Matthew West-James

Hello All! Recently I had the privilege to be interviewed regarding Burning Salt by NewInBooks. You can click the link to read it there or read below! Interview with Matthew West-James, Author of Burning Salt by NewInBooks What’s the story behind the story? What inspired you to write this book? The story grew out of my fascination with biology, perception, and the enormous variety of life. I enjoy the classic big-headed gray alien or space elf as much as the next person, but I find it…

Welcome back to the Burning Salt – Jaka Cultural Exchange Archive. The previous entries focused on the history and institutions that shaped Jaka civilization. This entry turns toward a smaller problem that became unexpectedly important after first contact: what humans should call an individual Jaka. The Jaka did not lack a way to identify one another. Their system was far more precise than human naming conventions. The problem was that precision alone did not create familiarity, trust, or the…

Burning Salt Is Now Available Today is release day. After months of writing, editing, revisions, and far more worldbuilding than ever made it into the final manuscript, Burning Salt is officially available. This novel marks a departure from my previous books. Rather than memoir, Burning Salt is a work of science fiction built around first contact, alien civilizations, and the unintended consequences of exploring a universe that is far stranger than humanity ever imagined. Whether you prefer…