Awoserra Aqenenra Apepa
by Zahra Seshet
Unfortunately due to the storms back in January a few of the back editions of the Pan Historian suffered a bit of data loss. However this interview, originally presented in November of 2006 was recently recovered. Since this Pan Historian theme is about reduce, reuse, and recycle we thought it would be more than fitting to recycle this interview and give it a second chance.
Q. You are a Mobster at An Empire Divided, tell us about your involvement in this novel, and how you perceive Not only how your characters are evolving, but the others that are involved.
Basically Apepa is the king of Egypt, struggling to re-build a vast empire that fell apart for various reasons several hundred years before. He is not an Egyptian and comes from a people that gradually displaced the ruling class in northern Egypt.
The biggest evolution my character faces is the certainty of death later in the novel. When we started AED, we decided that we wanted to follow some immutable historical events, such as the ultimate triumph by the "rightful" heirs to the throne Apepa usurped. So I have been prepared from the outset to have my character die in the novel. The outcome is guaranteed, only the road to get there remains to be travelled. It's kinda fun, actually. Since I also expected some other member's characters to do the same, I thought I had to lead by example. As for my other characters in the novel…strangely all but one started as NPCs that I was writing for other members under the auspices of a catch-all character called "The Narrator." But some NPCs grew in popularity so much that I ended up giving them lives of their own.
Other people's characters are where the real fun lies for me. I spend an extensive time with prospective members getting them to integrate into the setting and story, so they are not wandering about with nothing to do. Even with all that preparation it still happens that we are at a loss for what to write, but it's usually temporary, since the writers have a long term plan and goal. So the fruits of this, aside from cohesive writing, is that while I am aware of the plans, I get many surprises as members then plot amongst each other and come up with wonderful twists to the story I had never envisioned. Twists that fit the context of our story, but are delightful surprises all the same. It gives me something unexpected to react to rather than be able to anticipate all future events.
Q. Can you explain your motivation behind the creation of Apepa (and also AED), and what might be some of his hidden talents and motives?
AED was a novel that had come and gone on Pan some time before I had even discovered Pan Historia. I was relatively new to Pan and involved in only one novel and looking for a challenge and a place that would offer different things from where I was at the time; an additional venue for expressing my ideas. The historical period of AED was interesting to me because it was a period of unrest, civil war, and great drama and change. I really wanted to do something that would be changing as my character grows, a setting where things will be radically different by the time the novel concludes. So with the help of a good friend, we re-surrected the novel.
One of the beauties of AED, and for a character like Apepa, is that the novel offers chances for characters to make a tremendous difference in events. Almost none of the characters in the novel are unimportant. They may seem superficially unimportant, but in reality they have the potential to shape the future of Egypt almost as much as the king, and this was an intentional design choice. I wanted writers to not be small figures in a great cast, but to be princes, queens, the movers and shakers in some way of events. And this approach has paid huge dividends because Apepa has to juggle more balls than a circus performer at this point to stay on top! *LOL* But at the same time other writers are not trying to define themselves by small actions as servants or entertainers, but as people who can make momentous decisions, which is rewarding for them. Of course this design choice has meant that we have had to limit the size of the cast, since we can't have fifty kings or princesses in the novel. But I don’t think we've really suffered from this self-imposed limitation.
Now as to hidden talents and motives - interesting question. Apepa is fairly straightforward for the most part. He's supposed to be the villain in the novel, as an usurper, but I wanted to introduce more complexity to his nature than just being "big bad dude." Yes, he can be utterly ruthless when needed, but he takes no pleasure in causing hurt. A hidden talent of his is a good nose for trouble and treachery, and the ability to bounce back from any setback and turn disaster into opportunity. His motivations are fairly straightforward. Rule the world, and then leave that to his sole child, his daugher Herit, upon his death.
Q. Your characters homes all have a certain something…*grinning* can you explain what prompts your creativity and how long have you been creating graphics?
Things that get my creative juices flowing are reading a good book usually, or, here on Pan, reading a great post. I think my creativity has its roots in my vivid imagination. I really can't stop thinking, imagining, dreaming things up. And this kicks into gear a desire to put those thoughts into action. My biggest trouble is not having enough time for all the things that interest me. Even were I able to retire today and just devote time to pursue my interests I would not have enough hours in the day.
I've been creating graphics since I bought PaintShop Pro early this year. I have an imagination that far exceeds my artistic talent. I'm still learning so much about HTML, and graphics, but I'm fortunate to have a number of friends here on Pan who are generous and make wonderful graphics - and they like to share…
Q. Besides Ancient Egypt, what other sorts of writing do you do, and what types of genre are your favorite reads?
In terms of writing creatively (as opposed to writing for work) I am involved at present with another novel here on Pan, Kingdom of Conscience, plus I write a few characters in Short Cuts. I am trying to keep my focus more restricted because I found myself too diluted, and with a lot of external issues to deal with my creativity was at a low ebb. I had too many characters and too little time. Why, just the other day I was tempted to join one of the new novels and had to restrain myself. There is so much great material here!
Books are something I just love. And they love me, because thousands have chosen to move in with me! *LOL* My non-fiction interests are usually historical in nature, from Ancient Egypt to Roman history, to the Crusades, to maritime history, the Second World War, Viet Nam, and a thousand things in between. Fiction that I enjoy usually is science-fiction or fantasy such as Tolkien, Moorcock or David Weber, or historical fiction such as written by Douglas Reeman. I tend to read several books at the same time, and usually they are all thematically related.
Q. When did you join Pan Historia, and what is it about this community, and writing in general that appeals to you?
Oh, wow! What's not to like? I found Pan quite by accident - it was mentioned on another forum because there was stuff about Egypt on Pan and I was seeking technical support for a computer game that was based on ancient Egypt. Lucky me I needed that support or I would never have found Pan, or met some writers here that have become Real Life friends for me.
I really like the social consciousness that seems to be quite pervasive in Pan. The idea of a Global Community being recognised, and not purely for financial gain, is important to me. Many large corporations give money to charity, but they do it because it's politically correct, because it makes for good PR to seem socially involved. I don’t think that’s the reason for the good things I see here, and motivation matters to me as much as results.
It was November 2005 when I joined Pan. I've always enjoyed reading and it was not hard to rediscover my pleasure in writing, particularly when one shares it with others who have a common interest. Writing is something I have also always enjoyed, but when the writing goes no where, when there is no one interested in what you have to say, it can be hard to remain motivated to do so for its own sake. The joy of writing in Pan lies in the sense of discovery and interaction with other writers. You create something that will intrigue, or surprise, or amuse your co-writers, and they do the same. And in the process, you tell a story that others can read and enjoy. We can't all write bestsellers that will see a million copies in print, but here, on Pan, were are all as successful as we want to be. I could finally write at a pace I was controlling, about something I wanted to write about, with people who would appreciate my creativity, and whose I could appreciate equally.
Q. If you could choose to be anyone from history, who would it be and why?
The question I would ask is whether I would have to repeat history or have a chance to do things differently? Repeating history would limit one's choices drastically, since one would naturally desire to pick someone good, someone who was a positive influence on the world, or at least had a good life.
If on the other hand I had the chance to be anyone I pleased and then could change what had happened in that person's life, it opens a lot of options. What if Stalin had not executed over ten million of his people and had instead encouraged creativity and true social justice? What if Churchill had not futilely sent thousands to die for nothing in the Dardanelles? The possibilities are endless.
But if I am to make a choice, I think I would choose Julius Caesar. He's quite different from me, but it's nice to fantasize about being a brilliant strategist, clever politician, statesman, etc. Of course, I'd try to be a bit more nice *LOL* and I'd send Brutus, Cassius and the others to the German frontier. Especially in March.
Q. What is your favorite movie? Is there a memorable quote that comes to mind?
I'd probably say Casablanca, with Humphrey Bogart. His character runs a successful bar which also has illegal gambling going on, to which the local police prefect is complicit, taking a sizable cut. So when it becomes politically expedient to close the operations, the prefect declares that he is "Shocked, positively shocked that illegal gambling is going on in this establishment!" What makes this funny is that he declares this as he is being handed his cut by one of the staff, and politely thanks the man and then has everyone thrown out. You may remember him as Louie (Louis), from the line "Louie, I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship," and "round up the usual suspects." In fact I think that movie has contributed more expressions to popular culture than any other. "Play it, Sam!"
When we're shopping and I see a price that is outrageous, I love to say to my wife in a loud voice, "I'm shocked, positively shocked…" Of course she's used to me by now. *LOL*
Q. And finally…if there was a movie made about your life, what would be the highlights, and who would play you?
This is the toughest question in the interview! It's so easy to come up with something that seems to make perfect sense to me but for others read totally differently because they may have very different feelings evoked by the examples I put forth. Having said that, however….
A movie about me would have to have drama and emotions, lot of both. A lot of thought, of questioning convention, of smart, snappy answers and cynical wit. Probably portrayed by John Cleese when Monty Python was still being aired on television. That would be the docudrama of my life.
*Whispers* But if you want the version that I'd like to see…. It would be Anthony and Cleopatra, with Richard Burton as me, Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra, and he wins at Actium! *LOL*
