Interview with Carla
AchesonAuthor of The Last
Gift, who has worked as a reviewer and interviewed
best selling authors: www.carla-acheson.com
Q. Your end of the world scenario
is unique, and makes sense to me. Is it true in
scientific fact?
A. Yes I believe so. I spent months
on research, and especially how to use sea water
as an accelerant. It was by no means easy. But given
intense heat and pressure, water separates to become
several accelerant's. That's a chemical truth.
I also needed to devise a way for the Wrath of
Gaia to manifest, and this became a geological nightmare.
I spent months researching tectonics and volcanology,
and introduced Ali and the Mexicans to discover
what was happening. A bit like a detective novel
in that sense. For delivery, Jack kidnaps Gary and
Shirl, and that was entertaining.
Q. Yes, Jack does kidnap a lot
of people. Why?
A. I needed the Pope, the President
of the USA, and others in the story. But it had
to read real. Fallout was affecting all of the world,
and this proved difficult to balance. I hope the
addition of Mexican, Indian, and Chinese people
helps in that sense. Plus Behrouz from Iran of course.
Q. Tell me about the main characters,
the ones that appealed to you, the author.
A. Penelope Pendleton is the most
unbalanced character I have ever written, but she
brilliant in her field of sub-nuclear particle physics,
and is a laugh a minute. I use this to negate the
heavy scientific theory, as her dippy character,
her words, bring a smile to the reader.
Q. Do Kay and Jack fall in love?
A. Yes they do, but that remains
totally unrequited, at least in the first trilogy.
If you want to know the outcome, you better read
the second trilogy (chuckling).
Q. Explain "Predefining the
Arbitrary," that does not make logical sense.
A. "Oh dear, I hope you're
not going to be difficult," said Peni. Yes
it is a conundrum, and was half written in jest,
but mostly not. You see, Peni does 'predefine the
arbitrary', but neither Jack nor n'Gnung do. Take
your lead from Da Phai Nai's response, “Stupid,
stupid boys, whatever am I to do with them?”
Q. "Predefining the Arbitrary,"
that's a contradiction of terms.
A. No it isn't, actually. It is
merely associated with personal perception. Such
are the ways of quantum physics.
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