Today we talk about SHORT STORIES and a scattering of poems, a book by Martin Willoughby-Thomas published with our publishing house Europe Books.
Europe Books had the pleasure of interviewing the author Martin Willoughby-Thomas to get to know him better, the moment that brought him to the writing of his book SHORT STORIES and a scattering of poems, as well as the authors of the present and/or the past he takes as a model.
Below you can find our interview. Take a seat and enjoy your reading!!!
- What is the moment that brought you to the writing of your book?
There was no one moment. I have written stories and poems over many years but over the last two years I have participated in a writing group which has provided inspiration, motivation and writing topics. This has encouraged me to write new stories and poems and to revise previous work.
- What are the crucial themes of your book?
There are no crucial themes as such. I chose a topic. I reflect on it. I develop a context. I add humour and I develop an underlying message for the story or poem. As a result, I think that my stories and poems, cause the reader to pause, re-read and reflect and appreciate the humour and underlying theme.
- What is the message you want to communicate to your readers?
I have no one message to communicate to readers other than to enjoy the relative uniqueness and humour of the works.
- Which authors of the present and/or the past do you take as a model?
I do not take any authors as a model. I enjoy reading well written works set in other cultures such as the novels of Abdulrazak Gurnah, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Susan Abulhawa, Chinua Achebe and Khaled Hosseini. I am inspired and thrilled by the depth and richness of non-western existence and to some degree this inspires my writing.
- Are you working on a new writing project you can tell us about?
I am always writing new stories but I have to balance my time between periodic writing and my very demanding legal work centred on human rights and social justice.
Europe Books thanks the author Martin Willoughby-Thomas once again for taking the time and answering our questions. We are really pleased to have walked alongside him on the editorial path that led to the publication of his book SHORT STORIES and a scattering of poems. We wish him the best of luck for his book and for his future works.
To you, my dear reader, may this book capture your interest and engages you to the point of never wanting to close it.
So, my dear readers, all I have to say is to enjoy your reading!
Your Editor!