Today we talk about Socially Engineered, a book by Clinton Kay published with our publishing house Europe Books.
Europe Books had the pleasure of interviewing the author Clinton Kay to get to know him better, what prompted him to the writing of his book Socially Engineered, as well as the resemblances he sees with the protagonist of his story.
Below you can find our interview. Take a seat and enjoy your reading!!!
- What prompted to the writing of your book?
Socially Engineered grew out of my experience as a migrant and from watching how migration is discussed and politicised in public life. I have lived in Cyprus, Singapore and now Australia, and although I am an Australian citizen, I still understand what it means to arrive somewhere from elsewhere. Over time, I became increasingly aware of the unequal way migrants are treated depending on background, religion or perceived value. I was also struck by the way populist politics and parts of the media can exploit fear and division for advantage. That idea, that people can be nudged, shaped and manipulated into resentment, became the starting point for the novel.
- What of your personal life experiences did you write in your book?
Although Socially Engineered is fiction, it draws on experiences and observations from my own life. As a migrant, I have seen both acceptance and exclusion, and I understand how identity can be defined by others before you have a chance to define it yourself. The novel also reflects something I have observed in affluent Western societies: a constant focus on what people feel they lack. Many are encouraged to chase more while overlooking what they already have. In contrast, those seeking refuge often arrive with almost nothing, carrying loss, trauma and uncertainty. That contrast, between relative comfort and profound displacement, sits at the emotional centre of the book.
- What resemblances do you see with the protagonist of your story?
I do not see myself in James in a literal sense, but I do understand the world he inhabits. I have met people like him: outwardly ordinary, capable and respectable, yet carrying a quiet dissatisfaction and a sense that something has been taken from them. James represents a form of modern alienation that I think is increasingly common. What interested me was not judging him from a distance, but understanding how someone apparently stable can be drawn into grievance, resentment and radicalisation. The resemblance, if there is one, is that I recognise the social environment he comes from and the pressures that can shape a person in ways they may not fully understand.
- How would you describe your Writing style?
My writing is character-driven, observational and socially conscious. I am interested in the details of ordinary lives and in the larger political and cultural pressures acting on them. In Socially Engineered, I wanted the writing to feel grounded and realistic, but also emotionally layered, so the reader experiences both the events and the inner lives of the characters. I aim to write with empathy and tension, while leaving room for ambiguity and complexity. Rather than offering easy answers, I want the novel to ask difficult questions about fear, identity, privilege and belonging.
- Are you working on a new writing project you can tell us about?
Yes. I have completed a novel titled Whistleblower, which has been entered into the Libraro Literary Competition. It is a slow-burn contemporary thriller set in the world of insurance and financial corruption, following an ordinary man who uncovers something far larger and more dangerous than he first realises. I have also completed The Pig Butcherer, which I am currently editing. That novel explores deception, manipulation and emotional exploitation through the world of online scam culture. In addition, I am halfway through Trap Door, a connected novel that continues to explore power, corruption and the vulnerability of ordinary people caught in systems they do not fully understand.
Europe Books thanks the author Clinton Kay once again for taking the time and answering our questions. We are really pleased to have walked alongside him on the editorial path that led to the publication of his book Socially Engineered. We wish him the best of luck for his book and for his future works.
To you, my dear reader, may this book provide you with food for thought about your daily lives, and hopefully provide you with some inspiration and encouragement regarding something that isn’t currently feeling right and needs to be revitalized..
So, my dear reader, all I have to say is to enjoy your reading!
Your Editor!