'Box of Lies' with Mark Laflamme discussion

Why do I write the things I do? What do I find easy and what do I find hard? Professional questions or personal ones. In this space, I'm all yours.

Hi Mark,
i don´t quite see what the short story BOx of Lies is all about. Could you help me?

It's been so long since I wrote those stories, I struggle to remember the genesis of any of them. I recall liking the idea of one man being a repository for all the nation's dark little secrets. (If I remember right, I believe I'd been watching some of those History Channel shows on some of the most tenacious conspiracy theories out there.) The obvious problem with that, of course, would be how to compel that man from KEEPING those secrets. Not a very satisfying answer, I suspect. I'm going to look around to see if I still have any scribbles from that time. Might be some insights there. Thanks for the question. Even a decade or so on, I still like talking about those stories.

Thanks for answering. I enjoyed the story, but I wasn’t quite sure of the analysis. I teach English at a sixth form college and we are currently working on a Conspiracy Theories theme. Your story fits in very well here.
I still don’t understand the part with the injections and the box of lies, but thanks for your answer

You know what? I'll give that sucker another read and see if it sparks any memory. As conspiracy theory goes, I have a better memory of writing Worumbo, which is funny because that was my very first book, so Box would be more recent. I wrote those stories in a fast and furious writing spree, though, so the recollection of each story is a little diluted. Or something.

I understand :) Thanks

I have only read the short story Box of Lies, but it has certainly made me want to read all of the stories in that book :)

Oh, well I don't know if it means anything, but I've always considered Box to be among the weakest of the stories. I kept it in there mainly because I liked the concept (and because my publisher was sold on the title.)

Ok, so you don’t really remember how to understand the injections and the box of lies?

So the government provides the main character with the truth(conspiracy theories) and gives him injections to prevent him from telling the « truth »?
So the government/army does this experiment to see if they can develop a potion which will keep people from revealing secrets. Could be useful in war situations :)
Is that your idea behind it? Sorry about taking up your time, but it is an interesting thought :)

It was along those lines. I remember their system as being half experiment, half secret repository. If I recall, the fellow (I can almost remember his name) got hideously sick if he tried to reveal the secrets. In that way they had a sort of human robot whose only job was to hang on to all the dark secrets the government fed him. He'd have the knowledge but no way to purge himself of it. I imagine that would drive a man into a half-mad, reclusive state. Those black clad operatives could stop by any time and say, "Tell us what you know about the moon landing..." or whatever. I imagine they also had to made him physically unable to blow his own head off because that would be a pretty terrible way to live.

Thanks for your answer. Now I know enough to let my students read it :)