IMES dramatizes the “evil” within and how it wins sometimes

IMES dramatizes the “evil” within and how it wins sometimes

Publisher’s Note

We interviewed Terrence Hart about IMES, his new dystopian novel that dives deep into the battle between good and evil and how evil not always needs to the personified as a villain to succeed.

Terrence Hart is a writer, a musician, a yachtsman, an adventurer. With over a decades experience in audio production and composition, and regular contributions to Furst Media’s online and press publications, Terry offers a uniquely aberrant voice in this, his debut work.

Terry studied Science at Melbourne University in Australia and is a keen enthusiast in modern physics and medicine. He lives and works out of his home in Melbourne Australia, and in his downtime, enjoys exploring Earth with his partner Laura, and their pup Dallas.

OBXPG: What is the theme of IMES? Is it a harbinger to things to come?

TERRY: A recurring theme throughout literature has been the age old battle between Good and Evil, and in this respect, Imes is no different. However, the intention behind writing Imes was to suggest that ‘Evil’ is not necessarily something that needs to be personified.

We all love to hate a villain, whether it be a fictional character, or someone that the media has singled out; but the reality is that these individuals never believe that they are in the wrong, and can therefore not be considered ‘Evil.’ So at the risk of sounding ‘Lovecraftian,’ the concept behind Imes is that the only ‘Evil’ that exists is that which we create.

Whether or not this is a “harbinger” as you say; I guess only time will tell.

OBXPG: What do you hope to accomplish with IMES?

TERRY: I wrote this book to try and dispel the idea that anyone is ever truly evil; even though history isn’t on my side.

We all have our own demons, and we all do the best we can with what we’re given, and although it may be convenient to label someone a villain if they don’t have our best interests at heart, it is hardly constructive.

I believe there is far more wisdom in trying to comprehend ones motives, than there is in name-calling.

OBXPG: What is the goal/purpose of the story? Why did you write IMES?

TERRY: IMES is a fanciful look at a world descending into chaos, and by no means a political ideology. But it does push the clear narrative that political upheaval, and rejuvenation, is not only necessary, but inevitable.

I believe that a lot of our planet’s population feel helpless, and insignificant, and although they would like to change the world, they don’t feel that it’s a realistic objective.

My greatest aspiration in writing Imes, is that I might encourage the idea that you should always stand up for what you believe in, and that looking beyond yourself and considering humanity as a whole is something to be admired. Might it inspire some heated debates at dinner tables? I sure hope so.

OBXPG: How did you come up with storyline(s)?

TERRY In many ways the storyline for Imes was reverse engineered. I had the protagonist, and I had his arc, but his journey had me stumped for quite a while. I didn’t want to tell his story, I wanted to tell the story of those who met him, and also not ruin the suspense by giving away the details.

In the end I decided that third person accounts of the protagonists journey was the only way to keep an air of mystery. Because Imes isn’t really supposed to be a character, but the version of ourselves that is entirely unencumbered by fear.

OBXPG: What inspired you to write IMES? It is related to current or past events?

TERRY: The inspiration for Imes came a long time ago, from an epiphany I had as a child. Like any other child, I enjoyed the odd superhero movie, and even though I adored the hero, I would always find myself sympathizing with the arch-villain.

It seemed to me that the villain would always have a reasonable explanation for their actions, and were always fighting for something they believed in, and in contrast, the hero was simply fighting because that’s what a hero does. It was a simple distinction, but it really affected me as a child when I realized that Lex Luthor was this passionate, hyper-intelligent modernist; and by contrast, superman was little more than a brute.

Of course in the real world, there are no superheros; there are however villains. IMES is the realization of an archetypal arch-villain, who in the absence of a hero, is able to see his plan to fruition.

Interested in reading an advanced reader copy of IMES and writing a review?
Send us an email to info@outerbankspublishing.com to request a copy.