The Eden Effect

The Eden Effect

Bearing the scars of a traumatic childhood experience, Martin Brophy has shielded himself from the media, believing overexposure to the news does people more harm than good. He joins forces with a disgraced former accountant to set up a social experiment to test Martin's hypothesis, known as The Eden Effect. Its ramifications soon reverberate around the world and put the men against the might of global media, with devastating results.

David Finchley was born in 1946 in post war Germany. He moved to Australia with his family at the age of ten. After completing school, he studied Medicine at Melbourne University, going on to specialise in Neurology, which he continues to practice today. Having been able to reduce his workload, he now has the time to pursue his long-held desire to write.

The Eden Effect
Author: David Finchley
RRP: $24.95

Interview with David Finchley

Question: Where did you get the idea for The Eden Effect?

David Finchley: The idea came to me when a relative of my mother's died overseas but she did not find out about it for 6 months. I realised that for those 6 months ,as far as she was concerned he was still alive. From there the idea of us only knowing about events that occur far away only comes to us via the news, most of which is bad news. I guess that planted the seed.


Question: What are your own thoughts on overexposure to the media?

David Finchley: We are overexposed to the media in many forms. I am not an advocate of censorship but when I read or see on TV a story about something horrific- That rape in India comes to mind, a child being killed and so on, I know it upsets me and makes me angry. Multiply that by many such stories and our news is full of them, it can't be having a good effect on us. And these are events far away over which have no control and can't do anything about. That is the basic premise of the book.


Question: Are the characters based on anyone you know?

David Finchley: No, they are all fictional.

Question: What inspired you to begin writing after a career in medicine?

David Finchley: I have wanted to write for as long as I remember. However, a career in Medicine does not leave much spare time to do that. I now do have the time. And, by the way, it is not after a career in medicine-I continue to work as a doctor ,just with reduced hours.


Question: What's a typical day like, for you?

David Finchley: I am an early riser,5am.I am at work by 7 am. On the days I work(now 3 and ½)I consult all day. It is a very heavy work load. On my day and a half off I still wake as early. I use that time to attend to business matters and to write. I also try to keep fit on an exercise bike 3 times a week.


Interview by Brooke Hunter