The title comes from the Carl Saganism that “we’re made of starstuff”, itself inspired by the legacy of the trailblazing astronomer *Cecilia Payne, who discovered the chemical composition of the universe against the odds of her time and place.

For better or worse, I am easily influenced. My mom (who features in this very collection!) worried I’d join a cult as a teenager, because I could get so caught up with other people’s words and ideas. And I did join, in my own way, a cult of two in the 90’s, in a posh bit of London and was briefly derailed  – but generally I’ve kept good company and chosen my influences well.

*In turn I read about Cecilia in “The Marginalian”  the soul-lifting weekly newsletter of Maria Popova – whose portrait is also in the Starstuff collection. This Starstuff stuff  is catchy!