Alex: G
If I was pitching Mindful to a Hollywood producer in a lift, I’d say it’s “House of Cards” meets “Fantastic Voyage” with a hint of “Ghost”. We are at a crucial time in British politics, and trust in all the political parties is at an all-time low. “Mindful” considers the circumstances necessary for a new party to come to power. And then, what would those with a lot to lose do; those pulling the strings who no longer delight in the lobbying power they have in the current system? What would they make happen to try and reset things back to how they want them – in other words, how they were? And that’s all before the story heads off into the realms of science fiction in order to keep our chief protagonist alive!
Why do you believe that we have been lied to about most things in the mainstream media?
John Pilger, famous journalist of the old school, was recently quoted as saying*: ‘The times we live in are so dangerous and so distorted in public perception that propaganda is no longer, as Edward Bernays called it, an "invisible government". It is the government. It rules directly without fear of contradiction and its principal aim is the conquest of us: our sense of the world, our ability to separate truth from lies. The information age is actually a media age. We have war by media; censorship by media; demonology by media; retribution by media; diversion by media - a surreal assembly line of obedient clichés and false assumptions.’ If John Pilger is now saying what I came to appreciate almost a decade ago, then you can understand why a lot more people are also beginning to see we are not being told the truth.
*“War by media and the triumph of propaganda” - http://johnpilger.com/articles/war-by-media-and-the-triumph-of-propaganda
Please tell us about the character of Ray Grady.
Ray Grady was a former tennis star, injured early in his career, who then became a media darling. Via a career in journalism, he became a chat show host who handled political interviews alongside celebrity interviews with equal aplomb. There’s part David Frost in there, part Jonathan Ross. There’s also a little tragedy, with the mysterious death of his first wife. When he is approached with evidence that the recent General Election has been fixed, he can’t ignore the ramifications and breaks the story when no-one else will. Soon, he realises he is the only one who can take on the existing political establishment and give the public a genuine alternative at the election re-run.
Which parts of the book could easily become fact?
The first domino to fall will have to be people stopping voting for political parties as sort of bizarre ‘tactical’ exercise – making your ‘mark’ for one party to keep another out. If everyone just voted for a party, or grouping, they believed in, then election results would be very different to what they are at present. At that point, all bets are off, and the reshaping of our entire society could begin. As it is, it can’t be long until the fact money is created out of nothing begins to be understood by vastly increasing numbers of the population. ‘Quantitative easing’ made this obvious to anyone who was paying attention. When the sleight-of-hand is seen, there are going to be a considerable number of bankers and politicians with a lot of explaining to do, and the demand for change will become very intense.
You are a writer, presenter and now author, so how do you juggle all of these responsibilities?
Thanks to a VERY understanding wife! She’s seen me chase these dreams in one form or another ever since we first met in 1992. We began living together within a couple of months of meeting – her changing job location to be with me. When I left the Civil Service in 2010, I was finally able to go full-tilt at all of these passions, which were exactly what I wanted to do when I left Wolverhampton Polytechnic in 1987. What it means, practically, is working odd hours of the day and week to make sure deadlines are met. That often means weekends, but it also involves sometimes getting started on things at 4.00am.
How much are you enjoying penning fiction celebrated by the Cult TV Weekenders?
Most television fanatics want to be part of the universes they enjoy in some way or other. The best thing has been that the characters I’ve created are part of their own separate world, although they often reference the fictional worlds which they appreciate. Some of these are little ‘in-jokes’ for fellow fans, and this is something that’s done by a lot of current fictional programmes, of the likes of ‘Family Guy’ and ‘Hawaii 5-0’. In fact, it’s all made me quite nostalgic for the Cult TV Weekenders, which is why we’re giving them their own 21st Birthday party next November. You can find out details at www.culttv.biz – everyone’s welcome!
What is next for you?
I’m currently assembling ideas for the sequel to “Mindful”, entitled “The Man Who Sold The World”. Our central characters have had it fairly easy in the first novel, so now the resistance, dirty tricks and problems will be cranked up several notches. The skeletons in the closets for both sides are going to be rattling like thunder!
On top of that, I am working on reformatting my alternative current affairs radio show “Doomwatch” for a television audience. For instance, it’s very difficult to talk on the radio about a subject like ‘chemtrails’ without being able to show any pictures! We’re also thinking of adding a live audience, too, rather than just having people texting and emailing the show. People can keep tabs on developments at www.doomwatch.com.