Because hanging around Jantar Mantar is all in a day's work for some people.
R. Jean Mathieu is a speculative fiction writer, publisher, and world traveler, currently residing somewhere in China. His work is mostly informed by his varied and idiosyncratic life, which has involved stints in Buddhist meditation retreats, overland trips across Asia, and crewing sailing ships. He cites Ray Bradbury, Jack Kerouac, and Frank Herbert as inspirations, and it shows.
Most of his work is in the form of short stories, which have grown progressively longer over time. They can be found here
and here. He's won several awards, most notably third place Ray Bradbury award in 1999...at the age of 13. He has finished one novel (action-adventure) that is awaiting publication, and is at work on another (time travel mystery).
Tropes found in his body of work:
- Creator Thumbprint: Asian philosophy. Aside from the two Out of Genre Experiences, Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, or something will show up explicitly or implicitly.
- Homage: It's hard not to notice how hard Jack Kerouac's style impacts "Preta," a vampire horror story. Bonus points for Korouac having a cameo along with half a dozen other members of The Beat Generation.
- Measuring the Marigolds: Deconstructed in "Measuring the Marigolds." The scientist character, Dr. Lund, reacts with far more wonder and passion than the relatively calm mystic.
- Out-of-Genre Experience: Whatever "Mazghunah" and especially "Russell & Maggie" are, they aren't science fiction or horror.
- Shout-Out: Referencing this site, with "Measuring the Marigolds". Guess what trope it plays with.
- Whole-Plot Reference: "Bartleby the Clerk" to Herman Melville's Bartleby the Scrivener.
