Gilbert Arthur was a professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Manitoba for over thirty years. Upon retirement, he finally had the time to explore his creative side and tried his hand at writing fiction. Muunokhoi’s Awakening is his first novel.
In addition to writing, Gilbert enjoys travelling, photography, and music. He lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba, with his wife
1. Can you tell us a bit about yourself? Growing up in Ghana and later studying in the UK, how did those multicultural experiences influence your worldview and eventually your fiction writing?
I was born in Tarkwa, a mining town in the Western Region of Ghana in 1953, the third child in a family of six. My dad was a banker while my mom was a homemaker. Because my dad was transferred around frequently, he enrolled us in boarding schools to prevent disruptions to our education. Contrary to what others say, I had a great time in boarding schools, especially my secondary school, Achimota Sec School where I forged all the close friendships I currently have. I completed a 4-year BSc (Hons) degree in biochemistry from the University of Ghana. University education was free at the time and in return one had to fulfill an obligation (national service) to do whatever job the government assigned for you for a year. I spent my year teaching chemistry at a secondary school that was in a region where most people did not go willingly. I then moved to Leeds University on a scholarship to do a PhD in 1976. The UK did not present as much of a culture shock as one might have expected because Ghana for better or worse was pretty anglicized then because of its colonial past. English is in fact the official language and a lot of teachers in secondary school and university professors were English or foreigners at the time. Nevertheless, I found the lifestyles and values were quite different from what I was familiar with. It was also a surprise and refreshing to find students were less deferential to authoritative figures and elders than I was used to in Ghana, and one could question them without being deemed disrespectful. There is no doubt going to the UK and subsequently to Canada broadened my worldview and made me less judgmental of others. I believe this is reflected in the book.
2. After spending over three decades in medical research/genetics, what inspired you to shift to fiction writing post-retirement? Was there a moment that made you think, “I want to write a book”?
My desire to write a book has actually been with me since my late PhD days in Leeds, urged on by one of the individuals I dedicate the book to, Carol Birkett. Carol, my girlfriend at the time lived 155 km away in Newcastle. There was no internet then and telephone services were prohibitively expensive, besides she lived with her parents, so we wrote to each other at least three times a week. She kept telling me I wrote lovely imaginative letters and would make a good writer and urged me to try my hand at it even offering to type any manuscript. I always laughed it off but after reading the Jewel in Her Crown, the first book of the Raj Quartet set by Paul Scott that she presented me, I was so blown away by the story and how it was crafted, I decided I wanted to write something similar and promised her I would try my hand at writing. Unfortunately, academic life did not afford one the luxury of a lot of free time to indulge in fictional writing, but I never lost the desire to write a novel. I retired at the time covid hit and had to stay home without a lot to do so, there was no excuse not to make an attempt to fulfill my dream.
3. If you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be?
Patient, Thoughtful, Inquisitive
4. What was the biggest challenge you faced while writing your first novel compared to your academic writing career?
To be honest, I found writing the novel to be less challenging compared to my academic writing career. As a medical school professor, 75% of my time was dedicated to medical research. For a successful research program, one needs a lot of money to recruit students, research fellows, technicians, purchase reagents and equipment. What may not be widely appreciated is that the universities do not provide the money for the research, rather, the profs have to, as it were, hustle for it themselves. This we do by writing grant applications to funding agencies. Writing a grant application is not that different from writing a novel. A successful grant requires one to basically take what is factually known and use one’s ingenuity to project novel ideas to test in the lab. Competition is rather fierce for the limited funds so novelty, and clear writing are key to convince the Reviewer that you deserve to be funded over your competitors. Over the course of my career, I am pretty sure I wrote close to 50 grant applications. We also of course write and review papers for Scientific journals, so we gain a lot of experience in the writing field. With all that experience, writing the novel was not that challenging once the ideas came together. I should also add that while grant applications always had a deadline this was not the case with the novel so there was no time pressure. Academic writing also comes with strict pages or word limitations, restrictions that do not exist in fictional writing. Lastly, the writing style in academic writing is also very rigid. Thus, in fictional writing there is a lot more freedom and flexibility and one just has to be imaginative.
5. Do you have other writers in your family or among your friends?
No, I don’t. I should add though that my late mom is the best raconteur I have known. Unfortunately, her stories were all in vernacular and would lose their essence in translation.
6. Are there any specific authors or books that have influenced your writing style?
I am sure many have influenced the way I write but I did not consciously mimic any particular writing style for the book. I just wrote in a way that I felt would best suit the story and give it clarity. There are several books with styles I admire. Examples would be Ragtime by E.L. Doctorow, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe and The Jewel in Her Crown by Tom Scott.
7. The title Muunokhoi’s Awakening is very intriguing. Can you tell us more about its meaning and how you chose it?
I completed the first draft of the book before I even began to think of a title for the manuscript. I wanted the title to have ‘Muunokhoi’ in it. I think the first thought was Muunohoi’s Travels, which was a nod to Gulliver’s Travels. I rejected that as it did not reflect what the book was about. I then tried phrases like ‘The adventures of Muunokhoi’, Muunokhoi’s adventure and similar titles but rejected them because the book was more than just an adventure novel. I wanted the title to reflect the essence of the story. The story after all is about Muunokhoi physically waking up and also having his consciousness awakened during the course of his journey. Once I homed in on this, it almost immediately led to the title ‘Muunokhoi’s Awakening’ as it encompasses both physical and abstract idea of his consciousness waking up.
8. How did your scientific background shape or influence the story and themes in the novel?
I don’t believe my scientific background influenced or shaped the themes in the novel per se. The story was all my imagination, and some themes were from life observations and experiences. My scientific background, however, definitely helped in the research. I knew virtually nothing about the life histories and habits of the creatures and had to research it all. I read a lot of articles including primary research papers about the creatures. My experience in reading and distilling research papers honed over decades came in handy. Consequently, I did not find the research particularly onerous, and I was not bogged down. I think my scientific background also helped me identify and correct inconsistencies in the story.
9. Did any of your real-life experiences in academia or research find their way into the novel, directly or symbolically?
No
10. How did you decide on the pacing of Muunokhoi’s quest—especially the blend of survival, humor, and philosophical reflection?
Having decided at the outset that the novel would deal with the marmot’s interaction with creatures he met on the journey, I researched different species of marmots. There are about 15 species worldwide found in Eurasia and North America. I ultimately settled on the tarbagan marmot in Mongolia for a number of reasons. This species hibernates much longer than the other species. The long hibernation time meant the story did not need to be rushed and there was sufficient time to let relationships develop organically. The species selection therefore dictated the pace. Secondly, once I decided it would be an anthropomorphic tale, I wanted human interaction to be as minimal as possible; the low population density of Mongolia allowed one to credibly exclude marmot-human interactions. Regarding philosophical reflections, these were dictated by the characters and the interactions. For example, characterizing Khasar, the argali sheep, as old and nearing the end of his life was done for a reason. When my research showed the presence of argali in Mongolia, I was determined to include them as one of the animals Muunokhoi interacted with. Argali, however, are very fleet-footed and move in herds and Muunokhoi would not be able to keep up with a solitary healthy animal let alone a herd who would likely trample him. His interaction could therefore only happen with a solitary sick, and weak animal or an aged (decrepit) one. I chose the latter as old age comes with experience and wisdom and offered more in terms of philosophical reflections. As far as humor goes, I have always loved humor in books and believe it has its place even in serious books, so I don’t miss opportunities to use it at appropriate places in my writing. Some of my very favorite books that never fail to make me laugh include Clochemerle les Bains by Gabriele Chevalier, The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾ by Sue Townsend and The Little Nugget by P.G. Wodehouse.
11. How did your travels and interest in photography shape the settings or visual elements in the book?
I can’t say they had a direct bearing on the settings or visuals in the book. I have never been to Mongolia and nor, I must confess, have I had a live encounter with most of the creatures in the book. One thing I can say though is that the bulk of the book was in fact completed during one of my travels. My wife and I spent six months in India in 2022/2023. We spent about three months at a homestay on a huge mango farm in a small town in Jharkhand State. Most of the time, we were the only people on the property with the host family because it was winter. The setting was serene and with no worries about tending to daily chores or food, the stay was very relaxing and all I did was contemplate and write when I felt in the mood to do so. The other places we visited too were also tranquil. The entire trip turned out to be a very productive one for my writing.
12. Music is another passion of yours. Did it play a role during your writing—perhaps in terms of mood, rhythm, or inspiration?
I’m afraid not. When I listen to music, I get so engrossed in it I can’t focus on anything else.
13. Given that readers are encouraged to “see the world (and yourself) a little differently,” what impact do you hope this tale has on both young and mature audiences?
I think it would be unwise of me to expect the book to impact all readers uniformly, because I believe what we take from a story is individualistic, likely influenced by circumstances and life experiences. It is also worth pointing out that although the book is primarily about Muunokhoi, each animal tells its own story and I hope readers will relate to these stories too, as each creature, I believe, has something to say. With that being said, I hope the book will prompt us not to make assumptions about others, especially those different from us, because kindness or help may come from unexpected places. For young readers, I hope it reinforces the adage not to give up on goals and dreams but to persevere no matter how bad the odds look. Lastly, I’d like to say that despite the uncertainties and problems around us, I hope that both young and mature readers will feel hopeful after reading the book.
14. What has been the most fulfilling part of publishing your first novel?
The Editorial and reader’s reviews have been the most fulfilling. It was also thrilling to receive a Literary Titan gold award for the novel. I was apprehensive that readers would approach the book expecting an animal adventure involving pursuits and a lot of fast-paced action and would be disappointed to find out the book did not deliver that. It is very gratifying that readers have taken time to read and embrace its originality and depth and that reading the book has also been thought-provoking for them.
15. Looking back at your dual paths in science and literature, do you see any common thread that ties them together?
As this is my first book, it would be rather presumptuous to accept the premise that I have established a path in literature. What I can say is that both require thorough research, a very good imagination and the ability to clearly express oneself to be successful.
16. If someone wanted to reach out to you for a project or collaboration, what’s the best way for them to get in touch?
They can reach me initially via email at muunokhoisawakening@gmail.com
17. What advice would you give to other retired professionals who’ve always dreamed of writing but feel it’s “too late”?
I know the saying, ‘it is never too late’ is a well-worn cliché but it really is true. Writing my first novel at the age of 72 proves this. My advice will be it is all in your hands; just go for it! One has nothing to lose, and you will be fulfilling a dream.
Muunokhoi’s Awakening is a thoughtful and imaginative tale that invites readers of all ages to reflect, wonder, and see the world anew. Learn more about Gilbert Arthur and his work at www.muunokhoisawakening.com — and find the book now on Amazon.
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