I'm not sure why I'm drawn to this kind of history, but I find it a rich field to work in.
What will your next book be about?
Genghis Khan. I have been working on this book for two years, on and off. Research is all part of the fun and includes biographies of Genghis Khan, Secret History of the Mongols, Chinese horoscopes, and Mongolian poetry. I think there will be some poetry in the book. The idea came out of a collage I made when I was wondering what to write after I am the Great Horse. I ripped up some magazines, stuck down pictures and words that appealed to me, and ended up with a sheet of images that, to my total surprise, suggested Genghis Khan ... a worthy successor to Alexander!
What would you say has been your most significant achievement as a writer?
Keeping going. It takes dedication and self-belief to keep writing and sending out work during periods when there is little encouragement or money coming in. I have won awards for my work, which is always nice because it means someone has recognized what you've done, but the real achievement is always sitting down at the blank page to write the next story.
How did you get there?
By remembering what Gandhi said: that whatever I do will be insignificant, but it is very important that I do it.
What does this mean to you personally?
Writing what I feel needs writing and following my heart, however insignificant my book might be once it is done. Not giving in to the demand for "commercial" books. Putting truth above fashion.
Article comments
1 - Natalie Bennett
This article has been selected for syndication to Advance.net, which is affiliated with newspapers around the United States. Nice work!