“So, give me a quick rundown of what you know about our recently deceased Mark Bings,” Detective Joint instructed his 27 partner as they walked through the set of imposing double wooden entrance doors of the penthouse apartment, heading for the guest lifts and ultimately the security room on the ground floor, leaving the crime scene technicians to do their job. Clearing his throat, Detective Brant replied, “I only know what I’ve read and heard from my kids,” adding ruefully, “they keep me pretty much up to date with technology these days, it’s progressing in leaps and bounds.” Detective Joint smiled thinking, ‘Lucky you, and all the problems that come with having a family.’ Stepping into the lift, Detective Brant explained as best he could, “Mark Bings is to Virtual Reality what Bill Gates was to Windows and the PC operating systems that revolutionised computing as the world has known it for the last forty years or so.” Carrying on as the lift descended he explained to his partner, “Mark Bings was one of the leading pioneers in developing the world of Virtual Reality, where a computer user no longer has to sit at a PC and work or surf the Internet. Along with designing and writing the code for the world of Virtual Reality, he also developed the wireless Virtual Reality glasses, and the stainless-steel wristband that is a wireless nanocomputer that links you to the VR glasses and the world of Virtual Reality.” Stopping and taking a deep breath he continued to explain, “Now, you can sit at your desk and enter the world of VR and work, have meetings, meet friends, watch a movie, buy clothes, go on holiday to an exotic place, do your monthly shopping, browse through shops, the scope is endless. He apparently made an absolute fortune out of his designs. Whatever you do in the real world you can basically do in the Virtual World. All clothes and whatever tangible items you buy in the Virtual world are delivered to you by couriers in the real world.” Looking at Detective Joint he saw that he was listening intently, so he carried on. “No more sitting at your computer and looking at a website and adding the items with your mouse to your shopping cart. Now you can try on the clothes in VR or play the game you want to buy in VR and see if you really want it, or even check out a holiday!” Detective Brant finished explaining excitedly as the lift reached the ground floor. “Wow,” Detective Joint replied with a small nervous laugh, “I had no idea that technology was so 28 far advanced.” Dropping his voice, a couple of octaves Detective Brant said, “You can even get laid in Virtual Reality, I’m told it’s quite a mind fuck,” and he laughed at his own joke.
Today we talk about Dreamland, a book by Matthew Carbutt published with our publishing house Europe Books.
Europe Books had the pleasure of interviewing the author Matthew Carbutt to get to know him better and when he found the idea to write his book Dreamland.
Below you can find our interview. Take a seat and enjoy your reading!!!
- Was the idea for this book born at a particular moment?
Yes, you could say so. I had this idea for a book bouncing around in my mind for a while and I wasn’t too sure how to make it work. It was like a large thousand-piece jigsaw puzzle, but the pieces wouldn’t fit. It was while I was watching a series on Netfliks called Altered Carbon; a movie set a thousand years or so in the future where virtual reality and reality interact on a one-on-one level that it all fell into place and I sat down and started writing DREAMLAND.
- What would you like to hear from your readers?
When is the next book arriving and where can I buy it? No seriously, I’d like to hear that my writing was able to transport my readers away from the day-to-day hassles and stresses of modern life; if for only five minutes at a time, and they are able to slip into DREAMLAND. When I was younger, I was able to engross myself in a book to the point where I switched off the rest of the world, it was just me and the story.
- Have you always had a passion for writing?
It looks that way. My mother reminds me all the time that I used to write decent essays when I was a kid at school. I remember in my early twenties I sat down and started to write a book about my experiences in Angola in the 80’s but at that time of my life I wasn’t dedicated enough and the project fell along the wayside. It wasn’t until a couple of years ago that I felt the urge to start getting serious about writing again. I actually have my wife to thank for lighting the flame.
- How did it feel to see your first book published?
Nervous. I suppose it’s the same way that an actor feels on opening night of a stage play. How are the crowd going to react? In my case, I’m not sure how the book is going to be entertained by the general public. Will anybody buy it? Every writer has dreams of becoming a Number One bestselling author and selling thousands of copies. If I only sell one copy and the reader likes it then I can pat myself on the back and say, “Job well done.”
- Are you planning to write more books?
Yes. Definitely. It’s become a way of life. If I don’t write for at least one hour a day I feel guilty. I’ve actually completed my second novel called DECEPTION which I am currently trying to find a home for. But you know, writing the novel is the easy part, and its only half the job. Finding either a publishing house or agent who wants to work with you is second part. It’s the hardest part, it takes a whole lot of time, energy and tons and tons of rejection. My entire adult career has been in sales, and I thought I knew what rejection was! This is rejection on an entirely new level!
Europe Books thanks the author Matthew Carbutt once again for taking the time and answering our questions. We are really pleased to have walked alongside him on the editorial path that led to the publication of his book Dreamland. We wish him the best of luck for this novel and for his future works.
To you, my dear reader, I wish that this book will caught you up to the point of forgetting the rest of the world and be one with you reading!
So, my dear reader, all I have to say is to enjoy your time!
Your editor!