When I last spoke with author Christopher Hawkins, he was writing about monsters and a deadly rain that threatened to tear a house and family apart. More recently, Hawkins wrote his latest novel, I Contain Multitudes, about a hapless (but not helpless) young woman whose sense of reality is falling apart, waking up each morning in an entirely new world. I asked Hawkins, a west Chicago suburbs resident, to fill us in on his latest book and character and (multiple) world-building.
We've covered previous books of yours, including Downpour and the anthology Suburban Monsters. What's different about your latest, I Contain Multitudes?
Suburban Monsters is all short stories, so it’s a bit of a grab bag, and Downpour is this sort of relentless, real-time horror story. I Contain Multitudes has a completely different pacing and vibe. It’s still a propulsive page-turner, but it also has plenty of room for wonder and introspection.
It’s more complex than anything I’ve written before, but at its heart it’s also a simple story of one woman trying to find peace and purpose when the entire world–multiple worlds, really–is completely stacked against her. I’ve been living with this book in one form or another for almost a decade, so it feels really great to finally get it out in front of an audience.
Is I Contain Multitudes more science fiction, more horror, a delightful/frightful blend of both, or something else?
It definitely skews a little more toward the sci-fi side of things, but never so much that I would call it hard sci-fi. It’s also not quite a horror story, despite having plenty of horrific elements. I love it when I get to blend genres like that. It keeps me on my toes while I’m writing, and hopefully keeps the reader on their toes as well.
What originally inspired the novel? Did you suddenly feel like you were in the wrong world one day, or something else?
It really just started with the opening scene: a woman checks into a seedy motel. She’s jaded and road-weary, but she’s been in worse situations before, and she's ahead of the reader in that she knows that, once the sun rises, the whole world is going to change around her. Once that scene got in my head, I really wanted to know what happened next. The whole novel just spooled out from there.
Talk about your character Trina Bell. Who is she and how did you develop her?
She’s a young woman who’s become used to being lost and alone. Outwardly, she’s kind of resigned herself to having to navigate this weird, ever-shifting world that never seems to have a place for her. But on the inside, she’s full of fire and stubbornness that keeps her from ever really giving up. She just needs to be reminded of that, and that reminder comes pretty early on in the book.
Once I had that seed of the character, she really came alive. She’s one of the easiest characters I’ve ever written, because she’s so strong and so single-minded. But there’s also an entire life’s story that’s been ripped away from her, and that gives her a lot of layering and complexity as she begins to discover who she is and why she landed in this predicament in the first place. It’s that journey of discovery that really makes up the emotional core of the book.
How's the response to the new book? Where and when are you doing signings, readings, and the like?
Response has been great so far. I actually just got my first piece of fan mail for the book a few days ago, which was a real treat!
I recently wrapped up a book tour that started in Bloomington, Illinois and had stops in Chicago, Indianapolis, and Kentucky before finishing up in Stamford, Connecticut. I have a number of other appearances coming up as we get closer to Halloween. You’ll be able to find me at the Barnes & Noble in both Skokie and Naperville, and at the Spooky Frog Book Fair in Milwaukee.
What's next for you?
I have some short stories coming out in anthologies this year. The first is “Lowest Wacker”, which was just released in Red Line: Chicago Horror Stories. After that is an icky little piece called “Gideons” in Motel Sick, which just closed out a blockbuster Kickstarter campaign.
Beyond that, I’m also working on the beginnings of a horror/mystery series that I’m really excited about. I can’t say a lot about it just yet, but if you’re a fan of quirky characters, unexplained happenings, and crumbling old buildings, you might want to keep an eye out.
If someone wants to learn more about you and your work, where can they find you?
My website, christopher-hawkins.com, is the best place to get in contact with me and find out what I’m up to. I’m also on Instagram/Threads @hawkinswrites.
