The 40 But 10: J.R. Mann

 

I've pulled together 40ish questions - some bookish, some silly - and have asked authors to limit themselves to answering only 10 of them. That way, it keeps the interviews fresh and connectable for all of us!

Today we are joined by J.R. Mann. J.R. grew up in London and spent over three decades working at the heart of global finance. As an AI model evaluator, he has worked directly with the systems that inspired The Banyan Project – giving the novel an authenticity that pure fiction rarely achieves. Mann wrote The Banyan Project because he believes we are running out of time. The unrestricted AI arms race could have disastrous consequences, and the public is already living with the contradiction – AI is transforming our working lives even as it threatens them. His message is simple: guardrails must be imposed. Before it is too late. If it isn't already. The Banyan Project is his debut novel.

Why do you write?  

I write because I’m not good enough at golf. But seriously, I think it is a combination of a number of factors: a love of words, an overactive imagination and (this might sound pompous) to leave a legacy.

What made you start writing?  

I started writing The Banyan Project as a response to a traumatic event that happened in my life. It began as therapy, a way to take my mind to a different place and then developed into something far bigger.

Describe your book poorly.  

If AI took control of power and water, what would you do? Do you have a plan? Banyan does. If you are one of the lucky ones, you will be on Banyan’s list. If not...

If you could cast your characters in a movie, which actors would play them and why?  

Easy. I think about this far too much.

Tom Hardie as Alex Miller – Quiet intensity

Rhianna Barreto as Mira Kapoor – Fierce. Grounded.

Jeremy Irons as Sir Julian Redmayne – Polished. Ruthless.

Amanda Seyfried as Sophie Redmayne – Fractured loyalty.

Jodie Comer as Imogen Hart – Brilliant. Unflinching.

If you could spend the day with another author, who would you choose and why? 

George Orwell. The most insightful writer I have come across. I would love to know his thoughts on AI.

What’s the single best line you’ve ever read?  

Technically it is more than one line, but it is the perfect ending to a perfect book.

Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter--tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther.... And one fine morning – So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.

Do you DNF books?  

As someone with ADHD I need a story to grab me quick. I’ll give it a chance, but I won’t finish just for the sake of finishing. It is because of my lack of patience that I made sure mine was a page turner – otherwise I wouldn’t be able to do the edits.

What scares you the most?  

Sending the book to my siblings was terrifying. They’re both very booking and opinionated.

What’s the one thing you wish you knew when you were younger?

Just start writing. First drafts are always crap.

What are you currently reading?  

I, Robot. It’s so different to the Will Smith movie. It is incredible how prescient Asimov was back in 1950.

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Amazon

When artificial intelligence quietly takes control of the world’s power and water, what happens next?
Alex Miller is an ambitious consultant advising the ultra-wealthy. He thought he was just doing his job – until he discovers he’s been building Banyan, a secret network of underground sanctuaries designed to preserve a carefully selected few.

When a close colleague vanishes, Alex’s questions cost him everything. Desperate, he turns to fierce housing activist Mira Kapoor. Together, they chase a leaked manifest revealing Banyan’s brutal logic.
As collapse approaches, Banyan opens a 72-hour entry window, and Alex and Mira race to expose who’s been chosen.

Then the lights go out.

Inside Banyan, survival is engineered. Outside, London fractures into barter and blood.
The Banyan Project is a propulsive dystopian thriller that asks whether morality can survive in an AI optimized world – perfect for fans of Red Rising and Silo.