The Last Polar Bear follows an Inuit scientist who develops a shamanic gift to communicate with the last polar bear on earth. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

My initial inspiration was to write a story that hits people in the gut about climate change. Too many grim statistics can be demotivating, but stories inspire people! I thought writing from a polar bear’s point of view would be compelling and informative while also being interesting and entertaining.

When I realized I needed human characters too, I researched the indigenous people of northern Alaska (the Inupiaq culture) and made a few of the characters Inupiaq- a vanishing culture, like the polar bear. I made the main character a feisty female Inuit wildlife biologist because I identify with an independent, powerful female hero. Her shamanic abilities add a touch of magical realism to the book.

Nuli is an interesting and well-developed character. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?

I liked the concept that the two main female characters- Nuili and Anuk the polar bear- had many similarities. They are mirror characters; both young females seeking mates, struggling with their vanishing world. I wanted to make Nuli’s character reflect Anuk’s physical power. Nuli is a young female minority, but is educated and powerful and unafraid to stand up to injustice.

What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?

Mainly, I wanted to express in the form of a story why something as distant as melting ice caps and polar bear extinction should be of concern to people- how the snowball effect of climate change and loss of bio-diversity is the canary in the coal mine. Another theme often ignored in the narrative about climate change is the loss of indigenous cultures and the land they rely on for food.

What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?

I have completed another novel on a different topic and genre titled One Extraordinary Thing. It is a historical novel with two mirrored female characters: a young half-Chinese immigrant woman who arrives in San Francisco during the 1850s Gold Rush and her great, great, great grandaughter- a half-Mexican woman living in the Napa Valley in 2005. The novel follows the similar struggles facing the two women and how they find a way to reach through time and help each other.

When will it be available? I might wait a year until I’m done promoting The Last Polar Bear!

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Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/12/27/a-polar-bears-point-of-view/