Interview With Author Neil Kay
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I'm a British teacher living in Yokohama, Japan. I've been here for years now and I'm probably here for good. I started writing in June of 2021 and published my first book in March 2022, the sequel was published in August 2022 and I'm hoping to release book 3 in Feb/March of 2023.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The last book was called Fear the Draugr. My series is historical fiction and horror, the first book is about demons living in the chaos of post-Roman Britain. FtD is book 2 and set in the early Viking age. The Saxon Stories by Bernard Cornwell and the TV adaptation The Last Kingdom were inspirations along with legends about undead creatures from Scandinavian saga literature and folktale.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Probably not that unusual but I never start until after breakfast. I can't write while hungry.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Bernard Cornwell because his historical fiction is full of interesting little details. Outside of my genre I like Zadie Smith as I admire how she can write from the point of view of very different characters with a large degree of empathy.
What are you working on now?
Book 3 in the series. It's untitled but I'm wracking my brains. It's a serial killer hunt with many of the supernatural elements found in books 1 & 2. It's set in York in the aftermath of the Harrying of the North in which the Norman conquerors burnt the north of the country to the ground resulting in a famine.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I'm still trying to find that answer for myself! Reddit and Facebook have been decent for me.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Set a daily word limit and stick to it.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best way to market your book is to write a second, then a third, and so on…
What are you reading now?
Manga, where I live it's cheap and an invaluable way to memorize Japanese vocabulary. I've read Kimetsu no Yaiba most recently.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Book 3 out in Feb/March 2023 and hopefully selling enough to replace my PC so I can write book 4 faster!
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?
The Baroque Cycle by Neal Stephenson.
Shogun by James Clavel
White Teeth by Zadie Smith
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
Author Websites and Profiles
Neil Kay’s Social Media Links
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