The earliest use of the term ‘Alienese’ of which I am aware is in Roger Zelazny’s mid-Seventies novel ‘Doorways in the Sand.’ I had probably been carrying it about in my head before using it as the title of a novel. I did look it up when I was writing my story and did not find the connection then; that came later when I reread Zelazny’s book.
Which may have been an influence on my story in other ways. The two alien policemen his protagonist deals with do have resemblances to the two alien scientists who kidnap my own main character. But similarities largely end there, except for some similarities of style and voice. I’ll readily admit Zelazny was among my influences as a writer, perhaps more so than any other science fiction authors who emerged in the Sixties.
Be all that as it may, my first foray into writing a science fiction was titled ‘Alienese,’ and I am quite okay with that, wherever and however the name came to me. Available, of course, at Arachis Press (arachispress.com) in print or as free ebooks.
