A little about the Author before we begin the Interview?
J.C. Martin is a butt-kicking bookworm: when she isn’t reading or writing, she teaches martial arts and self-defence to adults and children.
After working in pharmaceutical research, then in education as a schoolteacher, she decided to put the following to good use: one, her 2nd degree black belt in Wing Chun kung fu; and two, her overwhelming need to write dark mysteries and gripping thrillers with a psychological slant.
Her short stories have won various prizes and have been published in several anthologies. Oracle is her first novel.
Born and raised in Malaysia, J.C. now lives in south London with her husband and three dogs.
After working in pharmaceutical research, then in education as a schoolteacher, she decided to put the following to good use: one, her 2nd degree black belt in Wing Chun kung fu; and two, her overwhelming need to write dark mysteries and gripping thrillers with a psychological slant.
Her short stories have won various prizes and have been published in several anthologies. Oracle is her first novel.
Born and raised in Malaysia, J.C. now lives in south London with her husband and three dogs.
And now to the Interview Questions!
What is your name, where were you born and where do you
live now?
My name is J.C. Martin. I was born in Malaysia, but now
live in South London, England.
Do you work another job as well as your writing work?
When I’m not writing, I work as a martial arts instructor
for children and adults. It’s brilliant fodder for writing fight scenes! :)
What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to
summarise it in less than 20 words what would you say?
Oracle is a
crime thriller set in London: as the countdown to the Olympics begins, the body
count rises.
Who is your publisher? Or do you self-publish?
I am published by the wonderful team at J. Taylor
Publishing (www.jtaylorpublishing.com).
Do you have plans for a new book? Is this book part of a
series?
Detective Lancer will be back. ;)
What made you decide to write that genre of book?
My first exposure to adult fiction is crime novels, when
I read my mother’s extensive collection of James Patterson, John Sandford and
Richard Montanari. Prior to that, I read the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew as a
tween. It’s the genre I’m most familiar with. I enjoy the puzzle-solving aspect
of mystery novels, and find that delving into the mind of a killer is a
brilliant exercise in exploring the human condition.
Do you have a favourite character from your books? Why
are they your favourite?
Scott Long may only appear in one chapter of Oracle, but since then he’s refused to
leave my head, and have taken on a life of his own, complete with quirks and
backstory, backstory which is so intriguing I’m now planning a thriller series
with him as the protagonist.
Where do you get your book plot ideas from? What/Who is
your inspiration?
I get a lot of my inspiration from news and current
affairs. I read something and start formulating “what if…?” situations.
Atmospheric locations and settings also inspire me.
Do you have anybody read your books and give you reviews
before you officially release them, i.e.
your partner, children, friends, reviewers you know?
For Oracle, I had a trusted critique partner who read my
work. I acted on her feedback and made edits and changes before querying or
submitting. She’s a talented writer herself, with a book releasing in December,
so go check her out at www.LisaRegan.com.
(I have been lucky to Beta read twice for authors I have made friends with via Goodreads/Facebook and loved having input on how the plot plays out etc and giving my opinion prior to final edits)
Do you read all the reviews of your book/books?
I really shouldn’t, but I do! Sometimes the negative
comments can be quite constructive, with advice I can bear in mind for my next
book.
Do you choose a title first, or write the book then
choose the title?
I get the story first, but like to have a working title
(that may or may not be the final title) when I’m writing to help capture the
atmosphere or plot.
Do you decide on character traits (i.e. shy, quiet, tomboy girl) before writing the whole book or as
you go along?
Characters are fully fleshed out before I start writing.
Their personality dictates their interactions, which could affect the direction
of the plot.
Do you have a basic plot/plan for your book, before you
actually begin writing it out? Or do you let the writing flow and see where it
takes the story?
I am an intensive plotter. I complete a
chapter-by-chapter outline of the story before I even begin writing. The
chapter outlines are easy to chop and change and move around, plus it helps
highlight any plot holes or inconsistencies, which are way easier to correct
before you’ve written over 20,000 words of it!
What do you do to unwind and relax? Do you have a hobby?
Relax? What is that strange word you use? ;) When I do
have time between the writing, the day job and the housework, I do enjoy some
reading (of course!), extra kung fu training, and badminton.
What is your favourite book and why? Have you read
it more than once?
Boris Starling’s Messiah,
because the antagonist was so fascinating, and the ending totally blew my mind!
I haven’t had the chance to read it a second time, but I definitely plan on
doing so!
Do you think e-books will ever totally replace printed
books?
Not if people like myself can help it! I do love my
Kindle, and the convenience of carrying thousands of books in one e-reader, but
when it comes to books I really want,
I still like to have the hard copy. Plus you don’t get musty-smelling old
e-books with dusty yellow pages being handed down from generation to
generation.
Did you have a favourite author as a child?
As a child, I loved Enid Blyton, especially her Mallory
Towers and St. Clare series. As a teenager, I moved on to darker reading: R.L.
Stine and Christopher Pike.
(I remember reading the Mallory Towers and St. Clares Series by Enid Blyton as a child too! )
Are there any new authors you are interested in for us to
watch out for? Why should we watch out for them?
Fellow crime writer Toby Neal (www.tobyneal.net)
is releasing a series of mystery thrillers set in her resident Hawaii. I read
her first book and absolutely fell in love with the exotic setting and the
complex heroine. If you want a master class on creating compelling characters,
then read Blood Orchids (http://www.tobyneal.net/books/)!
What piece of advice would you give to a new writer?
If writing is something you really want to do, then you will get there, one way or another—don’t
let anyone or anything convince you otherwise!
Do you or would you ever use a pen name?
J.C. Martin is my pen name, a combination of my initials,
and my married surname. My real name would be too hard to pronounce!
Where can readers follow you?
Your Blog details?
Your Blog details?
http://jc-martin.com/fighterwriter/
Your Web site?
Your Web site?
jc-martin.com
Your Facebook page?
Your Facebook page?
https://www.facebook.com/jc.martin.author
Your Goodreads author page? http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5253905.J_C_Martin
Your Twitter details?
Your Goodreads author page? http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5253905.J_C_Martin
Your Twitter details?
And any other information you wish to supply?
Oracle’s page on the publisher’s site, with up-to-date purchase
links: http://www.jtaylorpublishing.com/books/11
Oracle is a truly fabulous book. Original and refreshing. Readers are going to love it! And thanks for the shout-out!
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure Lisa! Still can't thank you enough for beta-reading ORACLE. Must reciprocate it soon!
DeleteWell now I want to see if I can pronounce your name!
ReplyDeleteI read my reviews because I can learn from them and make the next book better.
Very true Alex, as it is I've picked up some things to improve on for book 2.
Delete