Page 10 - Reader's House Magazine Issue 52

A Thought-Provoking Conversation on Media, Technology, and the Power of Storytelling
Arielle S. Emmett discusses her debut novel The Logoharp, blending science fiction with journalism, exploring disinformation, AI-driven media, and cultural influences that shape narratives in a dystopian yet eerily familiar future.
“Arielle S. Emmett is no stranger to the power of
EXPLORES THE FUTURE
OF JOURNALISM, AI, AND
TRUTH IN THE LOGOHARP
Editor’s Desk I London
our own era, making her novel not only a gripping tale of the future but also a mirror to the present.
Beyond the novel’s thrilling premise, Emmett discusses the intersection of fact and fiction, the challenges of world-build- ing, and the responsibility of writers to engage with complex, cross-cultural themes. Her insights reveal a writer unafraid to wrestle with the big questions—about technology, politics, and the human condition. In this interview, she shares her journey, the inspirations behind The Logoharp, and her thoughts on where science fiction, and perhaps the world itself, might be heading.
What inspired you to blend science fiction with elements of your journalistic background in The Logoharp?
Our global media landscape has changed radically in the last decades, perhaps as much as technological advancements and AI have changed us.
With a few rare exceptions, news organizations no longer act as independent monitors of power; nor do most emphasize meticulous fact checking and presentation of multiple perspec- tives. Instead virtually all news is channelized according to an agenda, much of it driven by partisan media bosses who build their economic models based on the specific tastes, preferences and values of targeted audiences.
Watching all of this happen during my long career as a science and international journalist, I envisioned a near-future heroine, Naomi, who “writes the future” on behalf of a global power (in this case, China) by seeking “the truth of probable
The stories
storytelling, whether through journalism or fiction. we rarely tell, With a distinguished career spanning continents and disciplines, she has reported from East Asia, Africa,
and the ones and beyond, bringing a sharp analytical lens to global affairs. we encounter As a journalist, her work has graced the pages of Smithsonian
accidentally, Air & Space, Mother Jones, The Scientist, and numerous other esteemed publications. Now, with her debut science fiction are those that novel The Logoharp, she ventures into a speculative future
where media manipulation, artificial intelligence, and political interest me intrigue intertwine in unsettling ways.
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most.” In our conversation, Emmett offers a glimpse into the creative and intellectual forces that shaped The Logoharp. She draws from her deep well of experience—years of investiga- tive journalism, a life lived across cultures, and a profound understanding of shifting global narratives. Her protagonist, Naomi, a journalist-turned-cybernetic media agent, embodies the ethical dilemmas of a world where information is both a tool and a weapon. Emmett’s reflections on truth, disinfor- mation, and the evolution of media resonate powerfully in
ARIELLE S. EMMETT