Hybrid genre novels and the world of artificial intelligence with Eli Lee

Eli Lee was born in Dorset and now lives in London. She writes fiction and non-fiction for a variety of anthologies, magazines and websites. She is the fiction editor and a contributor to the literary journal Minor Literatures and has also worked for Strange Horizons. Her debut novel, A Strange and Brilliant Light, has just been published.Our interview begins at 15 minutes. Mini book club: Cultish by Amanda MontellA thought-provoking  and compulsively readable exploration of how cult-ish language pervades our everyday life. *Note: Caitlin read a copy through her job with Harper Collins Australia. In this interview, we chat about:Why Eli describes A Strange and Brilliant Light as a ‘non-traditional sci-fi’ novel and why this was the key to finally writing the book which felt rightThe real-life relationship that inspired the novelWhy Eli wanted to explore sexism and class struggles in an otherwise ‘advanced’ societyBuilding the world of A Strange and Brilliant LightEli’s top tip for writers working in any genreExploring artificial intelligence and Eli’s research to make sure her alternate world was based on real AI possibilitiesRepresentations of AI in fiction and filmHow studying literature stole Eli’s confidenceThe strange magic of choosing a new book to read and the pleasure of re-readingBooks and other things mentioned:The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire LombardoThe Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le GuinDo Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. DickHer (movie)Avengers: Age of Ultron (movie)Mitchell’s Vs the Machines (movie)Klara and the Sun by Kazuo IshiguroThis is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max GladstoneAlice Monroe (author)Elena Ferrante (author)Oryx and Crake by Margaret AtwoodThe Folded Clock: A Diary by Heidi Julavits An American Marriage by Tayari JonesFollow Eli @eli_lee_writes. A Strange and Brilliant Light is available now.Follow us on Instagram @betterwordspodThank you to the team at Quercus Publishing for providing us with copes of A Strange and Brilliant Light.