Vegan Book Club discussion
September 2021
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The Panopticon Experiment: ch. 1-33
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message 1:
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Tessa, Founder + Curator
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Sep 14, 2021 05:33AM
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Well, I must admit to feeling a little gutted/disappointed. I had hoped for some sort of feedback from someone. As this is the first novel I have ever written and have already started on a sequel, it would be useful for me to hear comments. Writing it was a massive learning curve and I still have a way to go, so constructive criticism is important (if not always welcome ;) ). Thank you.
Rachel wrote: "Well, I must admit to feeling a little gutted/disappointed. I had hoped for some sort of feedback from someone. As this is the first novel I have ever written and have already started on a sequel, ..."this is your first novel? that's so impressive! i just started it yesterday so i'm still just dipping my toes in it, but i really enjoy it so far!
what inspired you to write it, if you don't mind me asking?
Thank you! You've made my day. Funnily enough, it was watching our six cats interact. Their personalities are so different. One, in particular, manages to express his desires very clearly - going to the sink when he wants to drink, the kitchen window when he wants to be let out, etc. Anyone who has ever had a pet knows there is communication between species. When I was a child I loved the Dr Dolittle books, so naturally my 'what if' question was, what if we could really talk to animals? How would that change society? I started investigating animal communicators, and then noticed more and more articles from around the world about the way attitudes towards other species are gradually changing for the better. That some were being given rights (see the Nonhuman Rights Project). Attitudes may be changing - but sadly not fast enough, but I hope my book will make people think. I didn't write it only for vegans. Preaching to the converted isn't helpful, but I wanted to write something everyone would enjoy but leave them pondering big issues. I was also bored with all the really negative dystopian visions of the future which seem to involve lots of killing. I wanted a more positive future. One in which we learn from our mistakes and rebuild the world better. (One can but hope!)I hope you continue to enjoy it. Thank you.
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Tessa wrote: "I've been so behind on my reading this month and I'm hoping to catch up this weekend, but the concept of this one is so cool! Telepathy between humans and animals is something I've weirdly thought ..."Fingers crossed you won't be disappointed. Let me know either way.
I originally wrote and published this book under a different title. It came out as The Coalition in 2015 (although I started writing in 2013 - I'm a slow writer and I was also dealing with the illness and death of my mother and brother at the time). A few years later I wanted to polish it up and rename it, and that's what you know now as The Panopticon Experiment.
The other day, another writer, and Creative Writing professor at Melbourne in Australia, was awarded a prize for her book which also had the theme of animal communication. I'm not worried as it is nothing like mine. But I must admit to being a bit sad that the idea I thought of all those years ago, has now been taken over and made famous by another writer. I'm sure it is excellent, but I haven't read it yet. I'm currently writing the sequel to the Panopticon Experiment and don't want to be influenced by her work.
The thing is, I know you are all busy, and might not particularly want to read my book, but it would be extremely helpful to me if you would give it a shot. Whatever you think of it, please let me know. Of course, if you hate it, please message me directly rather than broadcast it to the world.
Sorry for sounding needy, but I guess I'm feeling a bit sorry for myself. Thank you.
