Author Interview: Justin Newland

BY AVELLINA BALESTRI

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background.

I live on the west coast of England, near the city of Bristol. At university, I studied mathematics and gained a Doctorate from Imperial College, London. It was during that time that I kept a diary and wrote – in longhand – my first novel.

What first inspired you to start writing?

I’ve always loved reading – I remember reading sea stories as a young boy. I read fiction from around the world, including plays, poetry, biographies and histories, ancient and modern. I’ve always loved research and exploration, visiting different countries, and wrote up various histories of my own. Putting these two passions together – for literature and history – it seemed a natural course to start writing novels.

How did you first become interested in history, and what are your favorite time periods?

I’ve always had a love of history, perhaps I inherited it from my father, who was a classicist himself. I remember reading Herodotus’ Histories, and loving the way he described the world in which he lived.

What started you on the journey of historical fiction writing in particular?

I decided to try to write about my passion for history by composing a novel set in the shadows of the Great Pyramid in Giza, Ancient Egypt.

What are your favorite and least favorite parts of working within the historical fiction genre?

My favorite is when, in researching a historical event, you discover some previously-unknown set of coincidences that gave rise to it. More generally, it’s in the joy of discovery.

The least is the sometimes-unwarranted criticism historical fiction authors get when they make some small error in their work, such as anachronism. It means that you can spend days simply researching the historical background of a single scene.

How have you chosen which historical characters to feature in your books, and what made their stories resonate with you?

I chose historical periods which are transitional, or turning moments, when what came after the period was substantially different to what came before it. Such as the 14^th Century, or the Industrial Revolution. I describe these periods as the nation or the people’s coming of age. This growing up is then mirrored in the character arc of the main protagonist, who is shown to be passing through his or her own coming of age.

What is your process in terms of research and bringing historical characters to life?

My process of research is wide-ranging. First, I try to go to the sources of the historical period. That is, the books, and novels, the poetry, the plays, written at the time the novel is set. Then I’ll read the modern historians. I’ll also go to museums holding artefacts from the period, or visit the country concerned if possible. I’ll even change the screen saver on my laptop to have an image redolent of the historical period.

What do you find more enjoyable/difficult: First drafts or editing/rewriting?

When I began writing, I enjoyed the process of developing the characters and plots, and hated the editing. Then I realized that I hated it because I wasn’t any good at it. I practiced. I joined FB Writing Groups, and beta-read other novelist’s work in progress. This I developed the art of editing, and now I’m learning about structural editing. So, now I enjoy both, first draft, and fifteenth draft.

How have you gone about publicizing yourself and your works?

I think there are two ways, in person and online. For in person, I do book signings and author talks. I’ve written several author talks based around the historical periods in which my novels are set. Then I sponsor blog tours of my books, one a month if I can. This promotes the interest online. Then I use social media, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

What are some of the main themes/morals you would like readers to take away from your works?

That history is alive, and affects us every day of our lives. You walk into a shop on the high street, it’s arrangement and design are set out according to some historical perspective about shopping. It’s the same with everything else. History not only repeats, it’s got indigestion.

What is some advice you would give aspiring authors, especially those focusing on the historical fiction genre?

The best advice is the oldest. There are two kinds of writers: those that give up and those that don’t.

Plug your socials, published works, and current projects!

Published novels:

The Genes of Isis (ISBN 9781789014860, Matador, 2018)

The Old Dragon’s Head (ISBN 9781789015829, Matador, 2018)

The Coronation (ISBN 9781838591885, Matador, 2019)

The Abdication (ISBN 9781800463950, Matador, 2021)

The Mark of the Salamander (ISBN 9781915853271, Book Guild, 2023). It’s the first in a two-book series, The Island of Angels.

The Midnight of Eights, the second in the series, is due to be published in late 2024.