Nothing Happens All the Time

Edmund Mahon is a writer who is currently working law enforcement. He lives in Utah, USA. He recently published a book titled Nothing Happens All the Time. We have conducted an interview with him.

What did you learn while writing this book about the future? Why did you choose such a setting?

The thing I learned while writing this book about the future is that I am not Nostradamus. Which is why I didn’t bother to invest heavily, or even lightly, into purchasing scrying or soothsaying tools to write this book. I chose the future for the story because, right now, it’s not something that’s entirely set. The choices to be made or, that are being made, to bring about the events portrayed in the book into reality are always a possibility because everything is interconnected. Take a look at the current events of our times and one can easily see that the futuristic events contained within the book could easily be played out prior to the setting of the book. The world is the vehicle for all of the positive and negative actions being acted upon by those of us who inhabit this small blue planet amidst the swirling cosmic sea of energetic physical reality. It’s our finite approach to existence, something which we currently view and have always tended to view from our self-centered presence until we’re afforded the opportunity to accept or reject a new way of looking at our moment of being when it’s subsequently presented to us. Despite the fact that some people to this day believe the world is still flat, if you haven’t Googled this yet to read for yourself, the so-called scholars in the Dark Ages had us believing the world was most definitely flat and that the whole solar system revolved around the Earth. It wasn’t until the likes of Galileo and Magellan that we soon learned that the Earth wasn’t the center of the solar system and the world most definitely round. Lucky, or unlucky for Magellan, he died before the fleet returned home to report what’d been done. Whereas Galileo, was made to recant his works due to “vehement suspicion of heresy” thanks to the ruling bodies within the ecclesiastical dogma of his time. Talk about giving a dogma a bone…

Which are the unsolvable mysteries that intrigue you the most?

There are numerous unsolvable mysteries which intrigue me. Forgive me for talking about this Dr. Seuss, but let me point to Schrodinger’s Cat, which has a plethora of said unsolvable mysteries associated to it. Whether the cat is alive or dead is beside the point, it’s whether there was actually a cat inside the box to begin with. Until the box is opened will one truly know whether the cat was actually inside the box and, at that time, would one be able to view whether it’s either alive or dead after being subjected to poison? I suppose it would go without saying that unless one were to actually see the cat being placed inside the box, how would it be known until the box is eventually opened that the cat even existed in the first place especially if one never observed the cat being placed inside? Mind you, we’re also going off of the assumption that the cat will even be affected by the poison to provide the premise that, until the box is opened, that the cat is going to either be alive or dead in the box until it’s proven. Let’s not forget that the radioactive source which is supposed to induce the release of the poison is an event which is unknown to specifically occur. This paradox has so many “what if” scenarios, it makes the thought experiment look like a teenager who’s overly concerned about their popularity with their fellow classmates in school. In retrospect, the truth is it doesn’t matter whether the cat’s alive or dead. It only matters on whether the person going to open the box truly existed in the first place. Reality or imagination. Perception or incomprehension. Cognition or unaware. I think, therefore I thought these things are true… I think…

How do you craft multidimensional characters for your story?

I don’t per say; character creation is a homogenous, as the story unfolds the characters grow based on the decisions they make. The events that take these characters to those points at which time they’re to make those decisions was a fluid process, at least for me. The story being a dynamic process while it was being written presented the opportunities for the myriad of characters to make those choices. This was dependent upon the moral fiber of the character, no pun intended. When I wrote the story I did flesh out their personalities and attributes. I also had the endgame for the book, but the writing between the first and last chapter was based off of a loosely framed, skeletal outline that was carried over to the end through sheer determination, a potentially overactive imagination, and the ability to consume a lot of caffination in the form of a true nectar of the Gods… Coffee!

When do you normally use cop humor? Why is it necessary for swear words to be added?

The use of cop humor is more or less along the lines of a dealing with potentially bad or unfortunate circumstances, typically brought on by the decisions made off of the emotions by people who are unable to think logically through the situation and how their decisions are going to affect anyone and everyone who has to later deal with the given event. The reason the humor is used is to lessen the impact of dealing with a negative situation, to stay aloof and detached from the given incident, and to refrain from allowing the event to become personal when possible. Swear words are not entirely necessary, but depending upon the moment, they can be used to emphasize the moment. Let me put it another way… No, Swearing isn’t necessary, but neither is wearing red socks. For this story, swearing does provide the characters more depth and makes them seem more realistic in relation to their other idiosyncrasies. Yes, swearing is indicative to the police work environment.

What are the top 3 reasons "The Perpetual Manifested States of Being" series is recommended?

Reason One: Because the story being told is pretty damn good, if you ask me, which you did. I enjoyed writing it and look forward to those readers willing to immerse themselves within the pages to the unfolding story being told. The series touches base with so many different genres; mystery, detective, thriller, suspense, science fiction, metaphysical, quantum physics, and so on that it would be hard pressed not to delight, given its unpredictable nature.

Reason Two: The concepts being presented are being provided as an alternative to the problems associated with in the current societal mindset. Something that has been around for far too many centuries and is now in need of a drastic overhaul. Given how technology is in this day and age, the controlling mechanisms within our society are desperately trying to cling onto everything and not allow us to make any decisions. All the while, presenting us with the illusion that we are making the decisions.

Reason Three: It would encourage me to write the additional books and finish the series. Seriously though, I’ll finish the series anyway and, with each following book added, it would continue to present other concepts, ideas, and perceived truths in a way to look at life and our existence in it from a new and/or different perspective for those readers willing to consider the possibilities. Also, to remind everyone to think for yourself.