The Big Sugar Election

"It looks like it's official. I think the Chief's finished." In the near future, within the changing face of North Queensland, new cities have been formed. Callard City lies in this opulent "Big Sugar" region. Three of the Councillors of the Callard City Council, Mayor Arthur Pauley, Councillors Milton Pauley and Lance Tapp, seek the removal of a chief public servant, John Hennessy. Hennessy has crossed swords with the politicians out of his loyalty to his charges, Kevin Fitch, James McLaren, and Vince Tomasi.To repay this loyalty, Kevin, James and Vince, three lowly public servants, band together to save their Chief's job. A Council election is about to occur. If the corrupt Councillors win, their boss is gone. So what action is required? "Gentlemen. Let's not get upset. Let's get even."Interview with the AuthorQ - What inspired you to write The Big Sugar Election?A – I originally wrote this book back in 1990 and it had the most unusual title, "Tea for the Headless Horseman." It mainly pertained to a workplace at the time when there was a loyalty of workers to a boss and a loyalty of a boss back to the workers. I rewrote the book in 2007 and now I've found the entire workplace has changed. In my opinion, modern management really couldn't care less about the staff anymore. So it's funny, it's set in a future city, but it's almost a historical novel.Q - Tell us about the book?A - I think it's a good book. It's an adventure. There's conflict and betrayal, government corruption, revenge against politicians with their snouts in the trough and the banding together of friends all in good humour. I was actually a public servant myself. Although the events in this book are completely made up, you do get to see things and hear things. There's a lot of material there for a book. And this is it.Q - So, why should readers give this book a try?A – I have had people read this book who didn't work where I work but they could identify with the office surrounds and the usual office politics. People should read it because they might see themselves and their friends. Once again, I'm immensely grateful that anyone is reading my books. I just hope they like it. For the past thirty years, it has been Mark Barkley's great pleasure to have created work that has been appreciated by various audiences throughout Brisbane, within Australia and online.Primarily his focus had been on being a playwright within the 90's. But recently his sole focus has turned to creating the book series The Sabienn Feel Adventures.He has had several plays which have enjoyed a successful theatrical staging or reading within Australia. ("The Captains and The Kings"-1995, "Goodbye Melaleuca"-1996, "Sylvia Terry"-1998 and "A Kind of Belgium"-2000) Two of the plays featured here have been short listed in the George Landen Dann award, Queensland's premium award for excellence in playwriting. ("The Captains and The Kings"-1992 and "Goodbye Melaleuca"-1995).He also created the short film "Spades" as writer/director and this was short listed in the top ten films of the third annual What's On Short Cut Film Fest and screened in 2001 at the Brisbane Powerhouse.In 2007, he rewrote and updated his book "The Big Sugar Election" which was originally completed in 1990.Currently he is offering books in his fantasy adventure novel series The Sabienn Feel Adventures. "When The Stone Shepherds Awaken" completed in 2015 is the first book in this series, which is now free and on offer with its companion piece, "Stories From The Distant Planet", which is also free.Keep an eye out for more to come.