Phenderson Djèlí Clark is the award-winning and Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy, and Sturgeon nominated author of the Abeni’s Song series, the novel A Master of Djinn, and the novellas The Dead Cat Tail Assassins, Ring Shout, The Black God’s Drums, and The Haunting of Tram Car 015. His short stories have appeared in online venues such as Tor.com and in print anthologies including Hidden Youth, Black Boy Joy, and Amazon Stories. His forthcoming book, Abeni and the People Who Could Fly, will be released in September 2027. “Learning the Loom” is his fifth appearance in Uncanny, a poignant story of godhood, mortality, and what it means to be human.
Uncanny Magazine: “Learning the Loom” is a powerful tale with warring gods and mundane village life, featuring a protagonist who gains experience in both worlds. What was the spark or inspiration for this story?
Djèlí Clark: I’ve always been intrigued by the idea of sentient weapons and objects of power—like the One Ring, or magic swords that are particular about just who can hold them. So, I began to wonder—what if such a weapon was not just gifted sentience but made human? How would such a being think, behave, act in their newfound mortality? How would they find purpose, now made independent from their maker or wielder? The rest flowed from there.
Uncanny Magazine: What was the most challenging part about writing this story? What was the easiest thing?
Djèlí Clark: The most challenging part of this story was trying to really get behind the main character’s eyes. To slow down and think about all the things we take for granted as human beings that someone new to this might not understand: hunger, taste, sleep, social codes, and etiquettes. I had to force myself to not make assumptions and find ways to portray the most mundane things as new, confusing, frustrating, or exciting.
The easiest was the worldbuilding—because I *heart sign* worldbuilding!
Uncanny Magazine: I loved the relationship between Okono and Akili, and the ways it shifted as the story progressed. What do you need to know about your characters before you start writing? When your characters interact with each other, does it always go according to plan, or do they sometimes do things you don’t expect?
Djèlí Clark: Oh yes, the relationship between Okono and Akili is essential for this story—because one is quite literally teaching the other how to be human. It’s a whole crash course on mortality. Not to mention, both are young women—girls really—who have to navigate all the tangled coming of age social mores. It’s through Akili that Okono really begins to understand what being human is about, even as their relationship takes its ups and downs. In writing all of that, I don’t think I knew from the beginning that this close relationship would also involve tension and finally rupture. But the story took me there.
Uncanny Magazine: If you were offered godhood, would you take it?
Djèlí Clark: Ah! Great question. I don’t want to give away too many spoilers, but this story actually had TWO endings. One where godhood offered is accepted, and one where it’s not. I had to think long and hard about which one to use. And I went back and forth often. I don’t know if my final choice for the story reflected what I personally would do—but in the end, I thought it was right for the character.
Notice I never answered the question. 😉
Uncanny Magazine: Who are some of your literary influences? What’s something you read recently and loved?
Djèlí Clark: Oh many. If we’re talking about who I read now when I need to feed my imagination…N. K. Jemisin, Victor LaValle, Ken Liu, Cassandra Khaw, Rebecca Roanhorse, Fonda Lee, to name a few. I’m currently deep into Martha Wells’s Rising World series and digging it.
Uncanny Magazine: What are you working on next?
Djèlí Clark: Once I wrap up the final book in this middle grade trilogy—returning to finish up a dieselpunk superhero(ine) story. Think Raiders of the Lost Ark meets Captain America.
Uncanny Magazine: Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us!
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