Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have loved books and writing since childhood. For me books have always been a escape, a place where anything can happen, and an opportunity to learn. I started writing as a hobby when I was 8, however I started publishing my work in 2018 with Daughters of the Jade Isle. My second book, The Philosopher, was released earlier this year.
Books, history and nature are my passions, and I often combine all of these into my writing. If I’m not writing then I’m reading, watching history documentaries or being out in the countryside.
I write books that involve looking at people’s relationships, whether that’s romantic, familial or, as is the case with the Philosopher, relationships we have with ourselves.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is The Philosopher, which is about a young woman’s experience of mild-moderate depression.
I felt the need to write Miranda’s story after speaking to many people, and realising that so many of us go through what I call in the book the quarter-life crisis. I found that many people, myself included, set unrealistic expectations and timeframes on themselves, often based on societal expectations. When we inevitably find ourselves unable to achieve these expectations, it can hit us hard. It wasn’t until I had come to terms with this myself, and started talking to others that I realised this is something many people go through. I found that telling others my experience, and why I thought it had happened, seemed to give others hope, a sense that what they were experiencing was normal, natural.
This was my intention in creating Miranda’s story. She is an ordinary young woman; she could be you, your friend, your sister. Her story is intended to give hope and remind people it’s ok to be struggling sometimes.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I like to have my own space to write, but that’s not always possible. I have a summer house which is great because I can spread out in there when I brainstorm and know I won’t be interrupted.
When I’m working on a new idea I try to let it form organically. I write down the basic outline and a few phrases I don’t want to forget, but otherwise I just mull it over until I’m ready to work on it. I try to keep to one project at a time, otherwise I’ll never finish!
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Growing up I lived in the worlds of Jane Austen and Elizabeth Gaskell, and I am also a fan of Philippa Gregory’s books. I think these authors inspired my portrayals of life experiences from the female perspective.
I also grew up in the age of Harry Potter so J K Rowling was a big inspiration for me. Not just her books, but her perseverance in getting her books published and the way she weaves important moral themes into her books.
Though not an author, I have also taken inspiration from the music of Macklemore. Many of his songs highlight the importance of using your voice, in whatever form that may be, to highlight issues and struggles in the world that need attention. This concept is now at the backbone of my writing.
What are you working on now?
I have just started working on a fantasy trilogy set in a walled city divided by faiths. This may be a little while in the making, but I plan to have some smaller projects released in the meantime so keep an eye on my website for news.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I use the normal routes of social media- Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Goodreads. I also keep in touch with other pages that promote either readers or, on a smaller scale, news in the local area. I have also had my books featured in some papers and magazines.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t give up. To be a writer you’ll need to develop a thick skin, but even some of the best loved books out there faced rejection many times before they made it into print.
Try and keep to one project at a time, unless you’ve got more willpower than me. When I was first writing I’d flit from one idea to another, never finishing any. The best decision I made was to stay with one project until the very end.
Let others read your work, and not just your close friends and family. It’s daunting, a creative piece of work is so personal, but it’s important to have your work critiqued if you want to improve and succeed.
Don’t fall out of love with it. When you’re editing your story for the 6th time or getting frustrated trying to get your head around book promotion it’s easy to do, but we all get into writing because we love books and we love story telling and it’s important not to disconnect with that. If you feel you are then take a break, read some books, reach out to other writers. #WritingCommunity on Twitter is a great place to get some advice or sympathy.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best piece of advice I’ve had I think was a meme I saw on Twitter. It was basically a reminder that your first draft of a book is just you getting your ideas down on paper. You won’t like it at first, you’re not supposed to, but now you have a basis to work with, to edit, until you love it. It’s something I have to remind myself every time I start a new project.
What are you reading now?
I’m currently reading Good Omens by Neil Gaimen and Terry Pratchett and Jane Seymour The Haunted Queen by Alison Weir.
What’s next for you as a writer?
My last two books were written in fairly quick succession, so I’m taking things a bit slower with my next project. Being a fantasy trilogy there’s a lot of planning to be done, which is great fun. I do also have some short story and poetry projects that I plan to develop in the meantime.
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?
Besides How to Build a Raft and Herbalism 101? It would have to be The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy, The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton, Pride and Prejudice and The Lord of the Rings.
Author Websites and Profiles
N J King Website
N J King Amazon Profile
N J King’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account
Pinterest Account