An Interview with Richard Marrin: The Retaking of America

6.4.10 - Michael F. Shaughnessy - A long time ago -- 50 years ago as a laugh among a few of us back in high school. The Mouse that Roared was big then –the spoof about a tiny bankrupt European duchy that declared war on the U.S. in the expectation that, when it surrendered

Michael F. Shaughnessy
Eastern New Mexico University
Portales, New Mexico

1) Richard when did you get the idea first for this book?

A long time ago -- 50 years ago as a laugh among a few of us back in high school. The Mouse that Roared was big then – the spoof about a tiny bankrupt European duchy that declared war on the U.S. in the expectation that, when it surrendered, it would get the generous aid American bestows on its vanquished foes. Someone wondered aloud "What if England had never relinquished its claim to the American colonies and planned to retake it when the time was ripe?”

I never shook the thought and always wanted to write about it.

2. In your novel, what starts things going?

The dissatisfaction in America in 1990s provided me a plot. Obviously, Britain could not regain America by force. Britain concluded there were many dissatisfied Americans who were unhappy and considered themselves in one way or another to be "have nots". Indeed, there were enough dissatisfied segments to gather their leaders together as Fifth Columnists to assist in a coup of the Government. Afterward, they would refashion to make the Government allow powerful and take away the property of the "haves" and redistribute it to those who helped them overthrow the government

3. Why didn’t Great Britain step forward when there was some political chaos here as with the Bush/ Gore election and try to take control?

Actually, Britain had puts it plan into effect a few years earlier. On one side, the established, conservative citizens, hard working and proud of their American heritage took back Congress in 1994, in accord with Gingrich’s "a Contract with America." They blamed runaway social programs like welfare and affirmative action on the government. Washington had "usurped personal responsibility from families" and that had to end!

No more free lunch! The government was going out of the business of helping those who wouldn't help themselves. Multi-culturalism and pampered ethnic and cultural diversities threatened the American Way of Life. The doors of immigration were be shut and kept closed. The nation needed to get back to its Western European, Greco/Roman, Judaic/Christian origin and the values prized by that culture. "If you do not fit in, then change or go back to where you came from" was the message, loud and clear.

This frightened the other part of America, a coalition of liberals who believed that compassion for the disadvantaged and tolerance to all views were more desirable characteristics for the community, than riches and self-righteousness. America was no longer a male dominated homogenous society. It was multi cultured. Diversity and immigration were to be applauded and encouraged. It was what built the Nation and still makes it work. Personal liberty in all things had to be preserved against attacks from the Conservatives and Christian Right.

It was into this divide that Great Britain inserted herself

4. What would be so wrong in a Tony Blair or Gordon Brown taking over?

It is not so much the leaders, but the form of Government . While Great Britain is our forebear and its Magna Carta and Common Law are integral to us, we are not they. We are unique. In America in 1776, we threw off Divine Right Monarchy --the idea that God appoints a King and the serfs follow his orders. Instead, our Revolution was based on the concept that God gives each individual full liberty and, for convenience and common good, those citizens form a government to perform certain roles. The Government is our servant, not our Sovereign, as the Crown was and is.

5. Why has not Britain been critical of us earlier?

It probably has but behind our backs! They probably have more disdain for us as bumpkins than they praise us for our Revolution. For the purposes of the book, however, we need a foreign enemy to gather the Fifth Columnists. I imagine "socialism" and big government could be substituted for Great Britain or another country

6. Tell us a little about the plot and characters.

This is historical fiction and has two plot lines in different time eras which interweave. One part occurs during the Revolution and ends with Britain’s defeat and vow to someday come back and reclaim their colonies. The characters involve George Washington and his spy network, including a boy, Jack Hays, whom he had inserted into the house of Sir Henry Clinton as a spy and who learned of Britain’s plans to return.

The other time frame is the present when Britain forms the coalition of dissatisfied Fifth Columnists and its former allies (such as the Hessians, Indians, Loyalists) and attempts the coup. It is resisted by descendants of Washington spy network, who having learned of Britain’s vow, have passed on to their sons, grandsons etc etc the duty to stay vigilant .

The main characters in the present are the great, great, great, great, great, grand son of Sir Henry Clinton and the great, great, great, great, great grand son of Jack Hays

As an aside, except for the few items needed to create the story ,the history is accurate. I am the author of more than 20 books, half at least involving the Revolutionary War era.

7. Could you tell us just a bit about the ending?

There is in a sense a surprise ending. The Old Time Americans thwart the coup, the ringleaders are killed, Britain goes away and an ultra conservative, almost a police state, emerges in the U. S to protect against any other efforts to change their government. The books ends with the hero Jack Hays, the letter to whom from his ancestors, exposed Great Britain’s plot and who followed the orders of his ancestors, to block it, writes a post script to his son, to work to overthrow this police state and restore liberty

8) Where can interested individuals get a copy ?

Heritagebooks.com

9. What have I neglected to ask?

You covered the waterfront