Official Interview: Richard Rees

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Official Interview: Richard Rees

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Today's Chat with Sarah features Richard Rees author of The Illuminati Conspiracy.

Official Review

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1. When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?

From childhood. Books were always included in my birthday and Christmas presents. My favorites were annuals of Just William, short stories about a boy of 12 who couldn't keep out of mischief, no matter how well-intentioned his motives were in trying to help people in some kind of trouble, but succeeding only in making matters worse. Even at that young age, I was amazed as to how author Richmal Crompton could think of so many scrapes for William to get into, and nearly always get out of them unscathed. My younger brother by four years was also weaned on "William" books. He and I shared the same bed in our early childhoods, and in the darkness of the bedroom, he would ask me to make up "William" stories to tell him before he fell asleep. I later made-up stories every night for my precious little daughter when tucking her into bed - she sadly died from ovarian cancer when she was 30; my factual book Dear Abigail is about her - so story-telling has always been a part of me, I guess. I started my ambition to be a writer at 18 by submitting twist-ending short stories to a London evening newspaper and having them published - with their fiction journalist considerately returning my emended tales to me, from which I learned much when I later started writing novels.

2. What do you think are the elements of a good story?

The essential one is to first have a strong, hopefully gripping, MAIN PLOT. Just like building a house or any edifice, where The Plan is THE ESSENTIAL for the extended shapes, and sizes, of the inner rooms to take form. It’s the same with a story, the formats, the intricacies, sometimes simple, sometimes complex, of sub-plots, and how these dove-tail into, and affect, the main plot. Except it doesn’t end there. It always necessitates another element to devise and create a good story. RESEARCH. RESEARCH. RESEARCH. In a complex plot, it can be exhaustive, where you pray for luck to find what you’re looking for, and almost jump for joy when you do. In a less complex plot, it’s not so exhaustive. But it’s a necessary element, nonetheless.

But, to re-emphasize, get the Main Plot right first, whichever way it comes to you, either almost and immediately complete in one's head, or on paper ... or by developing it stage by stage, often heading off down a lane that at first seems to be appealing, but then around a corner it's apparent it's leading nowhere, and rather than waste time pursuing it, it's best to return to the main road … and continue down it … until you find a more promising looking lane which you find has an unexpected U-turn back to your main direction: the MAIN PLOT.

3. Let's discuss your book The Illuminati Conspiracy. How did you come up with the idea for it?

Following on from the previous question, I was reading a historical book about Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte and how he came to power, his obsession to rule all of Europe, including Britain, but the one block to his plan was how to get his conquering armies across the English Channel, when at that time in the early 1800s, the English Navy (quote) "ruled the waves", and the English Admiral whose battle tactics he would have to overcome was Lord Horatio Nelson, who had always beaten Napoleon's French Fleet(s) in previous naval battles. Having said this, the historical fact is that both fleets did engage in battle at Trafalgar, during which Nelson was killed (again quoting - from the post-mortem report on him) "by a musket ball supposed to be fired from the mizen-top of the Redoubtable, French ship-of-the-line ..."

Which leads me to another element in creating plots, which I've not yet mentioned.

The WHAT IF factor.

A great example of this is the film, Sliding Doors, which alternates between 2 storylines. One in which a young woman catches her usual train to get home to her live-in boyfriend who is always waiting to eagerly greet her. The other uses the “What If” premise of her catching an earlier train and finding him in bed with another woman. It’s a theme that has been used in many films, including, Malcolm in the Middle, Mad About, and even in one episode of Frasier.

But applying the “What If” factor to Napoleon; after the execution of Robespierre, leader of the Jacobins National Convention, and the end of France’s “Reign of Terror”, the country, now known as The First French Republic, was ruled by a 5-man Directory. Napoleon conceived what he thought would be a coup to have himself appointed by them as The First Consul of France. So, I thought, “What If” if three of The Directory, were secret Illuminati who, knowing him to be a brilliant Commander with a lust to conquer all of Europe, and also America, then the whole world … what if they deliberately chose him to be First Consul and after he’d achieved his aim he could be assassinated and the Illuminati would then gain world control.

Having made this my Main Plot, it only needed sub-plots, a hero, a love story, and a body of rebels planted in England to bring havoc for any resistance to Napoleon’s invasion to cave in at the right time, and the skeleton on which to flesh out The Illuminati Conspiracy was in place to be written, with Nelson and the Battle of Trafalgar still having the final word in line with history, yet seizing on the word “supposed” in his post-mortem report by asking WHAT IF the fatal bullet came from an Illuminati assassin planted on board the Victory itself, rather than fired from the French ship, Redoubtable?

4. Some say your Illuminati was plagiarized from Dan Brown's books. How do you reply to this?

That the “some” who say this should check first. The Illuminati Conspiracy was first published before Angels and Demons, so I couldn’t have plagiarized from it. And in case the same claim is ever made regarding The Reikel Conspiracy (originally entitled The Shadow of the Mary Celeste) and Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code, then again Reikel was published before Da Vinci, and any resemblance between my albino, Jesuit priest Opus Dei killer in Reikel, and Dan Brown’s albino, Jesuit priest Opus Dei killer in Da Vinci, must be coincidental. However, making Reikel’s priest an albino did come from reading Daphne du Maurier’s Jamaica Inn. In it a Church of England vicar, Francis Davidge, is the leader of a gang of cut-throats who, during storms out at sea, lit beacons on the shore to guide ships to what they’d think was to safety, only for them to be wrecked on rocks and the crews murdered for the cargoes. du Maurier created Davidge an albino, and when I saw the film, his white hair added extra evil to me, accentuating his vicious smile as he relished slitting the throats of his victims. Consequently, my Jesuit priest killer in Reikel, was destined to be an albino before I even started to write the book. I have NO idea what made Dan Brown think of Silas as one.

5. The reviewer mentions a prejudice theme in the book. Was this important to you to address?

Again, the facts should have been checked first. There is NO “theme” of prejudice in the book. Its revolutionary character, Colonel Despard, was Irish in real life, as were his subordinates, and there was no way I could escape that fact. As for “The English Navy ruling the waves” in the 1800s, this was universally said and acknowledged at that time. I’m merely quoting this.

6. What was the hardest part of the book for you to write?

ALL of it. And ensuring it all came together as believable fact.

7. Another reviewer mentions the twisting plot and intense moments. How did you combine historical accuracy with enough action to keep readers involved?

In one word: IMAGINATION … based on truth.

8. What's your next project?

A book of short stories entitled Twenty Tales With Twisted Tails, which I’ve completed and am now going through the editing and proofreading process.

I like to end with fun questions.

9. What is your schedule like when you’re writing a book?


Breakfast first. Be at my notes or laptop by 8 in the morning. Have a lunch break. Work until 6 in the evening when, living alone, I either go out for dinner or microwave one. But if I wake up feeling too tired to write, I take a day off, relaxing at home. Or, if it’s a lovely day, in a garden lounger enjoying my view from the Snowdonia mountains and along the River Conwy to its estuary, then across the bay to the Isle of Anglesey, once the realm of the ruling Celtic Bards.

10. Have you ever killed off a character your readers loved?

If a character is lovable, why kill them off; let them live (if only in fiction). The most I do is to place them in peril, often for their lives … for someone, preferably the hero, to rescue.

11. Other than writing, what are you passionate about?

My family was my passion - my wife, my son, my daughter. Now, with my wife having died young from ovarian cancer, and my precious daughter even younger from the same disease, I have pleasure in my son’s and his family’s company. I also love paintings, especially the ones I have in my home. My younger brother is an exhibited artist and I have three of his. I did for a while play golf, but soon tired of it, yet remained a Lee Trevino fan. And admiring how he rose from poverty to worldwide greatness.

12. Who is your hero?

Hero implies a man. May I also include heroines? If so …

In addition to Lee Trevino, my hero is Ernest Shackleton, the explorer. To mention just one of his exploits, when he set out to cross Antarctica, his ship Endurance got trapped in ice and was being crushed. He saved his crew by leading them 720 miles in lifeboats across a stormy ocean to South Georgia Island. It was said of him: “Scott for scientific method, Amundsen for speed and efficiency, but when disaster strikes and all hope is gone, get down on your knees and pray for Shackleton.”

I have two women heroines, both volunteered as agents for the SOE, parachuted behind German lines during World War 11, to relay information to London. One was Violette Szabo, the other was Odette Sansom. They were eventually captured by the Nazis, tortured by the Gestapo, neither gave anything away and were sent to Ravensbruck Concentration Camp to be executed. Szabo was shot, aged just 23, in the back of the head. Odette was saved by an advancing Allied army unit. I’m in awe of their bravery, both so very young.
A book is a dream you hold in your hands.
—Neil Gaiman
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