Interview 12/09/13

JC Martin

Name or Pen Name: J.C. Martin

Email: jc@jc-martin.com

Biography:

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. A 2nd degree black belt in Wing Chun kung fu, writing she 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 two children, one of which is the four-legged furry kind.

Social Media Links:

Website: http://jc-martin.com

Blog: http://jc-martin.com/fighterwriter/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JCMartin_author

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jc.martin.author

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/jcmartin

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=140216065

•When did you first realise you wanted to be an author?

Since always! At first, I’d wanted to be a police detective or an FBI agent, then I decided I’d much prefer writing about them! I was wrote and illustrated my own comic books as a kid, and wrote my first novel-length piece—a soppy romance mystery saturated with teenage angst—at 14.

•Do you have any interesting quirks that only occur when writing?

I tend to talk to myself. I either read a sentence out loud to see if it flows, or more often, act out dialogues between my characters to make sure they stay in character. Hilariously for my husband, this includes my rather poor impersonation of different voices and accents!

•Where do you get your ideas for your books?

Everywhere! An interesting personality, a snippet of overheard conversation, an atmospheric location, the news… My idea for ORACLE came when London won the bid for the Olympics. My next Lancer book, tentatively titled LABYRINTH, is from spotting a faded London Underground logo painted on a wall where no London Underground stations existed—at least, no current stations. When I found out there are vast networks of disused tracks and dozens of abandoned stations beneath the City, I got my idea for this book!

•Out of all of the books you have written, do you have a favourite? If so, why?

I’ve only completed one novel and one novelette so far, so no, although the book I’m currently working on is based on an idea that’s been festering for ages, and I just can’t wait for my vision to finally be realised!

•What do you think makes a good story?

An intriguing plot, a new twist on an old story, and quirky characters.

•Who are your favourite authors?

I adore indie crime writer Toby Neal’s Lei Crime series, set in the exotic Hawaiian islands. For grittier urban mysteries, I enjoy Richard Montanari’s books, especially his Philadelphia crime series. Finally, Boris Starling’s MESSIAH is one of my favourite all-time reads because of the mind-blowing twist at the end.

•If you could pick one actor to play a character in your book, who would it be?

I have yet to discover an actor unique-looking enough to play my protagonist, Detective Kurt Lancer. However, Johnny Galecki from Big Bang Theory would make be the perfect man to play Lancer’s bookish, strait-laced partner, Detective Tom Holloway, thick-rimmed glasses and all!

•If you had one piece of advice for an aspiring author, what would it be?

Get your butt in your chair, and keep it there! And I don’t mean sit there playing Candy Crush or whatever, either! No, get your butt in your chair, and write, write, write! The hardest part sometimes is to muster up the motivation and discipline to get the words down. You can talk about wanting to publish a book all you like, but unless you get writing, it’s not going to happen, is it? Yeah, it sounds harsh, but the difference between a published author and an aspiring one is just that—a book!

•Please can you tell us about your latest book and what it is about?

My latest—and so far only—published book is ORACLE, a crime thriller set in London in the run-up to the Olympics. Detective Lancer is on the trail of a serial killer with a bizarre calling card, one who plans to strike on the biggest stage of all—the Opening Ceremony of the Games itself. To make matters worse, his disabled daughter could be next on some psychopath’s list.

•Is there anything else you would like to share with your readers?

I’ll have to make an advanced apology for a lack of new writing. Since Baby Martin was born in December, he’s been keeping me busy, plus we are now in the process of emigrating back to my home country of Malaysia, so until we get settled out there I’ll have little opportunity for writing. :( But fear not, for I am scheming up a super-sekrit five-year plan, one that includes more from Detective Lancer, a new thriller series, and a horror story collection!

You haven’t heard the last of me yet! :)

In the meantime, I do hope you’ll consider reading my crime thriller ORACLE. For a taster of my writing style, my horror novelette THE DOLL is available for free on Smashwords.