David Barker Author Interview
PAX and the Secret Swarm
Today I have a very special post. As part of the blog tour for the third book in the Pax trilogy, I have a Q&A with David Barker himself! Read on for a bit about the book, and David's fascinating answers. Also check out my posts on the previous 2 books of the series:
Book Summary
As New London edges closer to war, Pax must decide what he is prepared to sacrifice to achieve the impossible – a united kingdom.
Pax and his friends head back to Scholastic Parliament for their third and final year, their focus shifting to their plans for the future. Meanwhile, the mayor’s renewed plans in his fight against the Countryside Alliance demand even greater sacrifices from the citizens of New London.
Stumbling upon secrets that could change the fate of New London forever, Pax finds himself at the centre of a conspiracy that threatens him, his friends, and everyone in the city. Can he bear to risk everything he holds dear for the thing he’s always wanted?
A high-stakes sci-fi thriller set in a fractured, futuristic London.
Interview
Where did you get your original inspiration for the character of Pax?
I think I came up with the idea for an isolated London and British civil war back when the Brexit vote was recent news and when Trump was threatening to build a giant wall on the border with Mexico. Then followed the idea of turning the Houses of Parliament (one of my all-time favourite buildings!) into a school. And that’s when the image of a young boy sneaking around at night with a tiny robot companion sprang to mind. Pax.
Did you have the plot for the whole trilogy set out from the start or did your characters surprise you by doing something you weren't expecting?
I had a very firm grasp of the plot to book one from the off and I knew the broad outlines of the plot for the other two books in the series. But there have certainly been some surprises along the way – including the mayor’s daughter, Megan’s role in the books and many of the sub-plots such as the Graphene Hawks. I’m being a bit vague on purpose to avoid spoilers.
It seems the environment and sustainability is a strong theme, with the vertical farms etc. Are you hoping readers will come away with a sense of wanting to help avoid this kind of future coming true?
For sure there are elements of climate change hinted at throughout the books, and even more so in my Gaia trilogy of thrillers setting during a world war for water. Of course, the whole idea of recycling old bits of tech equipment is an important part of Pax’s back story. I find it hard to write stories set in the future without incorporating these elements in them. I hope it helps readers to think about these issues without getting in the way of the story. If it manages to persuade a few people to change their habits for the better, that would be marvellous.
Please tell us about your next book or books.
I’ve just signed a two-book deal with Tiny Tree for a couple of standalone adventures. The first is a sci-fi story, based loosely on a retelling of Oliver Twist, set in a city on the Moon. It has the same dystopian feel as Pax, but with a very different setting and a very different set of problems for the hero to overcome. There will be heists and jet-pack races! The second story is a fantasy set on a planet where one half is permanently in daylight and the other is night. A young girl has to flee into darkness when her village is attacked. Guided by a strange glowing boy she has to find a mythical artefact that holds the key to rescuing her family. Think Noughts and Crosses with dragons.
And finally, what is your favourite cocktail?
I don’t drink cocktails often (sorry!) but one we’ve enjoyed recently is a Limoncello Spritz: 2 parts Limoncello, 3 parts Prosecco, 1 part soda water poured over ice. Delicious!
That Limoncello Spritz does sound delicious. And I love that Megan's character took on a life of it's own! My thanks for David for his great answers and I'm sure we're all looking forward to reading his new books when they are released. Hopefully we won't have to wait too long.
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