A sci-fi heroine with vitiligo

Last Updated on 16th March 2023 by Caroline Haye

Azimuth, by Elayne Griffith

How often do you read a really good work of fiction and find that the leading character has vitiligo? Almost never. And how often is that book a sci-fi novel? Never, ever, ever. Until now… Azimuth, by Elayne Griffith, is such a good read that I would recommend it to anyone, whether they think they like science fiction or not. (And whether they have any interest in vitiligo or not). It is quite simply what we Brits used to call a “ripping good yarn”… A page-turner that draws you in and keeps you hooked right to the very end. And yet, because this is not a genre I normally go for myself, I might never have read it. That is, if the idea of a sci-fi heroine with vitiligo had not piqued my interest. And I would certainly not have featured it in this blog if not for the vitiligo connection. But I would have missed out on a treat. And, chances are, you might have missed out on one too.

About Azimuth

Azimuth is an apocalyptic yet strangely optimistic tale, set in the 24^th century and told from the viewpoint of its heroic leading character Ada. As the story unfolds, it achieves something that all good fiction should. It draws you into another reality. Azimuth conjures up a believable alternate universe, a future that could all too easily come to pass because it is so firmly rooted in the recognisable present. This intelligently crafted sci-fi adventure does something I didn’t expect. It moves me, entertains me and makes me think.

The characters, both human and non-human, and the settings, come to life in an almost cinematic way. It is beautifully written, with poetic and philosophical layers to it, as well as being action-packed and full of thrills. And, alongside high-octane adventure, the novel weaves together numerous social and ethical themes that resonate across three centuries. Big tech, AI, cloning, pandemics, terrorism, conspiracy theories, climate change and extinction are some of the key elements that hit a contemporary nerve, while seamlessly moving the plot along. And, just as each of these epic issues represents a facet of the whole narrative, Ada’s vitiligo is simply a natural and intrinsic part of her persona. It is an interesting detail, but not the focus of the story.

A heroine who just happens to have vitiligo

So, vitiligo is not a prominent feature of the book. It is merely one of the heroine’s physical characteristics (one that she loves). But, since it is a detail that interests me particularly, I ask Elayne how it came about.

“I’d been reading an article about Winnie Harlow when it occurred to me that I’d never seen anything or read any stories with a main character who had the condition even though millions are affected by it. I was actually a bit nervous at first because I wanted to give the community a heroine they could feel akin to but certainly didn’t want to offend anyone. I hope readers with vitiligo will be happy to have a character to relate to, to see themselves as just a person in a story like any other character, and the public at large will become more aware of the autoimmune condition.

“I’ve met and known a few people throughout my life with vitiligo, including a boss when I was working in L.A. Before I met someone with it in my twenties I didn’t even know the condition existed because, to circle back around, it was non-existent in pop culture or on the fledgling internet back then. For the novel, I researched a lot about it on the internet and had a sensitivity editor read through the story.”

Winnie Harlow inspired me

On the subject of her choice to make her heroine’s vitiligo an incidental characteristic, rather than a big deal, Elayne explains, “In the early drafts of the story, Ada was just another typical white heroine—yawn—but Winnie inspired me to go in a different direction. However, since I don’t have vitiligo I wasn’t going to write about the personal experience of it. I also didn’t want to romanticize or fetishize it. Ada’s just a person in a futuristic society who happens to have vitiligo.

“The society in the story also doesn’t function in the manner that our current one does. Skin and bodies have become more like canvases or clothes, something non-divisive but expressive that can be changed at will. Essentially, you are not your body, nor does your appearance denote anything since countries, cultures, races, etc. no longer exist under their governing AI ‘therapist’. Although others in the society change their appearance all the time, Ada embraces the body she was born with and in the end, sees how her vitiligo makes her her and uniquely human.”

About Elayne Griffith

Although she took her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drawing and Painting (studying in Los Angeles), Elayne tells me she has always loved to read and write stories.

“The first story I recall writing was when I was eight: Dante the Dragon and Theron the Hunter. Naturally, that ten-page manuscript has remained in the drawer. I spent much of my time drawing horses, playing with Breyer horses, and riding our old quarter horse, Otis. Hence, the equines in my novels.”

Starting out working on murals and illustrations, followed by a stint at an outdoor science school as a camp counselor, her fledgling career was rudely interrupted in 2009 by a recession that closed down the school, laying off all the staff.

The road to full-time writing

“Cue existential-economic crisis number one, when I truly began my writing path. It was during this time, broke and futilely job hunting, that I decided to write my first novel. This was born of pure escapism and the thought, ‘What if my black unicorn came alive and whisked me off to a land of fantasy and adventure?’ But I had absolutely no idea how to write a book. It was terrible. So, I got a coach, Bruce McAllister, and began learning the craft of writing (which never ends). I hung out at coffee shops and book stores, found a community, and generally had a blast as an aspiring writer.

“In 2014 I self-published it on Amazon…and watched it vanish into the void because I had no idea what I was doing. But by now, for better or worse, storytelling had turned into my new passion (sorry, Art). I held part-time jobs while working on my second novel, entering short story contests, and learning more about the business side of it all (an introverted writer’s favorite thing).“

Existential crisis number two

By the end of 2019. after several years of working on Azimuth and six more months learning how to write a query and synopsis, and how to get an agent, Elayne was starting to get somewhere. She was getting manuscript requests and doors were starting to open… But then existential crisis number two struck…

“When the pandemic hit and all the agents went silent, I gave up. But after a year, the passion pushed me to try again. I started querying, same book, same query, and received total silence. Not even a rejection. And then, artificial intelligence emerged (Midjourney, ChatGPT, etc.), a main theme in my novel. I felt like it was now or never. I could keep trying the traditional path and maybe get an agent and publisher in two to four years, if at all, or forge my own path.”

An unconventional lifestyle

Elayne is well aware of how precarious a career as a full-time author is. But this has not deterred her. In fact, her obvious determination and sense of adventure remind me of her fictional heroine’s approach to life.

“The creative process can be wonderful, fun, transcendent, torturous, frustrating, full of doubt and fear, but also extremely rewarding. I’m basically an absurdist/existentialist, meaning that I believe the universe is amazing but indifferent to humanity’s existence, so I must embrace the absurdism and make my own meaning. Therefore, if I truly love something like writing which gives my life meaning, and I only have a blink of a cosmic eye to do it, then I’m going to do my best to live creatively despite the fear, doubt, and expectations.

“So, as of earlier this year, thanks to my very sweet husband’s support and encouragement, I have been writing full-time. Since 2020, we’ve been living an unconventional nomadic life traveling the USA in our converted sprinter van, the Millennial Falcon, so our expenses are low and adventure is high. He’s a professional full-time juggler, performing at county fairs or corporate gigs. Since we’re travelers and a ‘regular’ job is kind of out of the question, and forty is staring me in the face, I realized I wanted to make a living as an author more than anything. So, I took the plunge.“

Future hopes and plans

Elayne’s immediate plans are to publish three of her fantasy books in the next 9-12 months. And, after that, she has several other book projects in mind, including a possible spin-off from Azimuth, and maybe a series based on the story. Her hopes for the longer term reveal a down-to-earth acceptance of the challenging economic realities of being a full-time author… Realities that she is happy to embrace in order to live her best life and follow her passions… Which, besides writing and art, range from horseback riding and backpacking to a keen interest in virtual reality and “prompt engineering” (the science of how to talk to generative AI, apparently). She sums up her personal and professional goals this way…

“My main goal is to keep writing and publishing, and one day become a writing coach. With indie publishing, it’s partly a numbers game. One book won’t make a dent. Most indie authors make their living off of five, ten, twenty books. But if I can buy fancy cheese off of storytelling, and help someone laugh, contemplate, dodge a bad relationship, or tackle their own goals then I will die without regret…

“…I would also love to gallop a Friesian across the misty moors.”