A.F.E. Smith
  • Home
  • Books
    • Marked series >
      • Dawn Rising
      • The Dark Knife
    • Darkhaven novels >
      • Darkhaven
      • Goldenfire
      • Windsinger
  • Shorts
  • Gallery
  • Contact

Barren Island Books – Natalie K. Martin

26/2/2015

0 Comments

 
Welcome to Barren Island Books, the author interview series that’s in no way related to a popular music-based radio programme. You know the rules by now: my guests are exiled to a remote island with only five books for company, selected from the categories I give them. It’s up to them to make sure they choose wisely, because they’re going to be stuck with those books for a long, long time …

My interviewee this week is Natalie K. Martin, author of Together Apart and the Pull short story series. When she’s not being banished to a desert island, Natalie can be found at nataliekmartin.com.


Natalie, thanks for joining us. First of all, could you please tell us a little bit about yourself – just so we know who it is we’re sending into exile. Illogical fears, unusual birthmarks, whether you’d rather wrestle a bear or punch a shark, that kind of thing.
Natalie
Hm, I always find these questions the hardest! At the basic level, I’m now into my thirties, from Sheffield but grew up in London for the most part. Right now, I’m doing some travelling and am three months into my second season in Goa. I sometimes get disorientated walking down stairs, and I get a mental block when I have to write the letter ‘W’. Also, I hate pulling hair from plugholes. Yuk. Oh, and I’d rather punch the shark.

*shudder* Plughole hair is the worst. And what about your own work? What are the inspirations behind it? What would make someone else choose it to accompany them into exile?

Well, my main inspiration is life, and that it’s very often hard. I like to tackle serious subjects, particularly around relationships and most of the time, they’re very normal characters. I got fed up of reading about middle class, university educated women working in PR and advertising because I couldn’t relate. My books are serious, but hopeful at the same time.

Book covers
Now let’s move on to the books you’re going to take to the island with you. First up, it’s your favourite childhood book – perhaps the one that got you interested in reading in the first place, or the one you read over and over when you were young. Which will you choose, and why?

Ooh, so many! I’d have to go for Judy Blume’s Deenie. Or any of her books actually. I was into vampires and stuff beforehand, and then I found these books about girls and puberty and boys, and that was pretty much that.

Judy Blume! Now there's an author I haven't read in a while :-) Next, the book that made the greatest impact on your life. This could be one that inspired you to become a writer, or one that made you look at the world in a whole new way – maybe even one that resulted in real-life romance or adventure.

The Beach, by Alex Garland. I found it by accident and it definitely wasn’t the type of book I’d have picked up ordinarily and it blew my mind. I’d always wanted to travel and it sounded so adventurous. I've read it at least 20 times and I still don’t get bored.

For your third book – and you’re probably going to need this one, all alone on a remote island – I’d like you to choose your greatest comfort read. You know, the one you turn to when you’re sad or ill or just need a little pick-me-up.

Joanne Harris’ Chocolat or Five Quarters of the Orange. I love how she writes. Everything is so rich, it’s like a sensory overload. It’s like wrapping myself up in a huge, comfy blanket.

Perfect comfort reading! Fourthly, it’s your unexpected treasure: a book you didn’t expect to like but did, maybe one outside your usual genre or that you picked up with low expectations but were pleasantly surprised …

Ooh, that’s a tough one! I think it has to be Jude the Obscure, by Thomas Hardy. I’m not a big reader of the ‘classics’ but it was so well written and utterly tragic.

And finally, I’d like you to choose your instant classic – the book you think most deserves to be read and reread by future generations. It’s up to you whether this book is already considered a classic or is something more obscure.

There are too many to choose from, but if there has to be just one, it would have to be Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer. It’s a true story, but it’s something I think all people should read. It’d be on the school curriculum if I was in charge – it’s one of those books that makes you think and cherish what you have. And not enough people do that.

Right. We’ll get those five books packaged up ready for your journey. Since we’re not completely heartless here at Barren Island Books, we’ll also let you take one song/piece of music, one film and one other item of your choice into exile with you …

Music: it would have to be something feel-good and timeless. Like the Immaculate Collection by Madonna.

Film: Amelie.

Item: my writing playlist.

Haha, that's a cunning way of getting extra music onto the island! Now, before we whisk you away, you have one last decision to make: where you want your remote island to be located. You can choose anywhere you like for your exile, in this world or another.

Oooooooooh. Fiji. Or Samoa. Somewhere beautiful and tropical please!

That’s it, then – you’re ready to go. Thank you for joining us, and enjoy your trip!

My backpack is already full and waiting :)

If Natalie ever returns from her island, you can find her on the following social media sites:

Twitter: @natkmartin
Facebook: www.facebook.com/nataliemartinauthor
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/nataliem84
Instagram: nat_k_martin


    Enter your email address here!
    Enter your email address here and click on Submit.
Submit
Or sign up to my mailing list!

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

      Enter your email address and click on Submit to receive notifications of new posts.
      Enter your email address here!
    Submit

    Archives

    July 2016
    June 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011

    Categories

    All
    About Me
    Artwork
    A To Z Challenge
    Barren Island Books
    Books
    Character Interviews
    Characterisation
    Darkhaven
    Editing
    Events
    Excerpts
    Fantasy
    Flash Fiction
    Giveaways
    Guest Posts
    Marketing
    Maths
    Pedantry
    Point Of View
    Prophecy
    Publishing
    Reading
    Recommended Reads
    Reviews
    Rules Of Fiction
    Science Fiction
    Serious Stuff
    Sunday Showcase
    Tentacles
    Ugh
    Worldbuilding
    Write Every Day
    Writing

    Or subscribe to my mailing list here!

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • Books
    • Marked series >
      • Dawn Rising
      • The Dark Knife
    • Darkhaven novels >
      • Darkhaven
      • Goldenfire
      • Windsinger
  • Shorts
  • Gallery
  • Contact