Like a lot of sci-fi writers, Jason Michael Primrose grew up loving books and spent childhood years secretly writing. One of those imaginative creations has bloomed into the book series and multimedia fictional world, Lost Children of Andromeda. His first novel in the series, Zosma, came out in 2018, and the next, Time and Salvation, comes out in May 2021.
“I grew up reading lots of different stories, but I tended toward fantasy—dragons and such,” says Primrose, citing creations as diverse as A Wrinkle in Time series, Chronicles of Narnia, Marvel comics, Goosebumps, R.L. Stine, Neil Gaiman, Tomi Adeyemi, N.K. Jemisin, and Octavia Butler.
His passion for creating his story has merged with a desire to put it out independently, rather than traditionally, which offers more ways to share his fictional world.
“I spent a lot of time innovating in different industries—and that led me to build extensions around my book series like music and art,” says Primrose. “I didn’t want to wait to create an immersive customer experience and with traditional publishing, I’ve been told I need to simplify to exist in that space. I wanted to have fun and I wanted full IP ownership. “
Primrose notes there are many advantages to going indie, including the connections made with other indie creators.
“Another thing I found working independently was a deep sense of community, especially with BIPOC creators. We are all doing something very special and courageous, and there is a sense of unity there. We have a shared purpose to show others that it’s possible and to take a chance on yourself.”
That sense of community makes its way into Primrose’s work in other ways too. “I think as an LGBTQIA person of color, diversity comes somewhat naturally,” he notes, “but I think the key for me here was to look at the diversity outside of myself as well. Diversity doesn’t stop at physical attributes or appearance. It can also include thought, our senses, and our genetic heritage, all of which play a huge role in 205Z.”
While indie creation has its challenges, such as building an audience and raising funds, Primrose says he is glad he’s done it that way. And outlets that support indie creators help. “That’s why I’m thankful for platforms like Recursor.TV, that champion independent creators and share our works with their audiences.”
With a comic book and podcast expected to roll out later this year, Primrose is excited about sharing Lost Children of Andromeda with a larger audience. Check out the story and pre-order 205Z: Time and Salvation on Primrose’s website.