Interview notes 4 (January 2023)

Interview notes (January 2023)

Name

"Where did the name Gnomon Chronicles come from?"

Around 2014, I decided that I needed a short snappy name for an original comic book series — specifically an imprint, the name you see in the upper-left corner of many comic books. I was working with an comic book illustrator at the time, kicking around ideas for stories which I would write and he would illustrate.

That collaboration ended, and the project lapsed half-finished. But I kept the name Gnomon Chronicles, and expanded on it, rethinking it as a brand name for multiple activities. If not comic books, then science fiction stories, or animated short films, or even life-sized flat panel figures of characters I developed during the comic book project. (This last was suggested to me by a marketing professional.)

As to why I picked "Gnomon Chronicles":

Gnomon (/ˈnoʊˌmɒn, -mən/), from Ancient Greek γνώμων (gnṓmōn), "one that knows or examines", is the part of a sundial that casts a shadow. The moment it came to mind I felt a spontaneous exaltation which sealed the deal.

But "Gnomon" alone felt insufficient, so I pondered a bit, and — hey presto! — up came "Chronicles".

Both of these words have deep literal significance for me.

"One that knows or examines" is who I am, what I care about.

"Chronicles" too describes me. In much of my writing, I think of myself as literally that, a man chronicling his time, leaving a records of events he has witnessed.

Finally, the rhyme of "Gnomon Chronicles" seals the deal: it's catchy, easy to remember, almost a jingle.