Derek Tyler Attico Chronicles Benjamin Sisko's Life Story in Titan Books' New Star Trek Book

In January 1993, Paramount debuted its third Star Trek live-action television series, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Where the original Star Trek and Star Trek: The Next Generation had taken audiences “where no one has gone before” in the depths of space, Deep Space Nine was set on a space station at the edge of the frontier, a crossroads where starships and merchant vessels paused before moving through a nearby stable wormhole. The space station — Deep Space Nine — was commanded by Benjamin Sisko, a Starfleet veteran and single father portrayed by acclaimed actor Avery Brooks.

Titan Books celebrates the 30th-anniversary of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine with their forthcoming book, The Autobiography of Benjamin Sisko (AUG231076, $25.99). Written by Derek Tyler Attico, The Autobiography delves into the life and career of one of Starfleet’s most accomplished captains. PREVIEWS head Writer Allyn Gibson spoke with Attico about Benjamin Sisko, The Autobiography, the Star Trek universe, and his career.

PREVIEWS: Please introduce yourself.

Attico: Hi, I’m Derek Tyler Attico. I’ve been writing professionally since 2005, when I entered my short story “Alpha and Omega” in the Star Trek Strange New Worlds 8 short story anthology contest from Simon and Schuster, and it won first place. The SNW anthology contest allowed fans to submit Star Trek stories from any era and series within the Trek universe. The editors would select the best ten stories to publish in a yearly SNW anthology. The anthology series ran for ten years SNW 1—10 (1998-2007) and launched the careers of authors like Dayton Ward, Geoffrey Thorne, and myself.

PREVIEWS: Over the last several years, Titan Books has published several “autobiographies” of the Star Trek captains, such as The Autobiography of James T. Kirk by David Goodman (JUN151746) and The Autobiography of Kathryn Janeway by Una McCormack (JUL201466). You’ve written The Autobiography of Benjamin Sisko which is coming out this fall. Can you give us a quick sketch of Benjamin Sisko and who he is?

Attico: When we first meet Benjamin Sisko in the premiere episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, he’s the first officer on the USS Saratoga defending the Federation against the Borg at Wolf 359. His wife is killed in that battle, and he’s forced to raise his son alone as he is sent to a new post, DS9. Throughout the seven years of Deep Space Nine, we get to see Benjamin dealing with being a widower, a father to his son, a son to his father, a leader, a religious icon, a Starfleet Captain, and an emissary to aliens that exist outside of linear time.

PREVIEWS: How did you become involved in writing the autobiography of Deep Space Nine’s Benjamin Sisko? Did you pitch the book to Titan? Did Titan’s editors approach you? What was the development process like?

Attico: Those are great questions Allyn! Much like Ben’s path on DS9 and in the Autobiography, getting this project was a journey. In 2016, for one time only, in honor of the 50th anniversary of Star Trek, Simon and Schuster brought back the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds anthology contest. I entered a Deep Space Nine short story into the competition (The Dreamer and the Dream). I was honored that the story was among the winners. When Titan Books began looking for an author to write the Autobiography of Benjamin Sisko, my 2016 SNW story played a factor, and they reached out to me.

I had a fantastic conversation with Titan Books Managing Editor George Sandison during the development process. We discussed our love of Star Trek in general, and Deep Space Nine specifically, and different approaches to telling Benjamin Sisko’s origin story. When I laid out my idea for the autobiography to George, he liked what I had in mind.

PREVIEWS: What does Benjamin Sisko mean to you? Where do you rank him among the captains as a leader, as a character, as a human being?

Attico: I’ll answer the second question first. When watching DS9 as a fan and over the years as a writer, it became apparent that there was something different about Benjamin Sisko. Balance.

As a kid, I loved Captain Kirk and his rebellious nature, whose only true love was the Enterprise. In college, Picard’s diplomacy made sense to me, even though I thought it was clear he couldn’t come to terms with his own family or kids. I loved that Janeway, the scientist, didn’t like bullies and would push back when pushed, yet was isolated and had difficulty asking for help. Archer is the closest to who humanity is now; he’s trying to do the right thing, but he makes mistakes as he learns and can’t find room for a relationship in his life as the first captain of a warp five ship. Burnham is a lot like Kirk, but she’s had to move past her trauma and learn that following is essential to lead. Pike is terrific with his crew but has difficulty with personal relationships. These are all upstanding, caring human beings, but I think it’s clear they all lack balance in their lives.

In many ways, Benjamin Sisko is a father and family man before he’s a Starfleet Captain, a religious icon, or an emissary of the prophets. I think that gives him the balance that the other captains lack. Because of this, I rank him at the top of the captains.

So, what does Benjamin Sisko mean to me? In many ways, he is my dream fulfilled. Gene Roddenberry envisioned a future where we all work together, and as a species, humanity is no longer bound by the chains of war, racism, and ignorance that have held it back from advancing and flourishing together. Ben Sisko, played beautifully by Mr. Avery Brooks, shows us that future doesn’t have to be hard to believe in and that we can start building it. Today.

As a black man, being able to write the Autobiography of Benjamin Sisko is incredibly fulfilling. With that, I want to deliver an autobiography that everyone can relate to as they read about Benjamin Sisko’s life, regardless of their ethnicity or social status.

PREVIEWS: How much freedom did you have in developing Ben Sisko’s life and career? How challenging was it for you to find his voice?

Attico: That is such an interesting question. I was given the freedom to write whatever I wanted. However, that’s because, at this point in my career, I’ve become an expert at writing within the Star Trek universe. I understand what boundaries to push, which to stay within, and why. I also believe that character is plot, and I kept this in mind when developing Ben Sisko’s life and career.

Luckily, with my experience writing my 2016 DS9 short story, finding Ben’s voice wasn’t difficult. That being said, Benjamin Sisko has a very unique voice. Mr. Avery Brooks played Ben Sisko wonderfully for seven years. As an actor, Mr. Brooks’ voice is both powerful and memorable. Additionally, Ben says throughout the series that he isn’t a writer; his son Jake is. Captain Sisko is more plain-spoken than, say, Captain Picard and has a certain physicality manifested in some ways through the power of his voice. My job in the autobiography was to convey all that to the reader and in the writing to gradually get to the Benjamin Sisko we know and are familiar with on Deep Space Nine.

PREVIEWS: In exploring Sisko’s life, what part surprised you the most? What event did you find especially rewarding to chronicle? Was there an event that, in writing about it, you said to yourself, “Ben, maybe I wouldn’t have done that…”?

Attico: What surprised me the most was how comfortable I felt writing about Benjamin’s life once the writing started. His childhood and laying down those first essential blocks was enriching to chronicle.

Ha! I love the way you posed this, Allyn! Yes! There are a few moments in Ben’s life that I would have done differently. You’ll have to read the autobiography to find out what they are!

	Cast of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Season 5

PREVIEWS: As a viewer of Deep Space Nine, I always felt the relationship between Sisko and his son Jake was the emotional core of the series. Sisko was many things – the commander of a space station, mentor to his subordinates, the Emissary of the Prophets – but the role that mattered to him the most was being a father to his son. How do you see their relationship? How deeply do you delve into his relationship with Jake in your book?

Attico: I agree with you entirely on this, Allyn. No role mattered to Benjamin more than being a father. Ben’s relationship with Jake will most certainly be reflected in the Autobiography!

PREVIEWS: There are two notable gourmands among the Star Trek captains—Sisko and Christopher Pike. You’re invited to a dinner party with the two captains. What’s on the menu? Who else is invited? What is the conversation like?

Attico: Oh man, what a great idea! I want to write this! Well, we have to have jambalaya a la Sisko from Ben, and maybe because Pike appears to have a penchant for preparing breakfast meals, he’d go the other way with omelets! Both Captains would invite their senior staff. I can see Bashir and M’Benga discussing procedures while Nog and Ortegas compare the differences between the Defiant and the Enterprise. La’an and Kira could glare at each other from across the room, and I would mingle and just eavesdrop on these amazing conversations — can you imagine!

PREVIEWS: Benjamin Sisko has access to the Bajoran Orb of Time, which facilitates time travel. (See “Trials and Tribble-ations.”) Sisko is also famously a baseball fan, though baseball is effectively a dead sport in the 24th-century. If Sisko used the Orb of Time to see three historical baseball players play in their prime, who would they be? (For the record, the top of my list is Josh Gibson of the Homestead Grays.)

Attico: Even without the Orb of time, I’m sure Ben has done this many times on the holodeck! I think Ben’s first stop would be to watch Satchel Paige. One of the best baseball pitchers ever, Paige started in the Negro baseball league and Major League Baseball. Paige was so good that he played his last game at age 59. Of course, Jackie Roberson would be number 42, the first black man to play Major League Baseball. Robinson was a phenomenal player, athlete, and man of unshakeable character.

And last but not least would be Benjamin’s favorite player, Buck Bokai—a fictional character in his own right. A third baseman for the London Kings for most of his career, Bokai broke several of Joe DiMaggio’s records and was hailed as one of baseball’s finest players!

	Benjamin Sisko, thinking he should have been a farmer, manages the Niners baseball team, comprised of officers from Deep Space Nine and the Ceritos, in an exhibition game. Art by Chris Fenoglio, from the cover to IDW Publishing's Star Trek: Deep Space Nine–The Dog of War #1 (JAN231625)

PREVIEWS: You have written Star Trek short stories and content for the Star Trek role-playing game. What does Star Trek mean to you? What do you find appealing about writing in the Star Trek universe? What do you find challenging?

Attico: Star Trek is the universe in which I wrote my first professional story and took first place in a contest! That experience is something that I will always cherish and never forget! Star Trek is also something I watched and loved as a kid, and now I’m contributing to the Star Trek mythos. This continues to be an honor and privilege beyond words.

What’s appealing to me as a writer is to tell new stories within this universe that’s existed for over five decades with the morals and principles I grew up with. What I also call the four foundational tenets of Star Trek that you will find in every Trek story — friendship, science, exploration, and hope.

As a writer, the challenge is always to tell new stories in an exciting way. At the same time, I do this for the reader. I also want to push myself and do things I find challenging as a writer. This is how I have fun as I write!

PREVIEWS: Tell us about your non-Star Trek work.

Attico: Whether it’s a story that includes Dracula, Dr. Jekyll/Mister Hyde, and the folk hero John Henry in 19th century London (ed. note: See the new IAMTW anthology, Double Trouble: An Anthology of Two-Fisted Team-Ups for this intriguing tale) or a contemporary, black, millennial Sherlock Holmes in the Bronx, New York. I’ve made a career of thinking outside the box. No two stories I’ve written are alike, and I love avoiding tropes and stereotypes.

PREVIEWS: What’s coming up from Derek Tylor Attico?

Attico: I have some projects in the works that I can’t discuss just yet. But right now, I’m writing the script for my original graphic novel I’m excited about. After that, I’ll follow up my contemporary Sherlock Holmes story with the same character set in the 19th century. Writing Holmes in any century is always fun!

PREVIEWS: Where can readers find you?

Attico: I can be found on my website at www.DerekAttico.com or on social media platforms @dattico

PREVIEWS: Thank you so much for your time, Derek.

Derek Tyler Attico's The Autobiography of Benjamin Sisko (AUG231076, $25.99) from Titan Books is scheduled to arrive in stores on October 11th. Order today!