Hello! I'm a huge fan of both the Ambergis books and Southern Reach! While reading Acceptance, I was praying to all gods fungal and not that there might be a connection between the two series, and there was! Is there a strong link between the two worlds, or was this just an easter egg for close-reading fans?

[u/Jayefishy]

Hi Jeff! I read the Southern Reach trilogy over the summer last year (greatly appreciated the rapid release schedule, by the way!) and I was engrossed all the way through. When you started the trilogy did you have any idea how you wanted to resolve the story/ what you wanted the mystery behind Area X to be? In general, do you write knowing exactly where you're going with things or do you let the story take you where it wants to go?

[u/BaconWise]

Hi Mr. VanderMeer, I am relatively new to Reddit which has given me the opportunity to discover new authors and discuss reactions and theories with other readers. I am not ashamed to say that I have not read your work in the past. I merely see this as an opportunity to explore a new and exciting world in the Southern Reach Trilogy.

I would like to ask two questions:

• How did you decide on a trilogy versus a standalone book with the SRT?

• What is your stance on bacon?

[u/thewriterben]

How is the edible hat coming along?

[u/TPaine16]

Hi Jeff,

First of all, congrats on the Southern Reach trilogy, I greatly enjoyed reading it. I read Annihilation in the span of two days whilst in the Hawaiian wilderness, so needless to say it seriously resonated with me. Area X is one of the most mysterious and confounding "characters" I've ever had the pleasure of reading.

What are some of your favorite movies and TV shows?

[u/sassyma]

What is the best book you have read this year?

[u/[deleted]]

I have nothing in particular to ask, but I recently read the Southern Reach Trilogy and I'm intrigued that while many identified or empathised with the Biologist, I was fascinated by the Director. Is there any chance we'll see any of these characters in other places/times/situations?

I feel like the Director's story is played out, but I wish there was more of her and of the other minor characters in the trilogy to come!

[u/Haverholm]

Hello Jeff!

Thank you for doing this AMA

I love writing myself, and I'd like to know how you go about writing your books:

1. What is your routine when writing a book?

2. Have you always done that or has it changed during your career?

3. How is your ideal day of writing?

4. You've been the editor on several great anthologies - how has that affected you as a writer?

Thanks again for being with s today. Best of luck in your future endeavours.

Edit: I should obviously have read the other questions more closely before asking mine. Deleted a couple of questions about the movie and added a few others.

[u/aaron_in_sf]

Hi Jeff,

Longtime reader, most of the way through Area X now... lovely edition, lovely work, thank you.

I was wondering how conscious or intentional an inspiration for the Southern Reach trilogy Tarkovsky's Stalker (or its own inspiration, the Strugatsky brothers' novel Roadside Picnic ) was?

It's long been a favorite film and find it rings allusively especially in Annihilation (in a good way). :)

[u/jbs1]

Hi Jeff, just started reading Annihilation today, so far loving it 100 pages in! Any thing you suggest keeping in mind during a first read through of the series?

[u/atseajournal]

I thought Annihilation was just terrific. I finished it in one afternoon, and when I was reading more about it online, that seemed to be a common experience for people. Was propulsion on your mind while you were writing it?