Transcript of the BBC Radio Nottingham Interview between DJ Verity Cowley and Ian C Douglas.
Tuesday, 15th Sept 26 at 12.20pm
Verity: Now it is 20 past 12 and you’re about to meet an author. And it’s an author who specialises in a particular kind of book because after a summer of heatwaves and unsettled weather, there’s been a lot more talk about climate change and its impact. You’re about to hear from an award-winning author from Nottingham. He’s keen to put the spotlight on the issue through storytelling. In fact, he’s written a new children’s book, which looks at the near future where worldwide flooding transforms the East Midlands into tropical islands.
Let’s hear now from Ian Douglas. A very good afternoon to you, Ian. Thank you for being here. So, you need to talk me through this, about why you’ve decided to write this novel.
Ian: Well, like any science fiction writer, I look to the future and as somebody that has children and grandchildren, I’m particularly more concerned with their future than my own. And for a long time, since the 80s really, I’ve been very disturbed by the reckless pollution of our environment, which is leading towards man-made global warming, which is going to cause our children and our grandchildren, I believe, tremendous challenges and heartache.
Verity: So, this is where the book came from. This was the idea behind the book. I’m assuming, you know, just the thought of that feels slightly terrifying. Now, is the book terrifying in itself? Is this something that you want children to be worried about?
Ian: I would say it’s thrilling. I hope it’s thrilling. I hope it’s exciting. And, it’s not a polemic. That’s the world they live in. But, you know, they have their own stories. The characters have their own stories. We have some teenage mutants who are being bred to see if they can adapt to these changing environmental factors. And we have regular kids who get mixed up with them and they all have an adventure, an escape, and they have to fight the bad guys. So, I wouldn’t say it was horrifying or terrifying, but I do hope it’s thrilling. And I do hope people will be on the edge of their seat.
Verity: Yeah, yeah, yeah. That’s the aim of it then. It’s not necessarily to scare, but to kind of open eyes and this idea of the East Midlands transformed into tropical islands. Have you drawn much on the area?
Ian: Yeah, absolutely. We’ve got Nottingham underwater. We’ve got the Ravenshead Clinic. It might be a clue there, somewhere not too far away. We’ve got Manchester Island. The Humber Estuary has turned into a sea. Meanwhile, down south, I’m afraid, very sad, we lost London overnight, which created a power vacuum, which let the bad guys take control of what’s left of the country. It’s very much set in the East Midlands and the wider England and the North.
Verity: Is it a chapter book?
Ian: It’s in chapters. It’s aimed a middle grade. Roundly nine to 13 is the reading age.
Verity: So, you throw yourself into this world of the book when you’re writing it?
Ian: Absolutely. I live it and breathe it. I was having dreams about it last night. Not bad ones. And yeah, world building is something I do a lot as a science fiction writer. I run workshops, for world building. It’s very much what I do. And I’ve been doing it for a few years now. So, it’s second nature. I’ve got loads of notes about what it’s like in Nottingham and a bit further north and so on.
Verity: And what is this moment like then? Because the book, I should say, is called The Ravenshead Terrors. So clearly set in Nottinghamshire with Ravenshead in the heart of the title there. But this moment before it’s published, for you as an author, are you excited? Are you worried? What’s the kind of the emotions like at this stage?
Ian: All of that. You know, there’s a lot of work. I mean, writing the book is just step one. Then you’ve got to support the book. I’m very lucky that I’ve got great publishers who believe in me and they publish my books. But naturally, I have to do a lot of promoting too. Like a lot of authors, I’m actually quite a shy person. I don’t find it easy pushing myself forward. So yeah, nervousness, a little bit of dread, but also excitement and hoping that people enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Verity: Well, thank you for joining us. I hope it never happens. But it’s lovely to speak to you anyway, Ian. Thank you very much for that. Ian Douglas there, who is an author, has written the book, it’s called The Ravenshead Terrors, as he was telling you all about it. It’s a children’s book. It looks at the near future where worldwide flooding transforms the East Midlands into tropical islands. You heard about some mutant teenagers there as well. And it’s all due to be published, released this Friday. It is 25 minutes past 12. It’s BBC Radio Nottingham. Let’s have some music now from the O’Jays…
