Today’s special guest author is Dexter C Channing. We’re chatting about their new ‘faction’, New Normal: Resistance.
During the virtual book tour, Dexter will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit the other tour stops and enter there, too!
Bio:
Dexter C Channing is something of a mystery to the literary world – and indeed, the team at Just Jane Publishing has never actually met this author, having been introduced through another writer during the Covid-19 Lockdown.
The elusive author prefers to remain an enigma to everyone, simply stating a love of city life as opposed to the country because “it’s easier to disappear in a big city where nobody knows your real self”. That real self is “single, not available” and prefers being alone to the “ruinous pathway of a love affair”.
Fact, fantasy, and science all combine in this author’s often dark writing style, which takes you through conspiracy theories to conclusions you’d rather not reach in the real world. Or maybe, as Dexter says, you’re already there.
Is Dexter C Channing an American? There’s a possibility, but then anything is possible, if you believe what goes on in Channing’s imagination, often taking us to places we’d rather not go. It’s clear at some point that Channing did live in America, and still has some links to Miami and Deerfield Beach.
More of late, Channing has been residing in England and has actually allowed the team at Just Jane Publishing access to a list of favourite places which include Chesterfield in Derbyshire, Liverpool, and a surprising one, given the penchant for city living – a tiny village called Kettlewell, in Yorkshire.
What does a mysterious author who nobody really knows do when they’re not writing? Channing watches. Things. Events. People. Then they get written about. Is Channing a one trick pony? Far from it. There are links with law, property, and a love of music, which is always in the background when Channing is writing.
Virus was the first of Dexter C Channing’s world-changing trilogy of novellas. Resistance is the second in the series, and the final, concluding book, Resurrection will be published by Just Jane Publishing around Easter, 2021.
#IsitAVirus?
Please share a little bit about your current release.
Resistance is the second book in my New Normal Trilogy – Virus being the first. That’s kind of self- explanatory, but Resistance continues the story of a global pandemic and all the things that could happen and how we would need to fight it because, we all know it isn’t a virus, don’t we?
What inspired you to write this book?
The book is a work of Faction. I watched the ‘facts’ on newsreel, on social media, in the newspapers and I knew that there was more to it than mainstream media is telling us. That prompted me to do some digging and then, I added my own brand of fiction and fantasy, which, given current world events, isn’t so far from the truth.
For instance – here’s a little excerpt for you –
Across the Atlantic, early evening sunlight bathed the White House in an auroral light, shimmering in the gentle breeze which sighed across the velvet green lawns. Inside the Oval Office, nobody cared for the view, despite how peaceful and ordinary it looked.
The President was wearing his most mulish look as the Secretary of State and the Defence Secretary reeled from his latest revelation. For a moment, only the distant wail of sirens could be heard in the thick silence which surrounded them following the President’s declaration. The sound mingled with the groan of despair from the Defence Secretary, an involuntary reaction to what he had just listened to.
‘Mr President, Sir,’ the Defence Secretary looked at the other man and felt like smashing his fist into the supercilious expression he found staring back at him. Did the President not understand what was happening and how there was a need for unity, not discord within global relationships? Obviously, he did not! ‘Could I ask you if Professor Benjamin did this without coercion?’
Spreading his arms out in a gesture that indicated he did not know or understand, the President replied, ‘All I know is that I have been told of a call made to Beyler School of Medicine from Professor Benjamin’s office. Who instructed him to make the call, I don’t know, but I do know that if there is a second spike, another “mutation”, then Watpharm had better understand it will need Gileath to bail it out of its fucking mess, pissing about with some bloody college students and those yellow skinned freaks!’
‘This has been done as retaliation because what, Watpharm didn’t want to set up shop with an American Company? Jesus fucking Christ!’ The Defence Secretary’s fist came down on the desk, making the other two men jump. ‘We’re in the middle of a fucking world changing crisis, Mr President, Sir! We have the threat of extinction and we have got non-humans running amok on the fucking planet and some idiot professor wants some more business for his company?’
‘This administration gives Gileath a hell of a lot of dollars,’ the President glared at his Defence Secretary, ‘and I don’t want those dollars wasted! Working with Watpharm might also go some way to restoring America’s credibility on the world stage.’
‘I think what the Defence Secretary is trying to say, Mr President, is that if there is a second spike or another mutation of this current outbreak, then the world stage may not have much of an audience left to play to, Sir.’ The Secretary of State intervened.
The President threw his papers down onto his desk and stormed out of the office wearing a truculent expression.
The Secretary of State shook his head. ‘Sometimes, the thought crosses my mind that a couple of cups of disinfectant or bleach wouldn’t go amiss.’
They were both thinking of a disastrous video link press conference which had been held towards the end of April. It had been beamed around the globe, one of the few broadcasts that were made that day and America still hadn’t recovered from the backlash. Both men looked to the door, which the President had just slammed.
‘How much is a bottle of Clorax these days?’ Asked the Defence Secretary and they both burst out laughing, amazed that they still could.
What exciting story are you working on next?
I work on current events, topical headlines, let’s say I’m amused currently by the emission ‘crisis’.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
When I realised that behind every headline, every announcement, there’s a story and someone has to tell it.
Do you write full-time? If so, what’s your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I don’t write full time. I can’t really tell you much about my work day because that would kind of give the game away and I’m not sure my employers would like that too much! Let’s just say that I work close enough to certain circles to be able to find out things. How do I find time to write? I’m lucky, my job doesn’t involve a nine to five, Monday to Friday routine, so I write as and when I need to put pen to paper.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
If I told you I write with a quill pen and inkwell? Seriously, do I have a writing quirk? Oh, wait, yes, I do. I write in the dark. I find daylight too distracting.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Funnily enough, as a child I always wanted to be a grown up. I think most kids do, don’t they? They see being grown up as having an immense amount of personal freedom. Only It doesn’t really work out that way at all. And I wanted to be a spy, but perhaps I shouldn’t have told you that.
Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Question Everything!
Thank you for being a guest on my blog!
Thank you for inviting me. It’s been a pleasure.
Links:
Amazon UK | Amazon US | Publisher | Twitter | Facebook | Blog
Thanks for hosting!
Sounds like a great book to read. Thanks for sharing and for the giveaway.
Dexter C. Channing is a new author to me, but I look forward to reading this. I always love meeting new authors. Thanks to this blog for the introduction.
Sounds like a good book.
This sounds like a great read.
This sounds like a very good book.
The book sounds very intriguing. Thanks!
Sound like an interesting read!