Bestselling Author Linwood Barclay on Trump, AI, and the Future of Books

Decision to Avoid US Settings

• 🇺🇸 Bestselling author Linwood Barclay states he will no longer set his books in the United States due to political reasons.
• 📱 He expresses concern about potential issues when crossing the US border, even with a US passport, citing worries about phone content being scrutinized.
• 🗺️ Barclay questions the rationale of setting books in a country he perceives as having "lost its mind."

Horror as an Escape

• 📚 Barclay explains his shift to writing a horror novel, "Whistle," stating his motives were driven by a good idea, not necessarily a reflection of the world's state.
• 🌍 He suggests that people may turn to horror to escape a reality that feels increasingly horrific, finding solace in fictional resolutions.
• 🎭 Unlike real-world problems, fictional narratives offer a sense of resolution and justice, which is often lacking in current events.

Political Climate and Canadian Identity

• 🇨🇦 As a dual citizen who moved to Canada at a young age, Barclay identifies as 90% Canadian and aligns with Canada when there's friction with the US.
• 🗣️ He criticizes Donald Trump's rhetoric and treatment of Canada, noting the deep anger and economic impact (e.g., reduced travel, boycotts of American products) in Canada.
• 🇺🇸 Barclay believes Trump's actions and rhetoric have paradoxically united Canadians against a perceived threat.

The Blurring of Fact and Fiction

• 🤯 Barclay expresses concern about the societal trend where strong assertions, regardless of factual basis, can gain widespread belief, blurring the lines between rhetoric and reality.
• 📉 He notes that despite numerous controversial actions, Trump has consistently overcome what many believed would be his downfall.
• 📈 Acknowledging potential complacency within liberal establishments, Barclay suggests that societal divisions and a lack of listening to certain concerns may have contributed to the current political climate.

AI and the Future of Literature

• 🤖 Barclay voices significant concern about Artificial Intelligence impacting authors and the creative process.
• 📝 He highlights the issue of AI models being trained on authors' works without permission or compensation, fearing AI-generated books in an author's style.
• 🎨 He worries that a future dominated by AI-generated entertainment could stifle human creativity and lead to a lack of truly new artistic endeavors.
• 🤝 Despite these concerns, Barclay emphasizes the importance of human-created stories and the unique relationship between authors and readers, advocating for support of physical books, ebooks, and audiobooks.