It’s been almost three years since the book was published, and a second edition will be released this fall. (See: Why there’s going to be a second edition of Life in the ’Cosm)

But in both editions, there are a few Easter eggs based on my cultural heritage of Irish and Polish. Did you pick them up?

Slawncha leaves: The Irish word for health is sláinte, which is pronounced like slawncha. I chose this name because the leaves of that bush have mystical powers to cure people.

The Dwa: This is Polish word for two and is pronounced like dva, but I don’t pronounce it like that, even when I give readings. The Dwa of Zodra are two people living as one person.

Oanyee: It’s okay if you didn’t get this one because it’s not as obvious. The Polish word for they is oni, which is kind of pronounced like oanyee. (It’s really hard to write diphthongs sometimes.) The Oanyee often use the pronoun they, and they are very accepting of gender identity.

Noola: This fiesty character’s name is based on one of my favourite Irish names: Fionnuala. In the book, only Philia calls her Fynoola.

Ceelyn: Another Irish name I love is Caoilinn (Keelin or Kaylin). The fictitious peasant in Virj’s story has that name.

PogMoTech: This is my cheekiest yet. PogMoTech is derived from the Irish phrase, Póg mo thóin (poag muh hone), which means “kiss my arse.” Virj hates his day job, so I named his workplace “kiss my tech.” But when you get to the end of the story, Virj has something fitting to say to his bosses.

Planet Cinneh: I don’t expect anyone to get this, but the Gaelic surname of my birth is O Coinne or O Coinnaioth (O Kinn-ah, O Kinney), so in my arrogance, I named the capital of the galaxy after my family.

Vivoxx Tirowen: Viv’s last name derives from County Tyrone in the North of Ireland. The Gaelic name is Tir Eoghain (Tir Owen), and kings of Ireland onced lived there. You’ll get why I named Viv that when you read The Stealth Lovers!

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I think that’s all of them. Even I can’t recall them all, and I wrote the thing!

I’ll let you know when the second edition of Life in the ’Cosm is released. You can read it first and then read The Stealth Lovers. Or, I suppose you can read them in order as well. You decide! 🙂

Have a great weekend, and May the Fourth be with you!

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Cait Gordon is a disability advocate and the author of Life in the ’Cosm and The Stealth Lovers (Fall of 2019). When she’s not writing, Cait’s editing manuscripts and running The Spoonie Authors Network, a blog whose contributors manage disabilities and/or chronic conditions. She’s also teamed up with co-editor Talia C. Johnson on the Nothing Without Us anthology (Fall of 2019.)