Jesse Muehlbauer is an American novelist and the co-host of Good Story Live! He’s been heard on hundreds of stations across America during his decade-long career as a network broadcaster. After living on both coasts, he now resides in his hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with his lovely and brilliant wife, Poe.
Welcome to Reader Views, Jesse! Why don’t you kick things off by telling us about your debut novel, All the Moonlight on Earth? What’s the story all about?
The story kicks off right after the launch of Sputnik, the first artificial satellite to orbit Earth, in October of 1957. The main character, Gillen Rainer, supports a small team of scientists who have perfected something that will make Sputnik irrelevant — The Alignment, a portal connecting the Earth and the moon. This game-changer is about to be announced to the world when disaster strikes, namely, the disappearance of Gillen’s daughter, Allaire. The efforts to return her to safety unfold an array of mysterious, thrilling, and emotionally complex events that demonstrate the unrelenting power of the past.
All the Moonlight on Earth is a striking title. How did you come up with it, and what does it signify in the story?
My primary aim was to create a title never before used in fiction. I also wanted it to come from a statement in the book, something that would hint at a plot point yet unknown to a prospective reader. The protagonist, Gillen, imagines the moon as a giant searchlight, sweeping across the Earth in an effort to find a lost child. That visual gave me the line I needed, which in turn gave me the book title.
Your book blends elements of science fiction, historical fiction, romance, and suspense. What challenges did you face in weaving these diverse genres into a unified story?
I’ve always believed that the best science fiction is rooted in historical narratives. Interpreting the future in light of the past is an effective recipe for great storytelling. Romance and suspense are two sides of the same coin, as pursuing a relationship takes tremendous courage. So blending the four genres together seemed natural to me.
The 1957 setting aligns perfectly with the Space Race, but were there additional factors that led you to choose this era for your story?
Sputnik plays a crucial role in the plot, so setting it in 1957 was imperative. It was also part of the International Geophysical Year, and a year before the creation of NASA. 1957 was a pivotal moment in the American zeitgeist—the last pregnant pause before the birth of a new technological era. That delicious societal tension made the setting exactly the atmosphere I needed for my story. I’m also a big fan of the 40s and 50s aesthetics. The apparel was often suave and classy. The language was more elevated and precise. And writing in a time period where I constantly had to be double-checking my facts as to what existed when (and did it have a different name) added another layer of enjoyment to the process.
In a period when the world was obsessed with Sputnik, you introduce a technological marvel of your own—The Alignment, a portal to the moon. How did you come up with this concept?
The Alignment came to me in a dream. No, seriously. In 2013 I had a dream about a stairwell to the moon. I already had a fascination with the Apollo missions, so the fact that my subconscious was churning that interest into a story is no great wonder. My imagination turned the stairwell into a portal and the Alignment was born. After that, I would routinely gaze outside and look up at the moon, wishing that I could walk into my house, step through the Alignment, visit the moon, and be back in time for dinner. One of my favorite lines in the book is when Walter Iselin asks who is ready for a “quick trip to the moon?” Alas, the Alignment is fantasy… but wouldn’t it be cool?
Read Full Interview