Erin Brown

Baptism of a Gryphon > The Fabulist Words & Art

1) Where did this story come from? Did you set out to mix the political and the mythic? While it seems to have a post-colonial subtext, and powerful themes of subversion of presumed authority, it’s also deeply poetic — not merely polemic, but an actual, vividly realized fantasy world, one that happens to have issues and ideas that overlap with our own.

The story came from a writing prompt given at a Summer Fishtrap Writers Retreat in Oregon. I was in the “Lyric Essay and Prosetry” workshop led by Ellen Waterston. We were talking about poetics, about truth and mimicry, and we were doing it right next to Wallowa Lake, under the mountain that thunder rolls down, on land that had just been returned to the Nez Perce people. The deep conflicting feelings coming from the land and its stewards, from me being there as a visitor in love and in awe of the setting, inspired me to write this piece. It was a nod to Latin-American magic realism and indigenous folklore, which is why the mythic qualities were so essential to the mood of this world. With all that as a reference, the post-colonial politics of the piece were built right in.

2) Are there any of your own personal experiences that come through in this story? Of churches and their leadership; experiences of nature and the mythic wild; loss and rebirth?

Plenty. But mostly, “Baptism of a Gryphon” is about a very specific moment, the quiet dawning of realization for one entity at odds with another. An escalation, the last act before the major turning point in a story of clashing cultures. It’s a universal experience, even outside the triggering topic of colonization, which is why I wanted to approach the story with curiosity and an emphasis on the sublime. This is a story about what happens when you realize that someone you want to welcome into your world wants to destroy and remake that world for their own comfort, and the story is intentionally told without directly assigning right or wrong to either party.  I can think of so many occurrences in an ordinary modern life where this is experienced- in school, within a family or a partnership, in the working world with colleagues and supervisors, even within the journey from writing to publishing.

That said, when I wrote the piece, it was not without personal opinions of what actions were morally right or wrong in this story. The play was in the juxtaposition; trying for beautiful language to speak about the horrific, the ethereal way I might record and ruminate on an escalating series of violent desecrations, and how I subtly could plant, in the conclusion, the most life-affirming, unassuming seeds of an inevitable war.

3) Tell us about the writers, writings, issues and ideas that inspire you as a writer of fantastical fiction.

I am all about the escapism. I love beautiful, pleasurable, immersive worlds, especially if they are made complex by a bit of darkness. Right now, I am poring through as many short story anthologies as I can get my hands on. But I am also very drawn to reading and writing about absurdity. I love nonsense verse and “ungrammar poetry.” Pieces like “Jabberwocky” constantly challenge me. Fabulism has so much freedom in allowing a writer or a character to approach the absurd with pragmatism. I think it’s a crucial life skill to develop, and I love writing that allows me to witness or explore these skills.

4) Tell us about your writing process. How many drafts and revisions, challenges and parts that just flowed, peers or friends who helped workshop it, etc.? Any advice or writing tips that work for you that you’d like to share?

The first draft was a timed writing exercise in the wilderness, just stream-of-conscious scribbling. The fantastical elements came later, when I realized I wanted a compact, lyrical piece and I needed powerful symbolism in order to create depth. The gryphon, the cockatrice (or basilisk), and the dragon are recognizable in general origin and in magical effect, and their use in the story mirrors the plot.

The real challenge came from finding the line between “dreamy melancholy vignette” and “frank anti-colonialist fable.” I wanted to stay true to my mission of writing important stories, while still respecting the genre and the escapism expectations. Working with an experienced editor helped me find the line.

Advice for writers? Invest in your writing community with excitement and sincerity. Reach out to authors you admire, attend podcasts and readings, subscribe to publications that create what interests you, join a critique group, exchange beta-reads, all of that. My community is amazing, and the inspiration and motivation they give me is priceless.

BONUS ROUND: Current book, poetry, art, movie or media you’d like to recommend? What’s next for you as a writer?

Book: Popisho, by Leone Ross.

Poetry: The works of Anis Mojgani.

Art: I love pastoral Japanese woodblock prints.
Music: Chillhop for freewriting or pleasant dialogue creation, Chillstep for writing action scenes or scenes with deep emotional resonance

What’s next: I’m working on a novella and finalizing a short story collection.