INTERVIEW: George Ivanoff on The X-Files: Secret Agendas - 'An Eye for an Eye'

A short interview with author George Ivanoff on his contribution to The X-Files: Secret Agendas anthology, out now from IDW Publishing...

THE X-CAST: How did you come to be involved with Secret Agendas?

GEORGE IVANOFF: Jonathan Maberry had two slots open up for the anthology and invited members of the International Association of Media Tie-In Writers to pitch for them. I submitted two pitches and one of them got through.

TX-C: Have you always been a fan of The X-Files?

GI: Yep! Loved it from the moment it showed up on TV. So getting the chance to write a story for this anthology was a big fan-boy moment for me. It also gave me the excuse to buy it all on DVD as a tax deduction. Research! Research is so important!

TX-C: This is easily the strangest and creepiest story in Secret Agendas - what were your inspirations for the use of eyes?

GI: Thank you for your kind words. My favourite episodes of the series were the stand-alone creature eps rather than the conspiracy mythology based ones. And I love the “is-it-a-monster-or-isn’t-it” approach. So that’s what I wanted to write. As for the eyes… well, eyes are such a sensitive part of the body. And I’m very squeamish about eyes. The best starting points for creepy stories are the things that creep out the author. And the thought of a creature covered in stolen eyes creeped me out in a BIG way.

TX-C: What made you start ‘in media res’, as it were, with Mulder toward the end of the story?

GI: It was simply a case of wanting to start the story at an exciting point. And given that the story falls very much into the “is-the-monster-real-or-isn’t-it?” category, I figured that the first scene should make you think that it is real.

TX-C: There are some definite Biblical & religious overtones with Orvell, not to mention hints of historical abuse - what made these form part of his character?

GI: Once I worked out that the story would be about an optometrist and stolen eyes, the title just popped into my head. “An Eye for an Eye” is a biblical quote, so that led me to finding other biblical references to eyes; and that resulted in me wondering about how to turn the biblical references into a cause. I take a dim view of religious extremism (extremism of any sort, really), which so often is the excuse for all manner of horrible behavior. So I used extremism as the starting point for the historical abuse. And it all came together to form Orvell’s back-story. Even in a fantastical story, there needs to be believable historical motives for a character’s behavior.

TX-C: Do you believe in the paranormal?

GI: No! I believe in science. :-) But the paranormal makes for exciting story telling!

Many thanks to George for his time. You can follow him on Twitter @george_ivanoff.

Questions by Tony Black, who you can follow on Twitter @ajblackwriter.

REVIEW: The X-Files: Secret Agendas - 'An Eye for an Eye'

Tony Black looks at the eleventh story in The X-Files: Secret Agendas anthology, 'An Eye for an Eye'...

Written by George Ivanoff

Edited by Jonathan Maberry

Hands down, this is the weirdest and creepiest story in The X-Files: Secret Agendas. No question. 'An Eye for an Eye' is short, sharp, punchy and really really strange from George Ivanoff, revolving around something we take for granted on a daily basis - our precious two eyes. Set during the first season much like the last story, Ivanoff begins in media res with Mulder right in the middle of an incredibly unnerving situation as some kind of bizarre creature made up of eyes begins sucking his eyeball out of his socket, before snapping us back in time to how the agents came to face such a truly weird creature, amongst the weirdest The X-Files has ever given us.

Ivanoff's writing is to the point but really engaging throughout, reading fast and fun, and he manages to nail Mulder's headlong exuberance to believe the weirdest explanation in contrast to Scully's measured response, as they begin investigating people from wildly different backgrounds who've had one of their eyes sucked out of their heads, before forgetting how it happened in the first place.

It's a quick tale which is more interested in getting us to the climax than dwelling on the investigation, with Ivanoff's writing being heavily dialogue-based as Mulder & Scully meet the victims (but he does get in a nice homosexual couple, and a welcome touch given this is set mid-90's) and then find the perp, but it's the encounter Mulder specifically has when they do come face to face with the monster here that makes the story; it's disturbing, very weird, and suggests historical child abuse may be a causal factor, plus it's all tied in with Biblical & religious overtones, which you can imagine given the title. The ending is icky & trippy and would really give you the shivers if you saw it on screen, which any good X-File should do.

Another fine story here from Secret Agendas, which rockets along from George Ivanoff and delivers a supremely creepy and strange villain, good character interactions, sprightly plotting and a memorable climax. 'An Eye for an Eye' may also make you wonder if you should ever wear glasses ever again!

Check here for an exclusive interview with George Ivanoff about his story!

Rating: 8/10

You can follow Tony on Twitter @ajblackwriter

THE X-CAST #78 - The X-Files Origins: Agent of Chaos

THE X-CAST continues with host Tony Black going in depth on Kami Garcia's 2017 The X-Files Origins prequel book, 'Agent of Chaos'.

In the spring of 1979, seventeen-year-old Fox Mulder has bigger problems than applying for college. Five years ago, his younger sister disappeared from their home and was never heard from again. Mulder blames himself, and his mother blames his father, who has retreated into his top-secret work for the State Department. In Fox's senior year, his dad has moved him to Washington, DC--away from his friends on Martha's Vineyard.

While Mulder doesn't mind the fresh start and not being known as "that kid with the missing sister," he's still obsessed with finding Samantha. So when a local boy turns up dead and another child is abducted, Mulder can't stop himself from getting involved. Could there be a link to his sister's case? As he uncovers the truth, Mulder and his friends find themselves on the trail of a serial killer.

Sucked into a world where conspiracies, the occult, and madness overlap, Fox Mulder starts to believe.

Joined by Australian writer George Ivanoff, Tony talks about the story, character, and themes of the book and how it connects to the TV show. George also answers the 5 Questions of X and discusses his own contribution to The X-Files via the Secret Agendas anthology story, 'An Eye for an Eye'.

Listen to find out more, just remember... trustno1...

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Next time on The X-Cast... join Tony and his guest, Secret Agendas co-author Andy Mangels, to discuss Season 2 Episode 13, the terrifying 'Irresistible'...