Every character tells you who they are eventually—you just have to listen. In 2017, when I first “met” Qat, the protagonist of Catching Qat, ae was a bit of a mystery. One moment, Qat presented as female; the next, male. When I finally asked for clarity, Qat just smiled. It was clear then: Qat was gender-fluid.
The “Aha!” Moment
Initially, I wrote the story using they/them pronouns. However, when I switched the POV to Qrodin (a third-person perspective), I ran into a major clarity issue. In scenes where Qat was with a group, I couldn’t tell if “they” referred to Qat specifically or the entire party.
I needed a solution that respected Qat’s identity while keeping the prose sharp. That’s when I researched neo-pronouns.
The Inspiration: A Voyage to Arcturus
My research led me to David Lindsay’s 1920 novel, A Voyage to Arcturus. Lindsay coined the pronouns ae and aer for the Tormance species—humanoids formed of air with ambiguous sexuality.
It felt perfect. To make it even more intuitive for my readers, I followed a simple linguistic logic: drop the “th” from they/them/their.
| Subject | Object | Possessive |
| They | Them | Their |
| Ae | Aem | Aer |
Building the Karatolii Culture
The pronouns weren’t just a grammatical choice; they became a cornerstone of the Karatolii culture. I was inspired by a BBC2 documentary on 5-alpha-reductase deficiency (5aRD), a real-world genetic condition where all individuals appear female at birth, but males develop male anatomy during puberty.
I wondered: What if an entire culture was built on this trait?
- Family Structure: Traditional binary roles (Mother/Father) wouldn’t fit.
- Linguistic Evolution: Gendered pronouns wouldn’t be the default.
- Lineage: Mating with the extinct, cat-like Nonyx gave the Karatolii their distinct features—like tails, and Qat and Qrodin’s striking eyes.
A Universal Language
In the world of Catching Qat, ae/aer/aem isn’t just for the Karatolii. It has become the global standard for gender-fluid individuals, single-gendered species, or any time a person’s gender is unknown. It’s a way of life—an accepted practice that brings clarity to both the language and the soul.
How this looks in the book:
Qrodin follows aem across the clearing and the road. The elder climbs the steps of a magila, one of the shop carriages. Ae waves Qrodin to follow aem inside. Dozens of floating balls dimly light the interior. With a flick of aer hand, the balls get brighter.
I Wasn’t Alone: A Growing Movement
What’s truly incredible is that after I chose these for Qat, I realized I wasn’t the only one. Since 2017, the use of ae/aem/aer has blossomed.
Today, you can find countless TikToks, YouTube shorts, and blogs from individuals who have adopted these exact pronouns for their personal use. It turns out that many people found the same “drop the th” logic just as natural as I did. Seeing real people embrace these pronouns validated my choice—it wasn’t just “sci-fi grammar”; it was a living, breathing part of modern identity.
Does your favorite fictional world have unique linguistics or pronouns? I’d love to hear about them in the comments!
Until tomorrow… or tomorrow!
Just a reminder, Catching Qat will be free on January 16 & 17 on Amazon. I’ll be transitioning off of Kindle Unlimited to go wide on other e-reading platforms, including Google Play Books, Apple Books, and Barnes & Noble Nook, so this is your last chance to read for free! If you’re not a fan of free books, you can pre-order your ebook by clicking the button below.
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See what readers have to say about Catching Qat!
5.0 out of 5 stars Great new series Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase Perfect for fans of Dungeons and Dragons and similar games. Full of unique species, wonderfully crafted societies and customs, fun magics, and plenty of loot! Follow along as the party of adventurers grows and secrets are revealed.Has many appendices in the back of the book… Continue reading Fun, Amazon
October 28, 2025 5.0 out of 5 stars Catching Qat has magic and adventure! Format: Kindle K.T. Pike has created a world full of magic, mystery, and family. She has created characters that are relatable and imperfect that find each other and learn how to work together throughout their adventures. Battle scenes are vivid and unique… Continue reading Tracee
October 6, 2025 5.0 out of 5 stars Action, adventure, character development! Format: Paperback This book is whimsical. The world comes to life through the characters. There is adventure, friendship, mistrust, and relatable dialogue. It’s like if LOTR was sassy instead of serious. Read it. You’ll know what I mean. For the first book in the… Continue reading Alyssa