So, when my editor read the first draft of my forthcoming debut novel – about eighteen months ago – and scoffed at the idea of UFOs being a central theme (but not the theme), momentarily the old self-doubt crept in. Steve said UFOs went out with the X-Files, back in the 90s, and the high-water mark of the genre were those apocalyptic and ‘alien invasion’ movies of the same decade.
I sat and pondered Steve’s comments for all of about a day. And then I thought, ‘no, this is important’. As I’ve said many times before on this blog, UFOs, to me, are not about nuts and bolts craft, flying saucers, and little green men. It’s all changed. Since the leaks, and whistle-blowers, and revelations started, following the New York Times article of 2017, the considered view of what’s all going on has taken a more nuanced and thoughtful view, supported by greater scientific and academic interest, and a growing cohort of senior US’ politicians seeking transparency (and following the money; all that unaccounted-for defence spending down the decades. Black projects anyone?).
A small aside here, but it’s relevant. I sent about four submissions seeking representation for my forthcoming novel. The average number for a query process, for a debut, is likely in the tens, even hundreds, and can take months, if not years, before an agent takes the bait. If at all. It takes many more months, if not years, while the agent seeks a publisher prepared to spend the money and buy the book for publication, neatly packaging and marketing the novel in a tried-and-tested genre for a proven, clearly identifiable audience.
For the record – and by the way, time-pressed agents are notoriously slow in responding to queries, often taking months to reply to submissions – I received precisely three responses (there’s still plenty of time for the other two to get back to me, but it’s too late as far as I’m concerned). And the interesting thing was, each reply was broadly the same.
I’ll back-up here. When submitting for representation you typically send the first three chapters of the novel, a synopsis, and a cover letter (a brief bio and an elevator pitch etc.). I majored on the whole UFO thing, non-human intelligence, the ‘consciousness connection’, telepathy, and so on. I went so far as mentioning the New Jersey drones flap (last November and December), the congressional hearings in the US (almost unprecedented), the whistle-blowers (including David Grusch, and highly respected US Navy pilots), the proclamations of now senior US Government officials (including Marco Rubio), former senior bureaucrats (Christopher Melon), and of course the existence of AARO, the Pentagon’s official UFO taskforce. Yes, there is an official Pentagon UFO taskforce.
Surely the world is interested, I thought. I’m not naïve enough to think everyone is as fascinated in the topic as yours truly, but I did think most folks must be vaguely aware of what’s been happening, and the growing interest from the public. I included agents in this assumption, seeing as how they’re supposed to find trends.
And what was the similar response from agents to my submissions? ‘I can clearly see all the merits of this novel, but I will struggle to place it in the market, or find an audience. Please stay in touch.’
So thank heavens for Hollywood. Jerry Bruckheimer and Joseph Kosinski (yes, the producer and director of Top Gun: Maverick) are in talks with Apple Original Films about an untitled ‘UFO package’, with a script penned by Zach Baylin (King Richard). The narrative is described as a, ‘UFO disclosure-themed take on the classic 1976 political thriller, All the President’s Men’. Not much more is known at this stage, although it’s rumoured David Grusch, the former senior intel-insider-turned-whistle-blower, is set to advise.
The point is LA’s movie hub is taking a lead where others dare to tread. The Bruckheimer movie follows hot on the heels of Spielberg’s Disclosure; the director’s own UFO film slated for release next year (2026). This after the new big-budget documentary, The Age of Disclosure, premiered earlier this month, and should hit our screens later this year.
What’s also interesting about all this is the slant of these ‘UFO disclosure’ movies. Shifting from pure popcorn entertainment into the realms of more grounded, thoughtful thrillers. This mirrors the real-life narrative playing out in recent years, following the said New York Times article, which, it’s worth noting, is that paper’s most clicked, or viewed, online feature ever.
The thing is, I decided I couldn’t wait for the publishing industry to catch-on to Hollywood. I’m going it alone. I have a wonderful team supporting me, who all believe in the novel. I’m grateful for those several agents who responded. They made me wake-up and smell the coffee. I’d have missed the boat if I’d continued querying. It might have been years from now before my novel, The Otero County Disclosure, saw the light of day. As it is, it’s now three months.