Jurgen "jojo" Appelo - Mind-Bending Work of Visionary Sci-Fi

As an author, speaker, and entrepreneur, Jurgen Appelo travels the world to share inspiring stories about people and organizations. Slightly anarchistic, autistic, and eccentric, he happily adopted the nickname “jojo” when it was given to him at the age of sixteen. He calls himself a creative networker, but sometimes he’s a writer, speaker, trainer, entrepreneur, designer, manager, blogger, reader, dreamer, runner, freethinker, or … Dutch guy. He wrote several best-selling nonfiction books before switching sides to fiction.  Jurgen lives with his husband in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. He likes coffee, books, games, and people leaving him alone when he’s being creative.  As our Author of the Day, he tells us all about his book, "Glitches of Gods."

Please give us a short introduction to what "Glitches of Gods" is about.

Glitches of Gods is a science fiction novel set in the near future. The fall of the Axxyz space station onto Amsterdam ends the First Mind War—a conflict driven by digital attacks and rogue AIs. The story delves into the aftermath, focusing on human and AI interactions in a world where digital and physical realms are deeply intertwined, exploring themes of technology's impact on humanity and the ethical dilemmas of AI.

How did you come up with the idea of a war between gods and AI?

I don't often remember how I come up with ideas. I knew I wanted to create a multiverse that would allow me to write stories in different settings. The first setting is mostly sci-fi, but the second could be fantasy or something else. I realized it would be useful to describe them as virtual worlds managed by AIs, allowing me to build any world I wanted, no matter how unrealistic. From there, imagining AIs fighting for control over those worlds was a small step, providing the exciting backdrop I needed.

The book has been described as a mix of science fiction and dystopian fantasy. What themes were you most excited to explore in this genre blend?

It's mostly dystopian science fiction with a hint of fantasy creeping in from another world, and it includes a lot of humor and some existential philosophy. I was excited to turn this strange cocktail into a story that people love to read. Given the early reviews, it seems I succeeded.

Julien is a unique protagonist with a complex personality. Please tell us more about what makes him tick.

Julien is driven by guilt, curiosity, and responsibility. He is haunted by the loss of his father, believing his own technology was to blame, fueling his relentless quest to develop superior AIs and rectify past mistakes. His interactions reveal his sharp intellect, sarcastic humor, and deep-seated insecurities. Despite his leadership role, he often feels disconnected and burdened by his work's consequences.

How did you approach creating the diverse cast of characters, including quirky friends, a virtual assistant, and a sinister cat?

I visualize scenes in my head like a director, recording actors and giving them instructions. This helps me make scenes more interesting by showing characters' habits and mannerisms. For example, Tweeki often fidgets with her neck, Zha-Zhar struggles with her old body, and Burt tries to annoy his teammates. Characters grow personalities through their different behaviors.

The book features high-stakes plot twists and a detailed, complex storyline. Did you plan it all out before you started writing, or did some of it just "happen" along the way?

Both. I had the main storyline ready before writing all the scenes. I even shared the initial story with friends in its earliest iteration. But there were still many holes and loose threads to address. Some mind-bending twists emerged only in the final editing stages, adding new layers to the story, like adding an unexpected spice to a nearly finished dish.

Can you describe the process of world-building in "Glitches of Gods"? What were some of the challenges you faced in creating this dystopian setting?

The biggest challenge was the timeline switches. I kept track of all scenes in a spreadsheet to maintain consistency across timelines. Some character behaviors and features change slightly across timelines, which took effort to keep consistent. Otherwise, the world-building wasn't too difficult since it's similar to ours—people have sex, drink coffee, and struggle with failing technologies. Nothing new.

Besides writing, what other "secret skills" do you have?

I'm a pretty decent public speaker.

Your writing has been praised for its wit and humor. Why do you take this approach?

It's part of my personal brand as a public speaker, and I enjoy reading books that offer a good laugh besides plot and suspense. It's the style I want to develop and make uniquely my own.

How did your background in technical writing and nonfiction influence your approach to writing this fiction debut?

I learned a lot about traditional and self-publishing with my nonfiction books, allowing me to focus solely on fiction writing. I included team leadership as a topic in the novel since I know a lot about it, aiming to keep my existing audience happy while venturing into new territory.

Do you have any interesting writing habits? What is an average writing day like for you?

I don't have a strict routine. I work on outlining, writing, revising, editing, or promoting whenever I have time, usually in the evenings and weekends. Writing is only a small part of an author's job. For example, my debut novel spent nine months in the editing stage, which involved shuffling words around and finding more impactful alternatives. I don’t call that writing. That’s editing.

What are you working on right now?

I'm outlining characters for the second novel, "Wisdom at War." I'm focusing on their personalities, hopes, and traumas. It's a lot of note-taking, which I also don't really consider writing. The writing starts when I’m happy about the characters, the setting, and the main storyline.

Where can our readers discover more of your work or interact with you?

Find me at jurgenappelo.com.