Paul Semel (PS): I always like to begin with a summary of the plot. So, what is Condomnauts about?
Yoss: In a few words and without spoiling anything, I could tell you about the life and adventures of Josué Valdes, a young, multiracial man from Cuban who works as a specialist in a Catalan space enclave of Nu Barsa. But this would be like trying to describe a dog by simply saying that it’s a mammal, quadruped, and carnivore, without talking about how he descends from a wolf, where his allegiances lie, and his many races.
The core premise of Condomnauts is that it develops in the 24th century, a future in which humankind has come into contact with hundreds of alien races who all must follow what’s called the Contact Protocol: when two ships with different species come together, in order to demonstrate peaceful intentions and the desire to conduct business together, a representative from each much have sex with the other.
Among humans, this circumstance has produced the emergence of a new profession: the condomnaut, or contact specialist. Becoming one involves more than simply intention: they require cold blood, the capacity to improvise, and a very strong stomach. They are well-paid professionals who train in specialized schools. Children who possess a certain disposition and aptitude for sexual experimentation train there, and what was once (and still is) considered a terrible and prohibited passion—sexual relationships between species—is now a well-respected talent.
PS: Where did you get the idea for Condomnauts, and how different is the finished novel from that original idea?
Yoss: I suppose that authors frequently don’t remember how their ideas come to them, or else they make them up. But, at least in this case, I remember very clearly how it all started. The idea emerged in November of 2008, during a fascinating conversation with two Venezuelan friends, Susana Sussmann and Roger Ávila, both authors of sci-fi and fantasy. We were talking about the distinct ways in which different cultures refer to those who explore space: astronauts to westerners, cosmonauts to the soviets, taikonauts to the chinese, and the word condomnauts occurred to me. Roger and Susana found it very funny and I resolved to write a book that centered around this concept. I thought a little bit and it immediately became clear that it would have to do with sexuality—very profound, no?—and over the next few months I sketched it out. I added some healthy irony about the Catalans, as I’ve spent 17 years sending short stories to compete in their UPC award without getting more than a mention in 2003—but seeing as texts that, in my opinion, had less imagination and literary merit won the competition and the 6000 euros, I simply enhanced their national spirit and their desire to declare independence from Spain.
Edited by Ilan Stavans
In this rich, eye-opening, and uplifting anthology, dozens of esteemed writers, poets, artists, and translators from more than thirty countries send literary dispatches from life during the pandemic. A portion of proceeds benefit booksellers in need.
World Literature Today’s 75 Notable Translation of 2020
Paperback • ISBN: 9781632063021
Publication date: Aug 25, 2020