Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
After a thirty year career in the pharmaceutical industry I accepted a package with the idea of writing those science fiction stories that I kept telling people I had in my head. To date I have completed and self published two books, available on Kindle, ‘Ancestral Dreams’ and ‘Project Noah’. I also have another planned for launch by the end of the year and a fourth (a sequel to ‘Ancestral Dreams’) completed in first draft. I’m certainly not making a fortune from my writing at the moment but I am determined to keep going. I have more ideas for stories than ever think I’ll have time to write.
As well as the novel writing I also blog weekly on my author site (www.martynfiction.com) on all things writing, science fiction or that just amuse me. On the site there are also some of my short stories as well as resources that might be useful to other writers.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The latest book I published was ‘Project Noah’. Seeing the mess we humans are making of the world I wanted to write a story that sees us taking this to its disastrous conclusion but also gives the people of that time hope for the future of mankind.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really. I like to be at my desk by 8.00 pm with the idea of writing until about 1.00 pm. I doesn’t always work out that way but that’s the aim. Sometimes it’s annoying when life gets in the way of the writing.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
The first science fiction book I remember reading was Arthur C Clarke’s Childhood’s End when I was a bout 15. It blew my mind and I was hooked. I then went on to read everything I could find from Clarke, Asimov, Ben Bova and others. More recently I have been a fan of Alistair Reynolds, Neil Gaiman and the late, great, Iain M Banks.
What are you working on now?
I just sent my latest book ‘Bleak’ to some early readers for comment before a final revision and proof reading. Without giving too much away this is a tale of manipulated human clones and shape shifting.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
As yet this is what I am struggling with. I have my own author site and I am on Goodreads and the Independent Author Network amongst others. I also tweet and as mentioned above blog regularly. I am now looking for other methods of promotion. I am willing to pay, if it works. The problem I have is that with so much out there it is difficult to know what will be successful
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing and keep reading. I was told that Iain M Banks wrote 6 books before getting one published. If your an Indie-author selling is always going to be a struggle, but the more books you have out there the more likely you are to succeed. Also the more you write the better you get.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
To read Stephen King’s book on writing. It is the most helpful thing I have read on the subject.
What are you reading now?
I have just finished Alistair Reynolds ‘Century Rain’ and Margaret Atwood’s ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’.
What’s next for you as a writer?
First publishing ‘Bleak’. Then I will complete the third book in my ‘Ancestral Dreams’ trilogy. Oh, and having written a short piece for my writing group I now have an idea for another book that I want to run with. Also as I said above I need to devote more effort to sales and marketing.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Arthur C Clarke – Childhood’s End (of course)
Iain M Banks – Player of Games.
Asimov – Foundation and Empire (all right I know it is a trilogy)
Terry Pratchett – Any of the Disc World series
Author Websites and Profiles
Ian Martyn Website
Ian Martyn Amazon Profile
Ian Martyn’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account