Martin: I
don't have a ritual as such but I always start by reading and editing whatever
I wrote the previous day. This allows me
to immediately clear up any typos, errors and clunking style. It also acts as a bridge and an impetus to
what I am about to write next.
Paul: What types of books do you like to read? Who
are your favorite authors? Why?
Martin: I write primarily historical fiction and I like to
alternate between fiction and real history. Fiction wise I tend to focus on historical fiction but not
exclusively. One of my favorite authors is
JRR Tolkien because of his narrative sweep and power and because he deals with
the mythic in an unashamed manner. My
other favorite is George MacDonald Fraser. He was so inventive in deciding to
write about the most caddish of all villains, Harry Flashman. Flashman is a superb literary creation, slippery
as an eel and allowing the author to write with considerable freedom. A bonus is that the books are superbly
researched. For me the Flashman novels
are the pinnacle of historical writing.
Paul: If someone had the power to step into your
creative mind what would they see?
Martin: What
a great question, Paul. I think they'd
see a butterfly, manically flitting here there and everywhere, searching out
new flowers and new locales. Then, all
of a sudden the butterfly would stop on a leaf and not move for ages, pondering
and assimilating all that it had found.
Paul: What is a typical day for you?
Martin: I like to write first thing in the morning but
because I now live in France the best and coolest time of the day is not the
mornings so I have to take a break and go shopping and do other
essentials. Later in the afternoon I get
back to my writing. I also use Twitter
and other social media several times a day. In the evening I go for a walk by the Mediterranean.
Paul: Do you have a favorite character in each of
your series, aside from the lead? If so, which one and why?
Martin: In The Lost King series it has to be Godwin, by a
nose. He is Edgar, the lead's best
friend and guard. I have always been
fascinated by the concept of the best friend of a protagonist and Godwin is
someone who can speak for everyman and keep Edgar's feet on the ground. In Artful it is Viscount Palmerston who is as
much a villain as Artful.
Paul: In all the years you’ve been publishing your
work, what is the biggest mistake you made that you could share so others can
avoid making it?
Martin: At first I rushed to publish my finished books
without thinking about the best title, best cover and how to describe the book. Also when Amazon KDP was uploading my book I pressed
the continue button not realizing that I wouldn't get a chance to preview it. I found that I'd published a book before I'd
meant to. I'm learning patience now.
Paul: How do you find
the time to write?
Martin: I've written all my life, often in the early
morning before the family was awake. I
had a very bad accident four years ago (nothing like a road accident
though. I fell off a path two inches
high and landed so badly that I shattered my arm.) This meant that I was no longer able to drive
or focus on my business. But I could
write (using Dragon Dictate until my arm improved sufficiently.) I learnt that it wasn't a question of finding
time to write but making it. I write
until I begin to run out of steam.
Paul: What is one thing
you hope I do not tell the readers? Martin: Anything which deludes them.
Paul: If you are self-published, what
led to you going your own way?
Martin: I'd had the usual
load of rejections but was getting disenchanted by the fact that agents and
publishers sometimes did not bother to reply at all. My confidence was also increasing with
feedback from my writing group and from a University creative writing
course. In the end I thought, I don't
need to prove my worth to publisher's gatekeepers who only look seventeen years
of age. The ultimate judge of my writing
is the reader so I'll trust to them.
Paul: Do you plot your stories or do
you just get an idea and run with it?
Martin: A bit of both. I have an
original idea and the overall flow of the novel. Then I research the history which gives the
skeleton of the book. I next go to work
on plotting it more carefully. Having
said that I quite often forget or neglect to look at my plot and write as the
mood takes me. I'm
often taken by surprise by new characters and events.
Paul: Do you do a lot of editing or
do you find that as time goes on your writing is more fully-formed?
Martin: Since becoming an indie writer I edit more than I used to, enjoy it and
find my books are much the better for it. My wife also edits my book. She
is a superb reader and thought-provoker, although hard as nails on me. Thank goodness. She's giving me a hard time about my book on
the Crusades at this very moment.
Paul: Do you have to do much research
for your stories?
Martin: An immense
amount. However, I'm fortunate in that
I've read so much history that the broad outline of a lot of the past is in my
head. Because the events I'm writing
about are so distant there are great gaps in our knowledge of what occurred so
it gives me the freedom to wander and interpret. I'm not one for loading my books with details
of clothing, weapons or food just because I've done the research about it. Research is my concern and I don't want to
inflict what I've found out on my readers just for the sake of it.
Martin: The most recent book I've published is Artful. As the title suggests the book follows on
from the point in Oliver Twist where the Artful Dodger gets caught and
sentenced. He is transported to Australia and meets two villains
intent on his harm. He returns to
England and realizes that the harm they intend is his own death. He has to call on his guile to thwart them.
Paul: What inspired you to write this book?
Martin: I had spent years writing The Lost King about the
last native king of the English and wanted to try my hand at something more
modern. I had always wondered why
Dickens abandoned such an astonishing creation as the Artful Dodger and decided
to pick up the threads. Artful is a
fascinating character and I aim to show how his amoral nature is both a
handicap and a boon.
Paul: Do you have any pieces of work
that will never see the light of day?
Martin: Computers crammed
with them.
Paul: Do you enter competitions? Are
there any you could recommend?
Martin: I used to, and won
first prize in a competition to write a sequel to The Wind in the Willows. I think that writing for competitions can be
a good discipline.
Paul: How much marketing do you do
for your published works or for your ‘brand’?
Martin: Far, far more than
I expected. I guess for every four hours
writing I spend one hour on marketing.
Paul: What’s your favorite / least
favorite aspect of your writing life? Has anything surprised you?
Martin: My favorite
aspect is when I'm able to create a sentence which sings. There's not really been anything negative;
I'm just thrilled that I'm able to fulfill my dreams. I've been most surprised, and delighted, when
characters evolve before my eyes.
Paul: What do you do when you’re not
writing? Do you have any hobbies or party tricks?
Martin: I love to spend time with my wife and love exploring the town and
country which we’ve decided to make our home.
Paul: Well, thanks Martin. It
was a pleasure talking with you.
Martin on Twitter: @martinlake14
Martin on Facebook: Martin Lake
Martin's latest book: Artful (Amazon)
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