Interview: Natasha Mostert

Following the review of “Season of the Witch”, the talented Mrs Mostert graciously accepted Bookie Monster’s offer of an interview. Thankfully her friendly attitude made this potentially nerve-wracking experience really enjoyable. The following is the sum of our web-conversation. ~~~ I'm a bit confused Natasha—you said “Season of the Witch” was being filed in the Horror section of several bookshops? What genre would you class it as? That is a good question. My books straddle many genres. Crimesquad.com recently chose me as Author of the Month and those guys usually deal in hardboiled detective stories featuring private investigators and forensic pathologists. But the SF crowd tend to see my work as belonging to their neck of the woods—and it is true that there are fantasy and SF elements in almost all my stories. Every one of my books has a love story at its heart and readers who like a dash of romance seem to find my novels of interest as well. I'd probably class myself simply as a mystery writer. I know you've recently been kissed by Stephen King—what did it feel like, and who else is on your “hit list”? He kissed me on the cheek, the dear man, and I was absolutely thrilled. I felt like a rock star groupie who got noticed! Seriously, he is a master storyteller and his use of language always takes my breath away. I started reading his books when I was a young girl and even after all these years, his writing still captivates me. Next on my hit list—hmm… Let's see. Probably Neil Gaiman, another author who knows how to spin a tale. He has an outsized imagination, a wonderful way with words and great hair! :) What has led you to write about the supernatural, parapsychology etc? If you were to write in a genre other than this one, what would it be? I grew up in Africa, an environment where magic is very much a part of every-day reality. My nanny was a Zulu woman who was training to become an isangoma (witch doctor) and she sharpened my interest in mysticism and the paranormal. She made me aware of all those little things that cannot be readily explained—but that hint at wonderful things hiding behind the dusty curtain of our mundane existence. When I was thirteen, I read an article in a magazine about people receiving phone calls from relatives who were no longer alive. I remember thinking that receiving such a call would frighten me a great deal more than seeing a ghost. Many years later when I sat down to write my first book, I thought this would make a great story...a late night phone call from a beautiful woman who had died mysteriously... If I wrote in a different genre, I would write comedy! I know readers who are familiar with my work would find this difficult to believe because my stories are quite dark and the endings quietly chilling. But I have a very highly developed sense of the absurd. Humour is what keeps us sane. Is that so? What comedies really tickle you then? Do you think TV and Film are more effective vehicles for humour than books? I usually do not enjoy physical comedy that much although I confess to loving Mr. Bean. I enjoy The Office and Everybody Loves Raymond. But humour in prose is what pushes my buttons. The funniest book I've ever read is Auberon Waugh's "Will this Do?" It is shameless and wicked and altogether wonderful. What do you find is the most enjoyable part of the writing experience? Has the writing become any easier since your first book was published? The fun part of writing lies in creating the characters. I know I'll be spending six to eight hours every day in their company so they need to be quirky and interesting! In “Season of the Witch” I very much enjoyed creating my two witches. But it was also a challenging task because they had to stay enigmatic and ultimately unknowable. Much of the suspense in the book lies in identifying who the killer is, so I had to be careful not to reveal too much. As for my hero—well, I tend to fall in love with all my leading men but Gabriel has a special place in my heart. Arrogant, flawed but so sexy... Has writing become easier over time? Yes and no. On the one hand, I now have the experience not to write myself into a corner. On the other, my books are getting more ambitious so the challenges are greater. So do you treat your writing as a “9-5” job, or do you allow yourself a looser routine? I am not a serendipitous writer. For me, it is all about discipline and I write between six and eight hours five days a week. I envy writers who only write when they feel inspired but if I should wait until the muse speaks to me, I'll never get anything done. A number of writers say their characters are based from a certain aspect of themselves—do you think that applies to any of your characters? No, but wouldn't it be nice to be as brilliant, daring and beautiful as my witches? I probably do live vicariously through my characters. Instead of this dull person who stares at her computer screen every day, I get to bungee jump, dabble in witchcraft and pose in the nude... And finally, Natasha, if you had one dish named after yourself, what would it be? Devil's Cake. But that's wishful thinking again. I probably do not rate more than a bland custard flan. ~~~ And with that, it was all over. If you want to find out more about Natasha Mostert or her works, visit her official website, located HERE. If you venture a couple of pages in, you will find the memory game—a highly addictive and well-produced miniature of the Memory Palace. There are prizes to be won, but only until May 31st! So hurry!