Q&A: Yume Kitasei, Author of ‘Saltcrop’

We chat with author Yume Kitasei about Saltcrop, which is an epic tale of two sisters who sail across oceans to find their missing third sister—and Earth’s environmental salvation.

Hi, Yume! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?

Helloooo! I’m Yume Kitasei. You pronounce my first name like “You-meh.” It means ‘dream’ in Japanese–I’m Japanese and American, and I write science fiction. I live in Brooklyn like a writer stereotype and have two old cats, Boondoggle and Filibuster. And yes, Filibuster is a meower.

When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?

I’ve been telling stories to myself since I was little as a way to distract myself, because I was afraid of the dark. I was obsessed with Star Wars, so it started out mostly as Star Wars fan fic in my head. Then it branched out into other epic stories that I carry around like a bookshelf in my head. They have no narrative arc whatsoever and are inherently unpublishable.

Quick lightning round! Tell us:

• The first book you ever remember reading: The Little Engine that Could by Watty Piper
• The one that made you want to become an author: The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
• The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Prophet Song by Paul Lynch

Your latest novel, Saltcrop, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Sisters, sailing, dystopian, missing sister

What can readers expect?

This one is very different from The Deep Sky and The Stardust Grail, my previous books. All of my books are standalone. This one is set in a near-future Earth. It’s more contemplative, with a tension that builds gradually. There are three POVs. The setting is climate dystopian, and there’s an adventure/thriller/mysterious quest to it, but at its heart, it’s about siblings and the deep, complicated love we feel, even when we don’t understand each other.

Where did the inspiration for Saltcrop come from?

A few places: First, I have two sisters, an identical twin sister and an older sister. The sisters in this book aren’t based on them, but the sisterhood is. My sisters are my best friends, even though we live continents and oceans apart. Second, I grew up sailing tiny boats in a tiny town in Rhode Island every summer. Joshua Slocum’s Sailing Around the World Alone also made a strong impression on me years ago. Third, I have a lot of anxiety about climate change and where we are headed, and this was a way of processing how pessimistic I feel but also looking for reasons to hope.

Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?

I really enjoyed writing Jackson. He’s obnoxious, but also, he’s right about some things. I like giving the most annoying characters the perspectives you might otherwise agree with.

Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?

This book was incredibly hard. I experimented with form and tried new things. At one point, each section of the book was in third, second, and first person. It was too controversial with my beta readers, and I chickened out. I think the third person works better, ultimately, but it’s interesting how it helped make the three voices sound more distinct.

I ended up quitting my day job with good benefits to focus on making the book the best it could be. I’m not the kind of person who makes wild leaps like that. I hope it was worth it!

What’s next for you?

I’m going on tour! In addition to book events in NYC, Cincinnati, Seattle, Austin, and Princeton, I’ve organized a “Traveling Science Fiction & Fantasy Book Festival”—eight panel discussions in eight cities over eight nights in NYC, Baltimore, DC, Philadelphia, New Haven, Northampton, Norwich, and Boston. I’m so excited for this rock band style author group tour. It’s going to be a blast!

I’m also working on a new book, Envoy, a scifi thriller set in Florida with flashbacks in space. It’s like Arrival x Lucey Foley and probably closest to The Deep Sky tonally with the good-time humor of The Stardust Grail.

Lastly, what books have you enjoyed reading this year? Are there any you’re looking forward to picking up?

I recently loved The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World by J.R. Dawson and The Library at Hellebore by Cassandra Khaw. They’re both brilliant writers and very different. Dawson’s writing is like wrapping yourself in a blanket with a mug of hot tea and crying while you excavate trauma with a close friend. Khaw’s writing is incredibly disgusting and beautiful at the same time. I can’t wait to read Veronica Roth’s To Clutch a Razor after enjoying When Among Crows last year and Emily Jane’s American Werewolves about venture capitalist werewolves. Jane’s writing is always delightfully weird and fun.

Will you be picking up Saltcrop? Tell us in the comments below!