New England Online > About This Site > FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is New England Online?
- What is Geofiction?
- Is it original?
- Is it real?
- If this isn't real, what's the point of doing it?
- Is New England a micronation?
- Is the site anti-American?
- What is the political agenda of the site?
- How much time does the author spend on the site?
What is New England Online?
New England Online is the creation of Chris Reardon, a writer currently living in Canberra, Australia. It focuses on the Kingdom of New England, a fictitious nation state set in eastern Australia.
New England Online is written as a encyclopedic site that would be designed to give a full run down on the various facets of life in New England, from government to the daily life of the people.
What is Geofiction?
Geofiction can be defined as such:
"Geofiction is a hobby where one or more people design imaginary cities, countries and even entire worlds. This includes placenames, culture, political structure and even constructed languages."
-- From Wikipedia
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Is it original?
Yes and No. The ideas and concepts of nation state have been imported as they are. Instead of designing a culture and nation from scratch, I have taken the liberty of using those things in our lives that I believe serve us well. These ideas are brought to the site to be slightly meddled with and then put into place. The uniqueness of New England is the relationships between these ideas. In a few places I have created some new ideas and concepts, but for the most part, the average westerner should be able recognise most of the site as familiar and comfortable.
The idea of an independent kingdom of New England is unique to the author's knowledge. While there have been a few attempts of a new state of New England within Australia, the next step of a new nation is entirely novel.
Is it real?
No. Please read the legal disclaimer for more information.
If this isn't real, what's the point of doing it?
I often get this question, or ones like it, from people who evidently are not writers. I cannot write fiction in the traditional sense. I have very poor language and grammatical skills, and have found difficult to put together the kind of story that would get published.
So, being somewhat computer literate, I have found that my talents lie in the creation of websites and various bits of data that make these sites somewhat realistic. What I love is the putting together of a nation, or some part of it. This project began as rail network for a fictitious Armidale set in the World of Darkness genre. Today it is much much more because I have let my imagination explore other parts of the story and what you see today is just a fraction of what I plan to put out in the next few months and years.
Is New England a micronation?
No. It is certainly a project aimed at building a nation-state, though it is set forty-eight years into the future. At best, this could be called a simulation.
I have no desire for this to become a reality either.
Is the site anti-American?
Not deliberately. The United States is portrayed as a protagonist on the site and given the history between New England and America, the reasons why should be obvious. The site does include criticisms of US foreign and social (health and education) policy, which is laid out throughout the site. These criticisms indicate a dislike for these policies and a desire to not see them copied in Australia or elsewhere.
But while the author is critical of many aspects of American culture, it should be acknowledged that the United States has made many positive contributions to the fields of science, art, health and entertainment. Ignoring these contributions, and the impact they have had on us all, would be folly.
What is the political agenda of the site?
In some places, it should be pretty obvious that the author's opinions and views are being referenced. The form of government, the social policy, the cultural norms and the general state of New England are the manifestations of the preferences and beliefs the author holds to. Where things are already good, I have left them alone (this is the so-called "container" policy mentioned above. But where things are far from idea, I have changed them.
How much time does the author spend on the site?
Far too much for my own good! Including research time, I can spend anywhere up to twenty hours a week on this site. It is my number one hobby, and so any spare time I have is usually invested in the site somewhere.
