"A virus has struck America and anyone with an IQ over 84 is in danger. People's heads are exploding. The country is on lockdown. Everything is about to change." Sounds interesting right? We have with us Mike Dickenson who has written interesting satire IQ84. This line is taken from his book blurb.
When did you start writing?
I started writing when I was six years old and had my first book written by the time I was nine. Since then I have written almost ten full length books, though only two are published.When did you decide to become a writer?I decided to become a professional writer when I came home after a two year long hitchhiking trip through Latin America. I had so many stories inside of me, and after seeing so many problems along my journey, well, it cemented my beliefs that stories can change the world for the better.
What are your ambitions for your writing career?
That age old cliche of "if I can make a difference with one person then it was worth it" is true, though I will admit I can get caught up in the ego, and if my mind doesn't see that I'm not selling thousands of books then I am not a "success." But success is something that has been fabricated by modern society. Truly, my ambitions are to create the best works of fiction that I am capable for the purpose of generating positive change in the world.
Is this your debut work? If not so, what have you written?
This is my second book to be published.
What genre are your books?
Both of my books fall into different genres and are very different. The Dreamer's Lotus would be considered Young Adult and tackles larger concepts of Man's role in the natural world (with a mix of fantasy and philosophy) while IQ84 is a satirical piece. IQ84 was very easy for me to write, though I came up with the concept almost 8 years ago. It is also one of the best things I have written (in my opinion) as I really enjoy the engagement of humor writing. I used to be a stand-up comedian, so writing humor comes naturally for me.
Can you describe your current book in few lines? What’s it about?
IQ84 is a political satire about life in America on the verge of absolute chaos. A virus sweeps through the country and kills everyone with an IQ over 84 (their heads explode). Luckily, all of our politicians are still alive and very eager to protect the heads of all the dying voters.
Give us an insight into your main character(s)
One thing that made this novel so fun to write was the wide range of active characters. The President of the United States plays a crucial (albeit idiotic role) though the main character is a man by the name of David Dingle. David is an ordinary American with a government job and a fantastic phone that doesn't understand why his head hasn't blown up or why he's the subject of a nation-wide man hunt.
Where did you get idea for this book?
Despite this book having so many similarities with the movie "Idiocracy," IQ84 actually was derived from the book The Stand by Stephen King. I've always been interested in post-apocolyptic concepts, especially in the vein of satire which I believe to be the one of the most potent forces for social change.
How much research did you do for this book?
35 years of living in America.
Who is your favorite character in your book and why? (If applicable)
Either President Benjamin Alan (because he's such an arrogant idiot, though very loveable at the same time) or Special Agent Jon Boring who must capture David Dingle. Jon Boring does everything possible not to live up to his last name, so he is a character that is extremely outlandish and brave to a hilarious fault.
What was the toughest thing about writing your latest book?
That's a good question. This book just kind of flowed for me. I can't really think of anything that made it unenjoyable.
Release date.
The book will be released on March 14th, 2017
What are you working on at the minute?
Right now I'm working on the sequel to The Dreamer's Lotus which will be titled The Great City. It is a dystopian novel about the concept of Awakening to our fullest potential while simultaneously facing our own madness.
What are your thoughts on writing a book series?
It's been a difficult ride for me, basically because the first book was originally intended as a single piece, but I later decided to break it into pieces, which has created a tremendous amount of reworking. Still, it is something that I enjoy and I believe that my writing (and the story) has become stronger because of it.
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Write for yourself and no one else. Unless you want to make money. Then figure out a way to do both.
Links for your book readers
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dickensonmike
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/AuthorMikeD
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-dickenson
- Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/2nqOL86
- Amazon Book Page: http://amzn.to/2mSc7ln
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16227006.Saurabh_Sharma
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