Interview with Naomi Aoki
Thank you Naomi for this interview.
Tell us about your latest novel:
Dangerous Lessons: Book One, The Yakuza and the English Teacher.
Jamie is a NZ university graduate who has chosen to go to Japan to teach English. He already has knowledge of the language and interest in the culture. What he doesn’t expect is to fall in love, nor for that person to be the most powerful -dangerous- man in Kyoto. He must decide whether he can live with who, what Gou is or to leave Japan. But, does he have a choice?
What got you started writing?
I’ve always wanted to write since I was sixteen, just didn’t know what and it fell to the wayside. Returning to university to study Chinese and Japanese, I took creative writing papers as well and remembered how much I enjoyed it. Discovering LGBT themed romances, I realised this was what I wanted to write – that I could write it.
What challenges did you face when you first started writing?
Managing to world build and create complex characters. I tried my hand at fanfiction and it allowed me to work on each part of the narrative until I was more confident to work on my completely original stories.
Do you ever get the opportunity to travel for your writing? Either to market or to research.
Before I started on my original works I was lucky to go to Japan with my son’s high school Japanese class for three weeks. My only regret is not taking more pictures. It was beneficial as my stories are set in Japan and China – Contemporary and Historical.
Who in your life is your greatest cheerleader or support in your writing?
A fellow writer who I met when I daughters did gymnastics together. Also, my kids and my parents have been supportive.
What is it like writing in New Zealand that would be different if you lived anywhere else?
Being a writer of LGBT Romances, it feels more isolating with most of the writing support groups and in-person chances for marketing all happen in America. But the internet is wonderful and sometimes the distance disappears.
Where do you get your ideas? Is there anything about New Zealand that has inspired you to write?
I write about stories set in Japan and China, with inspiration coming from parts of history that I would love to explore and just random ideas that pop into my head while I’m doing mundane tasks like hanging out the washing. I do like to write angst driven plots, looking at the darker side of the world and challenging stereotypes.
Do you get to network or meet up with other New Zealand authors?
I network with other writers online through RWNZ Facebook group and a New Zealand Rainbow Writers group, also on Facebook. I also have a local writers group that I attend and went to a RWNZ Conference last year.
What was the first thing you did after your first book was published?
Messaged my writer friend and told her I had clicked ‘publish’ on Draft2Digital.
It seems like everything has Easter Eggs (surprise reference to your other work) do you have any Easter Eggs in your books?
Yes. In the second book of The Yakuza and the English Teacher series – Dangerous Love, there is a reference made to one of my favourite sports anime.
How long does it take you to write a book? Do you have any secrets to productivity?
I can knock out the first draft of a book and two rewrites (for a contemporary 60k novel) in about 12 weeks. I handwrite my first two drafts, so by the time I type up the third draft I’ll be starting the first draft of another. Sometimes for a novel, I can be doing all three stages, starting the second/third rewrite when I reach a certain point in the story. It works for me as it helps to tighten up the story and character arcs at all stages.
Where did you get the idea for your first or latest book?
For my current WIP, a historical set in China during the Boxer Rebellion, it was because I’d studied the conflict in a Chinese History paper and realised that it was a part of history that isn’t mentioned much because of its brevity and bookmarked by the Boer War and WWI. With my genre being LGBT Romance, I was also intrigued with the social history of China regarding Gender and Sexuality, comparative to that of Britain at the time.
How important do you think marketing is for authors today?
It is important with the increasing number of choosing to bypass traditional publishers, for whatever reasons, and self-pub instead. It is challenging to do so when you start out and are trying to grab a share of the market.
Thank you so much for sharing your story with us and good luck with your current project.
