We had the wonderful opportunity to speak with Zack about his amazing book, 1 of 26. Check out the interview below.
Hi, Zack! Thank you for granting the interview. 1 of 26 is riveting, to say the least! It was a very engaging read. Tell us what inspired the book.
Thank you so much for reading 1 of 26 and your kind words.
1 of 26 takes its inspiration from the many things going on around us in the world today. When you look at how the hierarchical systems in society are shifting and how we appear to be reverting back to an ever-more tribal way of existing, and how this is driving dividing lines in our society, I felt there was a natural fit in how 1 of 26 could be shaped to reflect at least some of that.
Equally, I was fascinated by the plethora of online reports concerning two, apparently paranormal incidents, one on the M6 near Birmingham England and in Paris, France.
These provided the basis for the story arc and also helped me develop the character Steve Garner into someone the reader would care about.
When you look at the issues surrounding the environment and how what we do now impacts on future generations, I found therein lies the plot device to help develop the story.
It is science fiction, but within that fiction lies a thin line of potential science fact and that fascinates me. It blurs the lines and compels the reader to look beyond the page and into the real world.
The story is compelling. Writing about the paranormal can be a test of person’s religious convictions and beliefs. What is the goal of your book?
Both the paranormal and religion are very subjective topics.
During my research I was staggered by the sheer amount of discussion that exists about the two subjects, again, endorsing the fact there are clear dividing lines and clear, polarised opinions from those participating in the debate.
1 of 26 is not really there to push the reader into making a decision or judgment about either, but with themes of control, segregation and displacement all present, the book poses the question about the validity and existence of such mechanisms and how they shape those decisions and impact on a wider society.
Right or wrong are blurred to the point of almost anonymity and the questioning of one person’s moral crusade versus other persons’ opinion is central debates throughout.
What should readers expect to read?
I like to see the book as a way to join the dots and also create an exciting set of questions.
For example, time travel can easily be dismissed as a fantasy that will never happen; but how can we be sure?
Have UFO sightings been covered up?
Is there a power at work beyond our comprehension, something that is controlling our every action? And by that, I don’t mean something from beyond our planet, but from within the world as we know it.
Is the constant denial and diversion tactics of governments over the years been eroded by the online world?
Time after time authorities across the world have had to back down on a range of subjects because the online world has set out a clear case to undermine their version of events.
1 of 26 looks to put these denials and claims into a framework that tries to make sense of it all.
But at the very heart of the book is a story of one man and his struggles to reconcile his new life against the backdrop of his old life.
To wake up one day and find out you are not what you thought you were is perhaps the nightmare scenario for many people. All that you knew and know has been torn up and thrown away. It just so happens that it drives Steve Garner into a world that he couldn’t possibly imagine existed, but it does.
The book seems cathartic for you. What were your thoughts, while you were conducting research for 1 of 26?
My research started with two key events, the so-called M6 Paranormal Crash and the paranormal crash in Paris.
During this research, I was opening doors that would then, in turn, open up new possibilities.
I found myself almost becoming a test bed for the logic behind these events and how they had impacted on the people who had come across them.
I wanted to try and make sense of them in a narrative sense, and ultimately connect them in a way that had never been done before.
In that respect, I think the book has gone some ways to achieve that goal.
But in many respects, it poses as many questions as it answers. Questions about the tremendous strain on the environment, on how we, as the human race, are interacting with each other, and how future generations will have to adapt their lifestyles to accommodate those pressures.
The book does make you question whether there is another life out there. Is that what you hope to achieve?
1 of 26 can only do so much.
Each page is a constructed narrative based on opinions that I have held close to my heart.
What excites me a lot is the fact there is a huge amount of content off the page; online content that can help supplement what was going on in the book.
I also wanted to put on paper what could be out there, how an alien life form doesn’t have to be bent on destroying the world, but helping us survive and exist in other worlds. Questioning the standard theories about life that exists beyond our planet is a key point of the book.
To me, the human condition is about hope; our own hopes and fears, our own aspirations and our desires for the future of our families. To quell hope and to believe that there is nothing but despair is a dangerous place for the human race to exist within.
There are so many wonderful scientists out there, people like Ronald Mallett and Michio Kaku are two such examples who, in my opinion, offer us hope.
In a very logical and precise way, they offer up theories that I think can help us make sense of what lies beyond the accepted narrative we are fed by governments across the world.
What has been the favorite part of the writing process?
Undoubtedly challenging how a book can be perceived and how it can interact with the reader.
I wanted to compel the reader to look beyond the page and hopefully by blurring those lines people who pick it up will feel that way.
Do you believe in the paranormal?
I believe that there are many examples of events that we cannot logically explain.
By their very nature, they are often classified as paranormal.
The mystery that surrounds them can get caught up in local mythology, sometimes churned out over an open fire and sometimes they become embedded in our psyche.
It’s hard to steadfastly say whether I believe in them or whether a logical explanation hasn’t been offered up to pull them satisfactorily away from the paranormal to believe otherwise.
What do you love most about your book?
I love the way it takes the reader on a journey that isn’t necessarily from point A to point B.
A journey can take many routes to achieve its goal. You may start off on a particular route, but through a natural process of choice, it isn’t a straight line.
1 of 26 isn’t a straight line. It has many tributaries that help develop the central narrative; it is this that kept me engaged and compelled me to write the story.
Do you have any upcoming projects that you would like to share?
Without giving anything away, I’m currently working on the follow up to 1 of 26.
Complete this sentence, if I had an opportunity to do anything I want, I would do ___________.
I would probably spend some time in one of the many classified government storage facilities where answers to the questions about the various alleged paranormal incidents around the world may possibly be found.
Read 1 of 26 here: https://www.books2read.com/u/38gN7r
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