Author Mike Martin chats to Sarah Jane Butfield about his writing and his new release.
Today I would like to introduce Mike Martin, who has kindly taken part in an interview with author and blogger Sarah Jane Butfield. If you enjoy the feature be sure to share or retweet the link.
Author profile of Mike Martin
Mike Martin was born in Newfoundland on the East Coast of Canada and now lives and works in Ottawa, Ontario. He is a longtime freelance writer and his articles and essays have appeared in newspapers, magazines and online across Canada as well as in the United States and New Zealand. He is the author of "Change the Things You Can: Dealing with Difficult People and has written a number of short stories that have published in various publications including Canadian Stories and Downhome magazine.
The Walker on the Cape was his first full fiction book and the premiere of the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series. The Body on the T was the second book, Beneath the Surface is the third installment and A Twist of Fortune is the newest book in the series.
He is a member of Ottawa Independent Writers, Capital Crime Writers, the Crime Writers of Canada and the Newfoundland Writers’ Guild.
Welcome to Rukia Publishing Mike and thank you for taking part in our Meet the Author feature.
How long have you been a writer and how did you come to writing?
For as long as I can remember I wanted to be a writer. I just didn’t know how to go about doing that. It didn’t seem a viable career option when I was young so I tried to find jobs that had an element of writing. That included correspondence and policy writing and later led to both speechwriting and editorial positions. But none of that satisfied my writing itch. Finally, one day I told my partner that I wanted to be a writer. In fact I told her I had decided that I was a writer.
Then I wrote a short piece that got picked up by a magazine for $25.00 and the rest as they say is history. Except for nearly starving to death as I tried to carve out a career as a freelance writer. But I kept at it and over a period of time I did manage to eke out an existence. I have published thousands of articles in print and online since that time but I also remember the early days when I wrote for nearly nothing and got 10 rejections for every acceptance.
What are the best and the worst aspects of writing?
My favorite thing about writing is almost everything. I love the feel of connecting to the creative current and I love writing the beginning, the middle and the end of a book. The beginning is great because you get the feeling that you starting a great adventure, the middle is where you have fun and explore the themes and characters that emerge. And the end of a book is so satisfying, although you never really know if it’s the end, or if there just might be another chapter.
My least favorite thing is probably the editing and rewriting. Ten, twelve or twenty edits later it gets to be a bit much. You just want it to be over.
What inspires you to write?
I think that I am most inspired by nature and natural surroundings, especially the ocean. Maybe that’s why there’s a shot of the Atlantic Ocean on the cover of every Sgt. Windflower book.
Who or what has had the greatest influence on your writing and why?
I think that having 3 older sisters, two of whom went on to be teachers were a great inspiration to be a reader. And if you want to be a writer you have to read, a lot. So I can remember reading from a very young age and I was encouraged by my sisters to read everything, so I did. At first it was Hardy Boys, kids’ stuff but soon after it was Dickens and some of the older books that they were reading. I would read the back of the cereal box at breakfast. Still do, as a matter of fact.
How did you come up with your stories?
I don’t think I come up with the stories at all. I think they are already there and I just tap into the creative flow. I usually have an image of some sort that is often the beginning of the story and then the characters show up and tell the story. I just write it down. I do add a few local details and some of the history and culture but it’s like I plan the menu after the grocery shopping has been done.
How much real life goes into a fiction writing?
All writers put a bit of themselves and their own stories into fiction. Not the details of crime and punishment perhaps, but it’s difficult to write 80-100,000 words and not have some of your life and personality creep in. Sometimes you do it purpose, because you want to make a point and at other times you only realize that you’ve done it when someone else points it out.
Can you tell us a little about A Twist of Fortune, and as it is the 4th installment of Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series, can it be read as a standalone book?
A Twist of Fortune happens in chronological order from the first 3 books but can certainly stand on its own. There are some references to previous events but only to bring the reader and the current situation into a clearer focus.
This book takes place during a particularly difficult winter and that brings new challenges to Sgt. Windflower and his team. There are also challenges in both his personal life and the community which is facing the loss of its major industry. Through all of this Windflower manages to try and extract the most joy possible out of life, including his continuing love affair with the local cuisine, any cuisine for that matter. And there is a new major character in A Twist of Fortune, a four-legged one. You’ll have to read the book to find out more.
Who would you cast to play the main characters in your books if they were made into a movie or television series?
That’s an interesting question because the Sgt. Windflower Mysteries have been optioned for T.V. I am currently working with a producer to come up with a package for potential funders so that’s pretty exciting. Not at the lead role yet, though. Stay tuned.
That is so exciting, please keep us updated on how that progresses.
Do you have a writing schedule? How often do you write?
I write a lot but find that I write best in the early morning so I try and protect that time as much as possible. When I am writing a book, like A Twist of Fortune, I will often write to a word count, start early in the morning and then fill in my quota throughout the day and even at night.
What does your perfect writing environment look like?
I like quiet and a desk, but other than that I am okay to write just about anywhere. I do find it difficult to write in coffee shops, maybe it’s the caffeine that’s rushing around. But a good place to write is in a shopping mall food court, outside of lunch time, of course.
How do you balance marketing one book and writing the next?
Each book deserves its own time in the sun, so I make sure that I focus on advertising and promoting my current book before I start a new one. That usually means I am writing through the fall and winter, editing in the spring and promoting through the summer. Although I am always writing, articles, projects, blog posts. Just not writing books.
Who is your target audience?
Like any writer I would like to think that my work is accessible to everyone, but the reality is that you would have to like light and fun reading to really appreciate the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series. I think that people who like a good story set in an interesting part of the world where the good guys almost always and almost inevitably win would be my target audience.
How do you engage your readers?
I have created a blog for each book in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series that with the publication of A Twist of Fortune I have now rolled up into one website at www.sgtwindflowermysteries.com
I also have a Facebook page at _https://www.facebook.com/TheWalkerOnTheCapeReviewsAndMore?ref=hl
And my Twitter handle is _ @mike54martin
For each book I also do a separate promo plan that involves online promotion through guest blogs and author interviews as well some real world events like book signings and book fairs.
What marketing tools do you utilize and how do you rate their effectiveness?
Somebody said that if all our social media followers bought our books we’d all be on the New York Times best sellers list. To me Facebook is the best vehicle because the people who actually buy my books tend to skew older and female. Just my kind of people by the way. Twitter seems like dropping random hooks in the water and waiting for the fish to bite while I am not using Instagram or anything else.
What is your advice to new writers?
I had no idea of where to even begin writing a novel so I did what was suggested to me, which I offer as advice to all aspiring writers: Read about how other writers did it. One book that really helped was Stephen King’s “On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft” and in this book and others I learned that the way to write a novel was to start and then to keep at it until it was finished. It didn’t matter about the weather, or money, or the economy, or relationships, or even family or sickness or anything. If you want to write a book, you just get up every day and you do it.
I agree 'On writing' by Stephen King is a great starting point. My copy, which is well read, sits on my desk and has multiple coloured s page markers for referencing.
Who are your favourite authors and what book are you currently reading?
My favourite authors are Charles Dickens and JRR Tolkien. Dickens because he wrote about his times with humour and a social conscience. Tolkien because as everyone in the world now knows, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings are some of the best fiction books every written. Because I’m a mystery writer I also like Agatha Christie, who doesn’t? And some modern writers like Ian Rankin, Donna Leon and Elizabeth George. Each of these authors is a master and I would and do read their books over and over. To me that it the test of a great author, that you want to re-read them in different parts of your life.
What are you reading now?
I just finished Stephen King’s Revival and am reading Colm Toibin’s Nora Webster, along with a whole pile of junk that’s great for the summer.
Tell us about your other books?
The Walker on the Cape (Book 1 in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series)
A man's body is found in a small fishing community on the East Coast. First everyone thinks it's a heart attack or stroke but then it's discovered that he was poisoned. Who would do this and why? Finding that out falls to Winston Windflower and his side-kick Eddie Tizzard. Along the way they discover there are many more secrets hidden in this small community and powerful people who want to keep it that way.
The Body on the T (Book 2 in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series)
Sgt. Winston Windflower is enjoying an idyllic life in the small town of Grand Bank, Newfoundland when a mysterious and very dead body washes up on a nearby beach. Follow along with Windflower and his team as he tries to solve this mystery and uncovers a whole lot more lurking under the fog on the southeast coast off Atlantic Canada. Windflower is the ultimate outsider, an RCMP officer and a Cree from northern Alberta, yet he feels right at home with the rich culture, food and history of this part of the world. But his world is shaken by a series of events that threaten his new-found happiness. And it all starts with the discovery of The Body on the T.
Beneath the Surface (Book 3 in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series)
Sgt. Windflower is back!!! This time he faces down an international crime syndicate. Murder, mayhem and the Russian Mafia. In Newfoundland????
Windflower is joined again by his trusted ally Eddie Tizzard, his rock-steady girl, Sheila, and a cast of supporters from the new Mayor to an old Crown Attorney. Together they fight the bad guys, at home and abroad. Windflower has to take on modern challenges like sexual harassment while re-discovering his roots and inner strength.
Along the way we find out about the history of Wabana, a Beothuk name for, Garnish where the timber for the great Grand Bank Schooners was harvested, and
And food. Breakfast, lunch and especially dinner is always an adventure for Windflower. Braised rabbits, apple-honey pork chops, stuffed sole and Baked Alaska with a Newfoundland twist.
If you could share one thing about yourself that you would like readers to know what would it be?
I think I would say that I am grateful to have the opportunity to write. I am grateful that I can write and other people will actually read what I write. I would like to give away all my books to anyone who promised to read them and pass them along. That would be enough.
Mike, thank you for an awesome interview which I know will give our readers a greater insight into the man behind the Sgt Windflower Mysteries.
Where can we buy A Twist of Fortune?
A Twist of Fortune is available worldwide at the following distributors:
Amazon US Kindle
Amazon US Paperback
Barnes & Noble
Booklocker
Books A Million
iTunes
Kobo
If you enjoyed this interview be sure to tweet or share the link on Facebook or Twitter.
Thank you for reading,
Sarah Jane
Mike Martin was born in Newfoundland on the East Coast of Canada and now lives and works in Ottawa, Ontario. He is a longtime freelance writer and his articles and essays have appeared in newspapers, magazines and online across Canada as well as in the United States and New Zealand. He is the author of "Change the Things You Can: Dealing with Difficult People and has written a number of short stories that have published in various publications including Canadian Stories and Downhome magazine.
The Walker on the Cape was his first full fiction book and the premiere of the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series. The Body on the T was the second book, Beneath the Surface is the third installment and A Twist of Fortune is the newest book in the series.
He is a member of Ottawa Independent Writers, Capital Crime Writers, the Crime Writers of Canada and the Newfoundland Writers’ Guild.
Welcome to Rukia Publishing Mike and thank you for taking part in our Meet the Author feature.
How long have you been a writer and how did you come to writing?
For as long as I can remember I wanted to be a writer. I just didn’t know how to go about doing that. It didn’t seem a viable career option when I was young so I tried to find jobs that had an element of writing. That included correspondence and policy writing and later led to both speechwriting and editorial positions. But none of that satisfied my writing itch. Finally, one day I told my partner that I wanted to be a writer. In fact I told her I had decided that I was a writer.
Then I wrote a short piece that got picked up by a magazine for $25.00 and the rest as they say is history. Except for nearly starving to death as I tried to carve out a career as a freelance writer. But I kept at it and over a period of time I did manage to eke out an existence. I have published thousands of articles in print and online since that time but I also remember the early days when I wrote for nearly nothing and got 10 rejections for every acceptance.
What are the best and the worst aspects of writing?
My favorite thing about writing is almost everything. I love the feel of connecting to the creative current and I love writing the beginning, the middle and the end of a book. The beginning is great because you get the feeling that you starting a great adventure, the middle is where you have fun and explore the themes and characters that emerge. And the end of a book is so satisfying, although you never really know if it’s the end, or if there just might be another chapter.
My least favorite thing is probably the editing and rewriting. Ten, twelve or twenty edits later it gets to be a bit much. You just want it to be over.
What inspires you to write?
I think that I am most inspired by nature and natural surroundings, especially the ocean. Maybe that’s why there’s a shot of the Atlantic Ocean on the cover of every Sgt. Windflower book.
Who or what has had the greatest influence on your writing and why?
I think that having 3 older sisters, two of whom went on to be teachers were a great inspiration to be a reader. And if you want to be a writer you have to read, a lot. So I can remember reading from a very young age and I was encouraged by my sisters to read everything, so I did. At first it was Hardy Boys, kids’ stuff but soon after it was Dickens and some of the older books that they were reading. I would read the back of the cereal box at breakfast. Still do, as a matter of fact.
How did you come up with your stories?
I don’t think I come up with the stories at all. I think they are already there and I just tap into the creative flow. I usually have an image of some sort that is often the beginning of the story and then the characters show up and tell the story. I just write it down. I do add a few local details and some of the history and culture but it’s like I plan the menu after the grocery shopping has been done.
How much real life goes into a fiction writing?
All writers put a bit of themselves and their own stories into fiction. Not the details of crime and punishment perhaps, but it’s difficult to write 80-100,000 words and not have some of your life and personality creep in. Sometimes you do it purpose, because you want to make a point and at other times you only realize that you’ve done it when someone else points it out.
Can you tell us a little about A Twist of Fortune, and as it is the 4th installment of Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series, can it be read as a standalone book?
A Twist of Fortune happens in chronological order from the first 3 books but can certainly stand on its own. There are some references to previous events but only to bring the reader and the current situation into a clearer focus.
This book takes place during a particularly difficult winter and that brings new challenges to Sgt. Windflower and his team. There are also challenges in both his personal life and the community which is facing the loss of its major industry. Through all of this Windflower manages to try and extract the most joy possible out of life, including his continuing love affair with the local cuisine, any cuisine for that matter. And there is a new major character in A Twist of Fortune, a four-legged one. You’ll have to read the book to find out more.
Who would you cast to play the main characters in your books if they were made into a movie or television series?
That’s an interesting question because the Sgt. Windflower Mysteries have been optioned for T.V. I am currently working with a producer to come up with a package for potential funders so that’s pretty exciting. Not at the lead role yet, though. Stay tuned.
That is so exciting, please keep us updated on how that progresses.
Do you have a writing schedule? How often do you write?
I write a lot but find that I write best in the early morning so I try and protect that time as much as possible. When I am writing a book, like A Twist of Fortune, I will often write to a word count, start early in the morning and then fill in my quota throughout the day and even at night.
What does your perfect writing environment look like?
I like quiet and a desk, but other than that I am okay to write just about anywhere. I do find it difficult to write in coffee shops, maybe it’s the caffeine that’s rushing around. But a good place to write is in a shopping mall food court, outside of lunch time, of course.
How do you balance marketing one book and writing the next?
Each book deserves its own time in the sun, so I make sure that I focus on advertising and promoting my current book before I start a new one. That usually means I am writing through the fall and winter, editing in the spring and promoting through the summer. Although I am always writing, articles, projects, blog posts. Just not writing books.
Who is your target audience?
Like any writer I would like to think that my work is accessible to everyone, but the reality is that you would have to like light and fun reading to really appreciate the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series. I think that people who like a good story set in an interesting part of the world where the good guys almost always and almost inevitably win would be my target audience.
How do you engage your readers?
I have created a blog for each book in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series that with the publication of A Twist of Fortune I have now rolled up into one website at www.sgtwindflowermysteries.com
I also have a Facebook page at _https://www.facebook.com/TheWalkerOnTheCapeReviewsAndMore?ref=hl
And my Twitter handle is _ @mike54martin
For each book I also do a separate promo plan that involves online promotion through guest blogs and author interviews as well some real world events like book signings and book fairs.
What marketing tools do you utilize and how do you rate their effectiveness?
Somebody said that if all our social media followers bought our books we’d all be on the New York Times best sellers list. To me Facebook is the best vehicle because the people who actually buy my books tend to skew older and female. Just my kind of people by the way. Twitter seems like dropping random hooks in the water and waiting for the fish to bite while I am not using Instagram or anything else.
What is your advice to new writers?
I had no idea of where to even begin writing a novel so I did what was suggested to me, which I offer as advice to all aspiring writers: Read about how other writers did it. One book that really helped was Stephen King’s “On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft” and in this book and others I learned that the way to write a novel was to start and then to keep at it until it was finished. It didn’t matter about the weather, or money, or the economy, or relationships, or even family or sickness or anything. If you want to write a book, you just get up every day and you do it.
I agree 'On writing' by Stephen King is a great starting point. My copy, which is well read, sits on my desk and has multiple coloured s page markers for referencing.
Who are your favourite authors and what book are you currently reading?
My favourite authors are Charles Dickens and JRR Tolkien. Dickens because he wrote about his times with humour and a social conscience. Tolkien because as everyone in the world now knows, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings are some of the best fiction books every written. Because I’m a mystery writer I also like Agatha Christie, who doesn’t? And some modern writers like Ian Rankin, Donna Leon and Elizabeth George. Each of these authors is a master and I would and do read their books over and over. To me that it the test of a great author, that you want to re-read them in different parts of your life.
What are you reading now?
I just finished Stephen King’s Revival and am reading Colm Toibin’s Nora Webster, along with a whole pile of junk that’s great for the summer.
Tell us about your other books?
The Walker on the Cape (Book 1 in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series)
A man's body is found in a small fishing community on the East Coast. First everyone thinks it's a heart attack or stroke but then it's discovered that he was poisoned. Who would do this and why? Finding that out falls to Winston Windflower and his side-kick Eddie Tizzard. Along the way they discover there are many more secrets hidden in this small community and powerful people who want to keep it that way.
The Body on the T (Book 2 in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series)
Sgt. Winston Windflower is enjoying an idyllic life in the small town of Grand Bank, Newfoundland when a mysterious and very dead body washes up on a nearby beach. Follow along with Windflower and his team as he tries to solve this mystery and uncovers a whole lot more lurking under the fog on the southeast coast off Atlantic Canada. Windflower is the ultimate outsider, an RCMP officer and a Cree from northern Alberta, yet he feels right at home with the rich culture, food and history of this part of the world. But his world is shaken by a series of events that threaten his new-found happiness. And it all starts with the discovery of The Body on the T.
Beneath the Surface (Book 3 in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series)
Sgt. Windflower is back!!! This time he faces down an international crime syndicate. Murder, mayhem and the Russian Mafia. In Newfoundland????
Windflower is joined again by his trusted ally Eddie Tizzard, his rock-steady girl, Sheila, and a cast of supporters from the new Mayor to an old Crown Attorney. Together they fight the bad guys, at home and abroad. Windflower has to take on modern challenges like sexual harassment while re-discovering his roots and inner strength.
Along the way we find out about the history of Wabana, a Beothuk name for, Garnish where the timber for the great Grand Bank Schooners was harvested, and
And food. Breakfast, lunch and especially dinner is always an adventure for Windflower. Braised rabbits, apple-honey pork chops, stuffed sole and Baked Alaska with a Newfoundland twist.
If you could share one thing about yourself that you would like readers to know what would it be?
I think I would say that I am grateful to have the opportunity to write. I am grateful that I can write and other people will actually read what I write. I would like to give away all my books to anyone who promised to read them and pass them along. That would be enough.
Mike, thank you for an awesome interview which I know will give our readers a greater insight into the man behind the Sgt Windflower Mysteries.
Where can we buy A Twist of Fortune?
A Twist of Fortune is available worldwide at the following distributors:
Amazon US Kindle
Amazon US Paperback
Barnes & Noble
Booklocker
Books A Million
iTunes
Kobo
If you enjoyed this interview be sure to tweet or share the link on Facebook or Twitter.
Thank you for reading,
Sarah Jane