WALTER HES - INTERVIEW

Thank you for the opportunity to promote my latest book ‘Hundred Shades of Green’ and to tell a bit about myself.

I was born in The Netherlands (a very long time ago). Part of a large family with very little money, I had to start working at a young age. Seven years in the construction industry combined with on-and-off evening classes provided me with mainly technical education. I was then drafted into the military and spent 26 months as a pare-medic in the Royal Dutch Navy, of which 18 months in Dutch New Guinea, now Irian Jaja

Returning home, the Netherlands looked like Madurodam to me. I didn’t want to stay and saw the world as my oyster. I looked for jobs on big international civil projects. That is how I came to work in Malta, South Africa, Brazil and finally, in 1982, in Australia, where my wife Elly and I decided to settle down.

I started writing after a nasty accident that needed a long recuperation time. The experience of working and living in five countries with different cultures changed my outlook on society from a conservative Roman Catholic view to the openmindedness of a world citizen.

I never contemplated writing a book. How could I? I am dyslectic, and writing a letter is already an ordeal. But my brain has always been concocting solutions to the world’s problems in the form of a story. I would lay awake at night and contemplate being a benevolent dictator setting the world straight. Obviously, I haven’t found a way to achieve that, so when the accident in 2014 forced me into inactivity, I started to write.

My first book, ‘Resolve’ was born out of frustration with the time-wasting politics in the democratic parts of the world. I thought that a supercomputer would do a better job. The main characters even managed to change the United Nations for the better.

My second book, “Tenerian World” compared the once fertile area of the Sahara to the desert it is now and pondered if it could be changed back and help turn back climate change.

My third book was a novel roughly based on my family’s history, passed on through several generations. I wrote that in the Dutch language.

The inspiration for ‘Hundred Shades of Green’ came after becoming aware of the nearly irreversible and stupid destruction of the Amazon Rainforest. ‘Stupid’ because this rainforest produces 20 to 25 % of the world’s oxygen, our oxygen. I called it ‘almost irreversible’ because of my experience working in underground tunnels: if the oxygen level went from 21 to 19 % inside the tunnel, it was ‘Everybody out!’. How will we explain why we did not act in time to the next generation?

My next book will be about Africa and has much to do with breaking free from its colonial times.

Thinking of a story and writing down the plot usually comes quickly. But I struggle with filling in the details and how to use the internet for research, describing surroundings, emotions, etc. Luckily, Elly keeps me on my toes. I am forever thankful and in debt to my editor-wife, who can spell!

I write novels because you can use dialogue between characters to discuss essential things in the story. However, the most challenging part of writing, in my view, is presenting believable characters and dialogue.

I have no art education; I did no writing course, and I did not attend book clubs. My story might be a bit of an anomaly in this beautiful magazine, but I take this opportunity to share my thoughts and spread the word.

- Walter Hes 2023.