Interview with Antony Millen

Antony is the reason I'm published. As a work colleague when he published his first novel it inspired me to write my own.

Tell us about your latest novel or project:

I recently completed the first draft of Novel #4 and am working out some issues with the ending before approaching publishers. It’s been almost two years since I last produced a novel, but I’ve kept busy with blogging and writing shorter pieces for journals like The Spinoff and The Pantograph Punch. I’m reading a book to review for The Pantograph Punch at the moment.

What got you started writing?

I’ve always written sporadically in journals – poetry mainly, none of it very good. I admire novelists and, especially after completing my English degree, wanted to engage in the conversation, so-to-speak. Starting with the maxim, “write what you know”, I developed the idea for Redeeming Brother Murrihy way back in 1999. It took me a while to realise the dream …

What challenges did you face when you first started writing?

The biggest challenge was the classic one of self-doubt. Whatever I wrote was never good enough, in part because I was comparing myself to the great novelists I had studied. Writing during NaNoWriMo helped with that. Another major challenge was making time but, even more so, to stop blaming others for my lack of time. It’s easy to blame family, work, and other commitments for not doing the thing you say you want to do. Once I held myself accountable instead of blaming others, I gained tremendous traction.

Do you ever get the opportunity to travel for your writing? Either to market or to research.

For Redeeming Brother Murrihy, I travelled to Jerusalem and Whanganui after I had completed the first draft. Google Earth had been my helper until then. That was a memorable trip. Other than that, I have attended events in Auckland, Whanganui, Palmerston North, and Ohakune. I wish I could have travelled the globe to research all the places included in The Chain!

Who in your life is your greatest cheerleader or support in your writing?

Well, you’re pretty great, Nix! Working with you and discussing books “on the side” is an inspiration. A.D. Thomas has read all my novel drafts and most of my short stories and essays, so he’s a regular supporter for sure.

Ah, that is sweet to say.

What is it like writing in New Zealand that would be different if you lived anywhere else?

I’m not 100% sure, though I do keep in touch with some writing friends back in Nova Scotia. In terms of marketing and those sorts of things, I think they’re dealing with the same things as we are. In terms of writing, I’d love to find out by picking up a residency overseas, to find out how my writing is affected by my immersion in another place, as all my writing is very much affected by place here in New Zealand.

Lol is that a hint to the competition runners?

Where do you get your ideas?

Is there anything about New Zealand that has inspired you to write?

I don’t know, really. For Te Kauhanga, I started with an abstract idea of “space” and our movement through it. That was fun. For most things, I pilfer from places, people, stories, and voices I see and hear.

Why do you think readers are fascinated by books written about New Zealand?

I wish they were more fascinated! I wrote my first two novels with a non-New Zealand audience in mind and would still love to reach more readers out there. I don’t know how fascinated readers are in general with stories about New Zealand.

Who is your favourite New Zealand author and why?

At times, it has been Maurice Shadbolt. I love John Steinbeck and Shadbolt’s Strangers and Journeys reminds me of East of Eden. These days I am focused on living writers: I loved Anna Smaiil’s The Chimes. Then there is Eleanor Catton, Fiona Kidman, Emily Perkins, Martin Edmond, A.D. Thomas, Nix Whittaker …

What advice would you give for other writers in New Zealand?

If you are keen to do it, get on with it. Be prepared to work hard, sacrifice sleep, set routines then work outside those routines, work to a word-count then work longer when it’s going well. Start small … it will snowball.

Do you get to network or meet up with other New Zealand authors?

I do quite a bit online, living in Taumarunui. I’ve been fortunate to network with some writers in Palmerston North, where my children live. Writing my Weekend Name Drop series for my blog was a great networking experience, as has been reviewing New Zealand books.

You certainly do better than me.

What was the first thing you did after your first book was published?

I should remember, but I can’t! I do remember the night (or early morning) when I completed the first draft of Redeeming Brother Murrihy. I don’t think I’ve had a feeling like that since.

Do you read your book reviews? How do you handle the good and the bad ones?

I sure do! I value all the comments in reviews. It is tricky to separate negative comments into ones that help and ones that I would argue against. But it’s all good. I’ve been really pleased with the reviews of my books, and they have encouraged me to keep going.

It seems like everything has Easter Eggs (surprise reference to your other work) do you have any Easter Eggs in your books?

Heaps! Not just in my novels, but between my short stories too. Easter Eggs are like allusions, right? I love allusions. So much meaning can be packed in to a tiny reference, even if I’m the only one who gets it!

How long does it take you to write a book? Do you have any secrets to productivity?

In the end, I drafted Redeeming Brother Murrihy in a couple of months, and repeated the feat with Te Kauhanga. I didn’t use NaNoWriMo for The Chain and, after hitting a wall, left it for three months. I managed to repeat that feat for my current draft, only the break was even longer! I don’t have any secrets, but I have found that writing daily to a word count, either late at night or early in the morning, has worked for me.

Where did you get the idea for your latest book?

For my current manuscript, I was inspired to write a Kiwi version of the film Into the Wild. However, the story has evolved into something more unique, while still retaining thematic elements.

Do you have any writing rituals?

For drafting novels, yes. For all else, not really.

What is your best experience meeting a fan? What’s a “fan”?

I did meet a bright young fellow at an event in Palmerston North who, after hearing me read from The Chain, bought a copy. The next time I attended a similar event, the boy was there again. He told me he loved the book and asked if there was going to be a sequel. I told him, no, that I didn’t think I had a good idea for a sequel. Then he told me his idea for one, and it was brilliant!

Imagine if he wrote it as fanfic. I think I'd die if someone wrote fanfic for one of mine.

If any of your books was to be made into a film, which one would you pick and who would you have play the main characters?

I’ve been told by several people that Redeeming Brother Murrihy would make a good movie. The main character … a young Kiefer Sutherland.

How important do you think marketing is for authors today?

Yeah, I don’t know if it is important for authors to just “be an author”. That’s never been easier. But if you want to reach an audience, prepare for more hard work in this area as well.

Do you have any book you have written that won’t ever see the light of day and why?

Not unless you count The Tools and The Scabs, a story I wrote on the bus to school when I was fourteen … No, I try and make everything I write count for publication.

Many authors have a word or a phrase they automatically use too often. Do you have one?

“A bit”

What quirk or trope of your genre do you like or dislike?

I don’t know if I have a genre, really – general fiction, I suppose. I am interested in the heroic journey outlined by Joseph Campbell. Steven Pressfield does a great job of explaining this in Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t.

Often writers get to approach some serious subjects. Which serious subject are you most proud to have written about or was the hardest to write about?

At the heart of all my writing is the idea of mystery, the idea that there is more going on than we perceive, whether that’s perception by our physical senses, our interpretations of people’s motives, etc. Call it The Matrix, call it spirituality, call it Big Brother, call it he said/she said … it’s tricky to write about, but good fun, and it’s the way I like to challenge and inspire myself and my readers.

Thank you for sharing a bit of your story with us.