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| Shannon DeConinck, Author THE IDIOT MESSIAH |
Shannon DeConinck brings us a unique
paranormal story, THE IDIOT MESSIAH, described by one reviewer as “LA drug
dealers meet Hindu mysticism.” He defines paranormal as perhaps a sixth sense
that our normal senses just don’t happen to pick up--events that can't be explained by science or logic. He uses his experiences as
a world-wide traveller to drive his plot from Los Angeles to London and South
East England, then to Delhi and the Himalayan foothills.
DeConinck did not know what he planned to
write when he started his novel—he just let the story "take over." He is currently working on a new unrelated novel titled “Seven More
Interesting Ways To Die Than Cancer,” with a planned release for late 2016.
Don’t miss the excerpt from THE IDIOT MESSIAH at the end of the interview.
Q: How did you conceive of the concept for
THE IDIOT MESSIAH described by one reviewer as “LA drug dealers meet Hindu
mysticism” and another as a book that would make “a great Tarantino movie”? Was
this a story you have long wanted to tell? Did it come to you in a dream?
Shannon
DeConinck: To tell the truth, I didn’t conceive of
the concept! I started writing the story with very little idea of where it
would lead. I wrote the opening scene, and followed the thread, holding the
reins very lightly and letting it build its own momentum.
To me, the true magic of writing fiction
happens when the story takes over, and the author is almost a tool for it to be
expressed. This may sound strange, but the story becomes a living entity in its
own right. The most rewarding moments are when I don’t really know what’s going
to happen next, but the words that appear on the page surprise and delight
me. These are the moments of pure
fluidity; other times it requires more effort, and this is when some structure
is necessary, but I try to keep it as loose and open as possible.
Of course the content of the story, the
settings and characters are drawn from my own experience and from subjects that
interest me, but I must confess, when I started I had no real idea of where it
would take me. In this way writing is much like life!
Q:
Why do readers care what happens to your protagonist Carlos? Is he based on you
or anyone you know?
Shannon
DeConinck: Well, I hope that Carlos is someone who
people can identify with, that he’s real and human enough to build a
relationship with. I deliberately
introduce him as someone who is not easy to like, certainly not a ‘Good Guy’,
not evil, but a bit of an idiot.
One of the major themes of the book is his
evolution from a self-obsessed, egotistic hedonist, to a person of greater
awareness and compassion. This transformation comes about slowly through the
terrible suffering and severe beating that life serves up for him, along with
the guidance of a cosmic guardian, or seraph, who has taken a particular, and
somewhat vested, interest in him.
During the unfolding of the plot the reader
is slowly introduced to the inner workings of the protagonist: his
insecurities, his hopes and his fears, and the reasons that he has became the
person he is. “Is he based on
anyone I know?” Carlos is entirely fictional, though I must admit there could
be autobiographical elements involved!
Q
How important is the concept of villain versus hero to your story? Would you
consider your protagonist, Carlos, to be a hero? What makes an effective
villain?
Shannon
DeConinck: Carlos is very much the antihero,
especially in the first chapters, he shows no heroic attributes, to the
contrary he’s cowardly and self-serving.
The theme to which the story is set is
definitely the struggle of light and dark forces, in which Carlos has
unwittingly become a major player, and despite his own foolishness, becomes a
force for the light. The role of villain is played by a character who is
introduced as a being of light; a seraph, or cosmic guardian, who is drawn to
the dark and uses the powers with which it is endowed for destruction and the
promotion of chaos and suffering.
‘What makes an effective villain?’ I think
unpredictability in the characters of both villain and hero is important, to
step outside the usual boundaries of these stereotypes, to surprise the reader.
Q:
Reviewers describe THE IDIOT MESSIAH as a page turner. How do you create
suspense?
Shannon
DeConinck: The story picks up momentum as the
unfortunate protagonist stumbles from one appalling misfortune to the next. The
reader is sucked into the vortex of Carlos’s life, and into sharing the
experience of his tribulations, which are relieved, fortunately, by their
comically dark portrayal. It’s a
fast-paced roller coaster of a story, which keeps readers on the edge of their
seat, whilst unexpected twists in the plot and hidden motives keep their
attention.
Q: How do you create credibility for your
paranormal story? What will make
fans of the genre stop reading?
Shannon
DeConinck: A good question: how can the paranormal
be made credible? First of all, this is not a story about teenage vampires or
werewolves! By the paranormal I mean events that exist outside of normal
experience or scientific explanation. The idea is introduced early in the book
that there is a lot going on in the universe which we are not privy to, things
that our five physical senses are unequipped to pick up, or our minds
accustomed to dealing with, as one of my characters; a mysterious LA taxi
driver points out:
“What I mean is
all we got is these five senses, these lil’ old five senses, it ain’t a lot,
but it’s all we got to tell us what’s going on. Well, just suppose there’s a
whole lot going on that these five senses don’t pick up, you know when people
talk about the sixth sense, maybe that’s just a glimpse of the rest of the
world.”
So in this sense I’m happy to extrapolate
that what is known as “the paranormal” can credibly exist, if we accept that
our perception of the universe is limited, in fact would it not be egotistic and
small-minded to presume that it doesn’t?
Q:
Reviewers also say THE IDIOT MESSIAH is entertaining and that it contains “some
very thought provoking passages.” Besides writing to entertain, did you embed any key messages
for your readers to take away?
Shannon
DeConinck: I certainly didn’t set out with the
intention of conveying any message, or influencing the opinions of the reader
in any way. My primary intention as an author is to entertain, but if the story
is found to be thought provoking, I have no argument with that. There is
undeniably an esoteric aspect to the book, which has more to do with the
subjects I find interesting, rather than promoting a certain idea or
philosophy. The questions of what
we are doing here, what happens when you die, and is there any reason for it
all, have always fascinated me, and of course, we write about what we find
fascinating. The notion that I am in a position to enlighten, instruct or
somehow influence the reader is not part of my agenda as a writer of fiction,
though anyone is free to read whatever they want into it!
Q:
Did you use setting to help drive the plot of your story? How?
Shannon
DeConinck: The story starts in Los Angeles
California then continues in London and South East England, before moving on to
Delhi and the Himalayan foothills. These are all places in which I have spent
enough time to get to know, and to a point, understand. I think the ability to
describe a setting from first hand experience is important, not only physically
and geographically, but to imbibe the feeling or the ‘vibe’ of a location. This
can give much more authenticity than just having read or heard about it. There’s
nothing like personal experience to make a place, situation or character come
alive.
Q: Without “spoiling” your plot, can you
explain the title THE IDIOT MESSIAH? Does this refer to your protagonist,
Carlos?
Shannon
DeConinck: Oh yes, Carlos Delgado is every part the
Idiot Messiah. He is the unlikely and unwitting redeemer of all that we know
and value. To say any more would be giving the plot away!
Q: What’s next?
Shannon
DeConinck: I am currently working on a completely
unrelated novel called Seven More Interesting Ways To Die Than Cancer. This is
due to be released later this year.
About
Shannon DeConinck
Shannon DeConinck was born in Singapore,
quite a long time ago, grew up in Brighton, England and started travelling at
age sixteen. For the next fifteen years he lived in the USA, Australia, India
and Europe. A curious nature and a love of adventure provided the impetus to
keep seeking new environments and stimuli. During this time he worked on a
fishing trawler in Massachusetts, as a motorcycle courier in Australia and as a
surfing instructor in Spain. He also spent some years in India where amongst
other things he lived on an ashram and travelled with the holy men of the
Himalayas. In his thirties he returned to England and studied Environmental and
Third World studies, graduating with BA hons, after which he worked with an
environmental NGO in North India. Since then he has lived mostly on the
Atlantic coast of Andalucia, or on a boat somewhere. THE IDIOT MESSIAH is his
first novel, and he is currently working on his second.
About
THE IDIOT MESSIAH
Unbeknown
to Carlos, he is the subject of a wager between two Seraphim, and is in fact
the chosen one, on whose shoulders rests the fate of the human race. Carlos,
who is neither religious nor conscientious, but who has a dogmatic ability for
denial, finds himself on the run from both the law and his criminal past in an
ever more volatile world. After being shot at point-blank range and run over by
a truck, both of which he survives unscathed, he is sectioned in a mental
institution where he is subjected to a horrific trial at the hands of the
seraph Lucifractophones.
He
escapes from the institution, and crosses England on foot, eventually finding
sanctuary in Brixton with the benevolent seraph Meselophones, who is
masquerading as a Rastafarian. These experiences cause a psychological and
moral shift in Carlos, who under the guidance of the Rastafarian, begins to
question the nature of life and reality. During his stay in Brixton he is
tracked down by his former associates; a pair of vicious LA gangsters, whose
attempt to kill him backfires, but encourages him to leave for India.
In
Delhi he befriends some street children, who rescue him when he is held captive
by African drug dealers. Guided by his intuition and the covert influence of
the seraphim, he finds himself on a pilgrimage through the foothills of the
Himalayas. Staying at ashrams and
temples, travelling with holy men and mystics, this outer journey reflects an
inner process of self-discovery.
When
taken to see an old blind woman, who is a powerful oracle, he gains some
insight into the powers controlling his destiny. He is deeply humbled by her
wisdom and for the first time is able to step beyond the limits of his own arrogance
and pride, preparing him for the ultimate test.
At
Gangotri, the source of the river Ganga, Carlos is caught in the showdown
between light and dark forces, represented by the two seraphim. He is forced to
face his guilt over his teenage affair with his half sibling and her resulting
death, and unearths the truth about his relationship with his parents. Will he
be courageous enough to face his inner demons, overcome the spectre of his
past, and in doing so find redemption, not only for himself, but for all of
humanity?
EXCERPT
Throughout the evening Carlos remained silent, staring into the
fire, conscious only of his condition of ignorance in comparison to those he
traveled with: The Chosen Ones, the mala bearers, they were all here
because of their merit. They had all been prepared or undergone years of
training in spiritual or esoteric matters to earn their positions. Who was he?
A small time criminal, a self serving egotistic fool, a spiritual hitch-hiker
hoping to be shown the answers, at the best a freeloader. His sense of
inadequacy opened up within him like a dark cold cave and he sat peering into
its depths.
After some time Carlos was shaken from his bleak reverie by the
sensation of a hand on his shoulder, he looked up to see the face of the old
woman close to his, her marble white eyes staring blindly, but somehow
piercingly into his own.
‘Carlos, dear brother.’ Her voice was quiet, cracked with age but
brimming with a tenderness in total contrast with her prior aloofness.
‘You are our most honored
guest, it is you who have brought us all here together. We are all companions
on this mysterious journey, none higher nor lower than the other.’ He felt,
without doubt, the compassion the old woman held for him, the gentle presence
of her hand on his arm transmitted reassurance.
‘I see that you are far from the world you know, I sense your
confusion and your pain, we must all help each other, we must all help the
world.’
Her face was close to his, framed by a tangle of grizzled gray hair,
haggard and wizened almost to the point of grotesqueness, but luminous with a
subtle light. Looking into her blind and toothless face
and beholding such intense inner beauty, something cracked within Carlos’s
breast. He remembered his own mother, and how alone he had felt as a child, he
thought of the scathing sarcasm of his father, of the criticism, the secrets
and unspoken shame of his family life. From within the dark hole inside him
came forth a wracking sob. It was as if all the pain and shame of his life was
at last splitting him open, his body was no longer capable of containing it,
and another sob burst from deep within him. Hot tears slid down his cheeks, and
he let himself cry, he cried like a child, with no sense of shame for those
around him. His face was buried in the musty blanket and tangled hair of the
old woman, her boney arm around his shoulders, and he wept until the emptiness
and darkness within him were gone.
When eventually the storm of his grief had passed, he wiped his eyes
and blew his nose, someone pressed a cup of warm chai into his hand, and
he took a sip. He felt relieved, still in the embrace of Maha Tara, he felt, he
realized, like a happy child, perhaps for the first time, unburdened, innocent
and pure. Shyly he looked around at his companions, half afraid to see their
reactions to his outburst. But all he saw in their faces, illuminated by the
flickering fire, was love, acceptance and compassion, and all he seemed capable
of feeling was gratitude and peace.
‘Carlos brother, you have been cleansed,’ the old woman said gently,
‘peace be upon you, your soul has been purified.’
Remaining quiet for the rest of the evening, he accepted his bowl of
dhal with heartfelt gratitude and watched the other members of the party
converse in low and earnest voices. Nobody commented on his outburst of tears,
and he was treated with kindness, receiving more than his share of chapattis
and a handful of wild berries.
Unrolling his bedding and
lying down, he watched the flames flicker and the sparks dance and spiral up
into the night sky. Knowing that tomorrow was the end of their journey, and
having no idea what to expect, he felt strangely unconcerned, the simplicity of
the moment was enough, let tomorrow bring what it may. Shiv came over to where he
lay, and produced a lump of jaggari: raw cane sugar, from a grubby
cloth, and divided it between them. Not a word was spoken, but there was an
easy and tangible companionship as he smiled his thanks. It dawned upon him
that he now understood what it was to go on a pilgrimage, it was not the final
destination, but the journey that counted. Inside, he felt empty, but not as if
anything was missing, he felt empty but full of peace, somehow it was true; he
had been purified. Carlos drifted into sleep to the gentle and mysterious sound
of the chanting sadhus, the stars brilliant above, and the glow of the
embers reflected in the faces of his companions. Perhaps for the first time, he
felt unconditionally accepted for who he was, by those around him, and by himself.
Links
Amazon (Kindle and book)
Twitter @shannondeconin1
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