Isobel Blackthorn was born in London in 1962 and has spent much of her life in Australia. She's also lived in Spain and Lanzarote (Canary Islands). She's been a teacher, market trader, project manager and PA to a literary agent. She received her PhD in Social Ecology in 2006. She now lives on the far south coast of New South Wales, Australia, where she follows her passions for social justice, philosophy, current affairs, books and art.
Isobel is the author of a collection of short stories, All Because of You (Ginninderra Press), and the acclaimed novel, Asylum, and her latest release, The Drago Tree. Her writing has appeared in e-journals in Australia and the US.
Can you tell us a bit about you as
an author?
I
harboured a wish to be an author when I was just eleven years old. But I had no
self-confidence and no support. So I went off and got a degree, had kids,
became a high school teacher, then went on to do a PhD. After all that, in 2007
I got a job as PA to a literary agent. It was she who urged me to write
creatively. By then I was 45. After a shaky start and a lot of personal
upheaval I am now a dedicated author, brimming with stories.
What are the hardest part of being
an author?
Fiction
writing puts you in a shadow world, one in which the characters inhabiting you
are more real than ordinary reality. At first that’s the hardest part of being
a writer—making that happen, sustaining that reality. But as soon as the
publishing side of things starts to happen, things shift, and suddenly the life
of an author is all about marketing and public appearances and relentless
self-promotion. The co-existence of these two realities within one individual
is challenging.
What do you enjoy most about being
an author?
I
enjoy living with my characters, inhabiting the worlds conjured out of a few
little ideas. It’s a very private joy and one filled with uncertainty because I
have no idea if anyone else will like what I’ve written. When a reader comes
along and tells me how much they have enjoyed my writing, that private joy is
suddenly shared, and with it comes both relief and a sense that all that
slaving away really is worthwhile. That me, along with all the other authors
out there, really can tell a story. I think all the creative arts are like
this. There’s such a sense of doubt that pervades it all.
What authors/books have had an influence
on your writing?
Iain
Banks has had the biggest influence on my writing. I began with The Wasp Factory
back in the 1980s. What an imagination! Most of all, I appreciate the way he
doesn’t shy away from topics that are repellent. He creates really interesting
characters and carefully woven and twisted plot lines. His Sci Fi aside, he
hovered on the fringes of the genres, playing with them but never bending the
will of his muse to their strictures.
Do you ever get Writer’s Block? If
so, how do you deal with it? Do you believe there is such a thing?
No,
I don’t. I have waited far too long for this chance to devote myself to
writing. Life’s too short. I don’t waste a day. If I’m stuck on one thing, I
turn to something else.
Do you have a particular place that
you like to write?
I
compose my handwritten drafts on the living room couch. I’m either there, on
here at my desk. I cannot write anywhere else. Consequently, I don’t like going
out.
Do you have a favourite time of day
to write?
I
find the mornings are best. And late afternoon. I’m too tired in the evenings
and just want to switch off.
How do you like to reach your
readers? (Social media? Book signings? Blogs etc)
I
am always on social media. I’m a blogger and big on Facebook. When I have a new
release I like to go out and reach as many of my existing readers as I can. And
new ones! Because I’m currently living in Australia, this can mean travelling
big distances too.
Can you tell us about your latest
book? (is it part of a series, genre)
A
Perfect Square is a literary mystery/thriller. It’s written from three points
of view but the protagonist is pianist, Ginny Smith. She’s just returned to
live with her mother in the Dandenong Ranges east of Melbourne. Having just
left her boyfriend, she’s not in a good space, and her mother, eccentric
artist, Harriet, is desperate to cheer her up. So she suggests they collaborate
on an exhibition of paintings and music. Ginny is plagued with questions as to
the whereabouts of her father, whom she hasn’t seen since she was seven.
There’s a parallel narrative, set in Exeter, in which another mother is wracked
with concern for her daughter.
The
story behind A Perfect Square is special for me personally, since it is based
on ideas contained in my PhD and on my daughter’s Honours thesis in Music.
Elizabeth Blackthorn has composed the music to go with the book, and there’s a
link to that music included in the front pages. That said, the story is not
highbrow or pretentious. But there’s a message in there, one I think needs to
be told and told and told.
How long did it take you to write
the book?
This
book took me a little over a year to complete. For me, this is fast. The story
poured out of me. And there were parts of it that were already written from a
previous work.
Do you have a favourite
character/topic in your work?
My
favourite character is Harriet Brassington-Smythe. She’s straight out of
Absolutely Fabulous. That’s how she appears to me. I had so much fun working
with her.
What was your process? Did you plot
out the entire book, or just let the storyline flow? Do you write in chronological order?
I
began with a few scraps of ideas. I knew what the themes would be and I had the
characters and a very basic idea of the plot. After that I let the story flow.
Before long the story took over and I was no longer in the lead. The story
jumps around in time. Some readers don’t like that, but I found it necessary.
It was the way the story needed to be told.
Do you have plans for further
instalments?
This
story is a one off. I cannot imagine I’d take it further. Although I suspect
there is another story that could evolve. But I’m not sure I’m ready to go
there just yet. Maybe ten years from now.
Do you have a plan for your next
book?
I’m
currently at work on a cosy crime series set on Lanzarote. The series is based
on characters whom first appeared in an earlier work, The Drago Tree, which was
released last year.
Ebooks vs Physical books? Do you
have a preference when reading?
I
used to be a stickler for paperbacks. Now, I don’t mind.
Self-publishing vs traditional
publishing? What are your thoughts? Do you feel that the industry is changing?
The
most exciting thing happening in publishing today is the rise of small presses.
I think traditional publishing has become too big, too corporate, too profit
driven. They are interested in what is marketable, what sells. Small presses
will take a chance on originality, on literary works that may not be so
profitable, on emerging authors rather than big names. Print on Demand services
are now opening up big possibilities for small presses, who no longer need the
capital for print runs. I think PoD challengers the distributors and
booksellers who between them currently take the lion’s share of the price of a
book. I predict that Print on Demand is going to revolutionise the book
industry.
And finally, what advice would you
give to aspiring authors?
My
advice to aspiring authors is simple: write. Write every single day. Don’t just
surround yourself with your favourite authors, seek out writers whose works are
challenging, who write in different styles and voices. Study the works of
others, for structure, syntax, voice, and techniques for writing dialogue,
description, action and reflection. It takes between 5 to 10 years to get good
at writing. So don’t give up.
Thank you so much for dropping by. Good luck with your new release, A Perfect Square.
Where can readers visit your work?
Website: https://isobelblackthorn.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Lovesick.Isobel.Blackthorn/
Twitter:
@IBlackthorn
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Isobel-Blackthorn/e/B005JGLS74
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5768657.Isobel_Blackthorn
Thanks again to Isobel for today's interview,
If you'd like to be a featured writer, filmmaker or the like, please drop me a line. Please don't forget to also subscribe to keep in touch with the series.
Cheers,
Amanda
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