Hi everyone!
We are stoked to announce that we have added another author, Maxime Paul, to the Inked family! Their newest work, Harvesting Game, uses science fiction and fantasy as a social commentary on oppression and the struggles to reclaim collective identity, torn away through the effects of colonialism and oppression. Maxime brings a unique approach to storytelling with Harvesting Game, mixing the elements of prose and video games to tell a compelling and heartfelt story. Inked is excited to bring this story to print!
When asked what inspired Harvesting Game, Maxime has this to say:
My everyday experiences inspired this book. Struggling at work, struggling where I lived and not finding peace anywhere. I have worked in some pretty toxic workplaces and wanted to go to the root of the problem I was facing. I connected those elemental forces to the experiences I—and many other marginalized people in my community—face on a daily basis. It is the story of me working out how systems of oppression operate on me and how I’m searching for my own healing.
This work is very personal and passionate. We are honored to assist you in bringing your experiences to life with this story. Is there a character who holds a special place in your heart?
Soma, because she represents the innocence and openness of the youth. Joyous curiosity is squeezed out of us as dominant society bears down on us. This extremely necessary skill for the world we live in today, and what will be tomorrow, is stripped from us. I just hope to nurture and ignite that sense in myself, my family, my community, and my readers.
Soma has a special place in our hearts as well. We hope you fall in love with Soma just as much as we have. What else have you written/published?
I have written a few blog posts and I’ve drafted a couple books as a part of my journey to hone my craft, but I am fairly new to being an author on my own terms. I used to dislike reading and writing because of how it was taught or positioned for me. After taking some time to reintroduce myself to reading and writing on my own terms I fell in love.
What book(s) are you reading right now?
Black From the Future – Edited by Stephanie Andrea Allen and Lauren Cherelle, How We Show Up – By Mia Birdsong, and A People’s Green New Deal – By Max Ajl
Check out these books for yourself while you wait for Harvesting Game. Want to know more about Maxime’s upcoming release? Here’s a teaser for you to enjoy:
Our ancestors escaped oppression to develop a new eco-maroon community. A safe place away from our masters and their ruin, but we soon realized we were not completely free. Our submissive survival became part of our collective being.
Video games give me hope; a way to combat the omnipresent oppression of our people. But one day I went too far, stole what they said was not mine to take. Now my dreams of revolution have become my cruel reality. Now, in order to save my people, I must challenge those same subservient ideals my people have embraced. My life, my people, and our future depend on it.
A little about Maxime, and where you can find him:
Maxime Paul is an autodidactic polymath with wide-ranging industry experience and keen ability to learn quickly in any situation, environment, or context. Maxime’s work has touched many fields from technology development and business design to transit planning and community program design. Maxime’s work is rooted in designing regenerative systems. This story employs those principles as well as Maxime’s Black and Indian, U.S.-Caribbean background. Being an author is not something Maxime has always dreamed of, but storytelling is a clear through line for their life. In their free time they enjoy exploring video games, riding bikes to experience all that a city has to offer, and finding the nearest beach to swim or play soccer. Maxime also has the exceptional skill to craft or curate the perfect music and food for any occasion or group. You can find Maxime on Twitter and check out his blogs on Mediums (here and here).
