D. Othniel Forte of Kwee, Liberian Literary Magazine, interviewed me about
my writing and my novel Liberia’s Deadest Ends. Here is the full interview:
Liberian Literary Magazine
Promoting Liberian literature,
Arts and Culture
February Issue 0216
Author Interview 2
Spotlight Author
MARTINA NICOLLS
Liberian Literary Magazine
conducted an interview with
Martina Nicolls, an aid consultant who has worked
in several troubled spots.
LLM: First, we would like to
thank you for granting this interview. Let us kick off this interview with you
telling us a little about yourself....
I was born in the
countryside of England and my parents migrated to Australia when I was two
years old. I was the second of six children. My schooling was all in South
Australia. At university I graduated in mathematics and education, but I also
studied English literature, Australian literature, German literature, French
literature, and Russian literature. I was a schoolteacher (primary, secondary,
and special education) and I worked in vocational training units of the
Education Department before working in universities in Australia. For more than 15
years I have been working as a humanitarian and aid development worker in
developing countries.
Why writing?
I was always
reading as a child, and I have never stopped. Words and the construction of
sentences fascinated me, and I was always amazed at how words could have
multiple meanings. Professionally my writing was non-fiction, but when I
started working overseas my friends wanted to know more about the places and
cultures, so they encouraged me to write about my experiences from a fictional
perspective. I started writing my first book in 2005.
What books have most
influenced your life/career most?
Travelogues, biographies,
and autobiographies have influenced my work and my writing, because the people
I read about are strong, courageous, adventurous, and determined problem solvers
in spite of many challenges. Books that span
many genres and cultures are of interest to me and shape my own writing.
How do you approach your work?
With my fictional
stories about different countries, I start by research and planning the outline
of my book. I conjure up characters and generally organize my work in
historical periods or themes. I write when I can, in between my mainstream
employment, sometimes for long stretches of time and sometimes only in the
evening. I always write down ideas too, as I think of them. I edit a lot – and in
fact I seem to do more editing than creating.
What themes do you find
yourself continuously exploring in your work?
The themes I
continually explore in my writing include individuality, friendship,
solidarity, charity, truth, conflict, peace, family relationships, patience,
transformation, purposeful work, life challenges, and life solutions.
Tell us a little about your
book[s]- storyline, characters, themes, inspiration etc.
I have written a
fictional story, called Bardot’s Comet, about a female mathematician in the
1960s. My other fictional books are about countries where I have worked, such
as The Sudan Curse, Kashmir on a Knife-Edge, Liberia’s Deadest Ends, and The
Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament.
Liberia’s Deadest Ends is set in Liberia
from 2004 to 2012 after the declaration of peace, as the country recovered
economically and psychologically through stabilization programs, truth and reconciliation,
and community development. Hence the characters are based on real events and
situations over the many times I visited Liberia and worked there.
For me, the book is
about the end of the ‘deadest ends’ (a term that the writer Graham Greene used
when describing Liberia) and the beginning of its rebirth, recovery, and
reconciliation. I love hippos so I also added the theme of Liberia’s
hippopotamus population returning to its homeland when peace was restored. I even
have a giant wooden carving of a hippopotamus in my home.
What inspired you to write
this title or how did you come up with the storyline?
The title
‘Liberia’s Deadest Ends’ is a reference to the Graham Greene novel, Journey
Without Maps (1936) about his travels in West Africa. When I started my
research, and told people that I was writing about my work in Liberia, they would
quote this phrase. It was a starting point in the novel, representing the past
that is behind the country and the peaceful future that lies ahead.
Is there a message in your
book that you want your readers to grasp?
I think there is a
message in the Liberian book for readers around the world to take courage from
challenging situations, no matter how impossible they seem, even if they seem to
go on endlessly. There is an end to hardship – ‘this too will pass’ is a phrase
I use often. Conflict will end and peace will endure. Liberians have learned
this through extreme suffering, but they have endured and shown extreme
resilience through faith, solidarity, love, family, friendships, trust, truth
and reconciliation. In misfortune, loss, and in tragedy, people find their own
strength, their own truth, their own inner sense of peace and comfort, by
reaching within or by reaching out.
Is there anything else you
would like readers to know about your book?
Life is a long journey.
And as Graham Greene’s title says, it is a journey without maps. There are
u-turns, wrong turns, misguided turns, intentional distractions, unintended
side trips, sudden disasters, unplanned godsends, a myriad of challenges, and
even dead ends. By stopping, slowing down, breathing, and being grateful for everyday
life experiences, we can take each step forward on a peaceful and meaningful
course.
Do you have any advice for
other writers?
Writing is usually
a solitary experience and one of concentration and determination. Write with at
least one person in mind, and don’t worry whether the rest of the world
appreciates your work or not. If you write with passion, from the heart, there will
be an audience.
For practical advice
I think writers should be readers. Read, read, and read some more. I read books
from authors of various nationalities, experiences, and ages, because every
author is unique with their own interpretations of their lives. Reading gives a
writer a whole larder of techniques, styles, character definitions, genres, and
plots to draw inspiration and energy from.
I also believe that
nature is a source of inspiration, because it emits peace and creativity.
Culture is also inspirational for me - all arts, such as music, writing, drama,
dance, poetry, and painting. I surround
myself
with wonderful
people, invigorating nature, and
beautiful art for happiness,
contentment, inspiration, and creativity.
What book[s] are you reading
now? Or recently read?
I am currently
reading Max Tegmark’s ‘Our Mathematical Universe: My Quest for the Ultimate Nature
of Reality’ because I love books on mathematics and science. I am also
currently reading Charles Timoney’s ‘An Englishman Abroad: Discovering France
in a Rowing Boat’ because I love travel stories and adventures.
Tell us your latest news,
promotions, book tours, launch etc.
I have recently released
my new publication, The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament, which I am
promoting and publicising.
What are your current projects?
The beginning of
the year is a time for me to plan my future consultancies in aid development
around the world. I have also conceptualized a new book, although I have not
started writing yet – I am in the research phase, so it is too early to reveal
it. I can say that it is not related to a country. I am also working on my
blog, Feast or Famine, which I try to update every day with news, articles, and
photography.
Have you read book[s] by [a]
Liberian author[s] or about Liberia?
I have read quite a
few works of Liberian poetry and songs, such as Bai T. Moore’s poetry anthology
called Ebony Dust, and contemporary poets, as well as Bai T. Moore’s novella
Murder in the Cassava Patch.
Any last words?
May 2016 be a
special year for everyone, transforming dreams into reality.
Liberia's Deadest
Ends is a novel based on fact. It is about trust and truth: what or whom to
trust, and when. Truth in Liberia during the civil war had become distorted,
embellished, abandoned, and abused out of bravado, fear, shame, or
self-protection. No one seemed to know the difference between truth and rumor
anymore. The novel is set in Liberia from 2004 to 2012, after the declaration
of peace and the end of two protracted and bloody civil wars: December
1989-1997 and 1999-2003. The country is recovering economically and mentally
through government stabilization and services; recording Truth and
Reconciliation statements of human rights violations; and the criminal trial of
former president, Charles Taylor. Jorja Himmermann, an international aid
worker, monitors the resurgence of education programs, peace building,
community development, child labor, and the protection of former child
soldiers. As the country's past truths are revealed, Jorja seeks her own
truths: of elusive pygmy hippos; the burns on her driver's body; the
extradition of her British friend; and her relationship with an enigmatic
Moroccan journalist. It reveals whom Jorja can really trust.
Martina Nicolls
writes from her own experiences as an independent aid worker in developing
countries, primarily in post-conflict countries and those with transitional or
emerging governments. She advises donor agencies, provides technical
assistance, and evaluates humanitarian and development programs. She lives in
Canberra, Australia. Publisher's Website: http://sbpra.com/Martina
Nicolls Author Websites: http://www.martinanicolls.net
and http://martinasblogs.blogspot.com
MARTINA NICOLLS is an international
aid and development consultant, and the author of:- The Shortness of
Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet
(2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).
Comments
Post a Comment