FSFF: Hi Nikki. How’s it going? How have the last few years of global pandemic insanity followed by some kind of return to normal been treating you?
Nikki Brooke: Hi Mike, great question. It has certainly changed my life quite a bit, and surprisingly for the better. With the increase of working from home, it has given me significantly more time to spend on writing which is my true passion. Plus, it gave me lots of ideas for my book, Plagued Lands. Now, don’t get me wrong, Plagued Lands is not actually inspired by the global pandemic, despite appearances. The concept of a dystopian world where cities are surrounded by glass bubbles promising safety from deadly diseases was one I came up with long before 2020. It was running circles in my mind for years before I put pen to paper. But once the pandemic started, it felt like a sign that I had to write this book. Plus I got amazing real life ideas that I could include in the book, like lockdowns, using hand sanitizer constantly, and all the colourful face masks. And I’ve ended up with a book I’m really proud of and one that many people can relate to.
FSFF: Im glad the time was able to give you some inspiration. It didn’t effect me much, in the sense that I’ve worked at home for as long as I can remember, but my wife did decide to continue working from home once it ended. As an introvert I sometimes appreciated the slowest pace of life and ability to connect more with nature and my family. Of course I know many people who were very negatively affected and I empathize greatly.
NB: Yes, it is so sad the losses that occurred and the struggles people are still dealing with. I think a lot of the themes in Plagued Lands touches on some of those struggles which makes it all the more relevant right now.
FSFF: With that said, I’d like to talk about your writing but let’s start with a fun question. If you could have a drink with any author, living or dead, who would it be and why?
NB: Haha, my favourite books are modern, so the authors are still alive. I’d love to sit down with Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff, the authors of the Illuminae Files series. Those books were so much fun, I wish I’d written them myself. And both authors seem like awesome people, who can have a laugh, and also have a wealth of knowledge. It sounds like it could be a very fun evening with them. Also, I believe they play D&D and I’ve always wanted to learn.
FSFF: Jay Kristoff is a really unique writer. For me I’d say James Joyce as my biggest influence of all time would be a cool conversation. He inspired so many of the great stream of consciousness abstract writers like David Foster Wallace and Chuck Palahniuk and also inspired some of my favorite satirists like Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett.
Let’s start at the beginning. When did you know you wanted to write professionally? and describe the journey that led to your first soon to be published novel.
NB: I’ve wanted to be an author for most of my life, but I was hindered by negative and limiting beliefs which I had to overcome to get to where I am today.
I’ve wanted to tell stories since I was 8 years old, but I was too embarrassed to tell people because I was a very slow reader and I thought people would think it was ridiculous. I’m still quite a slow reader, btw. I read “Bridge to Terabithia” around then, and bawled!! And then I was hooked to books. I was about 13 when I started telling people that writing was my dream. It made more sense then, because my head was always in a book. And I got my diploma in Professional Writing and Editing when I was 19.
But then I was hindered by negative limiting beliefs. It wasn’t conscious, but I didn’t believe that I could have any success as a writer, and even though I still felt this unrelenting pull to write stories, I did a lot of procrastination and had a lot of writers block due to this belief. The first novel I wrote took me 17 years to finish, and it’s still not good enough to publish.
Then, I met a life coach in 2019 who helped me to believe in myself and helped me to get rid of those limiting beliefs. I was more inspired and motivated than ever and the words started coming more freely. Even though I was dedicated before then, my dedication went to new levels with a new belief that I could make a difference with my writing and that people would actually want to read my words. She encouraged me and helped me to believe in myself and I wouldn’t be publishing my first novel now without that assistance.
FSFF: So tell our community all about Plague Lands and what makes it stand out from the rest? Why should it be their next purchase?
NB: Plagued Lands is interesting because it has a unique concept but not so farfetched that we can’t imagine it coming true, especially after the events of the pandemic. All the cities in this future are surrounded by glass bubbles, like a snow globe, and they’re supposed to provide protection from diseases. It was important for it to be called a “bubble” to reference the “boy in the bubble” and the idea of a sterile environment. It’s not actually sterile, but as close as this society can get a city with thousands of people living in it.
Of course, it has similarities to other dystopias and touches on themes you’ll find in The Hunger Games, The Last of Us, Silo, or Want, but it takes those in a new direction. Of course, there is a corrupt government, a rebellion, morality and ethical dilemmas, deceptions and hidden truths, which you’ll find in many of these stories. So if you like any of those stories, Plagued Lands will likely appeal to you.
It also has an amazing bisexual female main character. With bisexual erasure still so prevalent in our society, it was very important for me to have a bisexual character, even though this book is not about her sexuality. It shows that bisexuals can be the hero of any story.
It’s a book with diverse characters, a thought-provoking and relevant plot, intense action scenes, and heartbreak. So if that sounds interesting, then definitely needs to be put on your tbr.
FSFF: Did you write it with a particular audience or market in mind or were you just writing what you enjoyed reading and hoping a readership would come along for the ride?
NB: I wrote with the YA (young adult readers) audience in mind. I wanted to ensure that my language and the story were appropriate for those readers. I also knew I wanted this to appeal to readers of soft science fiction and dystopias, and made sure to meet the expectations of the genre. Although, I felt it was important to include a bisexual character, that was more for my gratification, rather than considering what the audience wants. But I think it does appeal to many and can be inviting to other audiences too. The concept was a spontaneous idea I had a long time ago which I had no idea would have appeal now, but it really is quite relevant today.
FSFF: How much of yourself and the people in your personal life make it into your work? The reason I ask is I find I’m quite narcissistic as a writer and find that I write most of my male MCs as the me I wish I was and most female MCs as my wife as she actually is. Do you have any examples of this?
NB: Haha, I think we all do that to some extent. Martina is the main character of Plagued Lands, and she shares some of my traits – for example, she is bisexual like me – but she is definitely her own character. She’s grumpier than me, lol. She’s also Colombian, so I had to learn more about Colombian culture to write her character. And then I had the book reviewed by a Colombian sensitivity reader to ensure there wasn’t anything problematic with my representation.
I have borrowed some names from people I know. Martina’s surname is Monsalve, which is the surname of my Spanish language teacher who inspired me to write a Colombian character (although Martina isn’t based on her either). Dr. Lederman is the villain, and his name comes from an old boss I had who was a horrible person and has no business managing (or even interacting) with people, but although they’re both horrible, their personalities aren’t that similar.
I think I just pick and choose traits from different people and make new people altogether. They become real in my head though. I could have conversation with them! And I think that there’s a bit of myself in every character. I rely on my on experiences and emotions to write their stories authentically.
FSFF: Is there a particular character you absolutely love writing? What makes that character so compelling? Consequently, is there a character that particularly challenges you, and what makes that character such a pain in the arse?
NB: Gosh, it’s so hard to pick a character! Haha. There’s this one character who is so loveable. His name is Will. He’s seems so innocent and carefree, but you find out he’s actually been through a lot (without giving too much away) but he still smile and jokes and makes everyone around him feel happier. He makes me smile when I write scenes with him in it.
The hardest character to write is, Martina, the main character. She’s quite a complicated character, she’s smart but she’s been brainwashed her entire life, so we see her eyes get opened. She’s been through a lot and she’s not always happy, but she also cares deeply. There’s a careful balance between light and dark with her. She’s broken, and that can sometimes make it difficult to love her, I have to tread carefully with how I portray her.
FSFF: What takes up your time when not engaged in creative projects?
NB: I have a boring office job, haha, which I do actually enjoy, but when I talk about it people’s eyes glaze over. I work in the finance team of a charity. People are often surprised to find out I’m analytical as well as creative.
Not surprisingly, I also read a lot. I also love movies and watch at least a handful every week. I also love travelling and have been to 37 countries so far. And I have 2 dogs, Osiris and Apollo, who I spend most of my time with.
FSFF: What are your overall plans for Plagues Lands? Will there be sequels, and if so what can we look forward to in the next couple of years?
NB: Plagued Lands is planned to be a trilogy. I’ve started book two, which I have dubbed PL2 while I work on it. And I also have plans for a novella to accompany the trilogy. These have all been plotted so it’s just a matter of writing them now. In additional to the Plagued Lands series, I also have another series which I plan to start releasing next year. It’s called, The Huxian Fox, and is a fast-paced treasure hunt across space.
The first two books in The Huxian Fox have already been written, so don’t worry, they won’t get in the way of me writing the Plagued Lands sequels. I’m sure people will be eager to read the rest of the story and I don’t want them waiting too long.
FSFF: What one piece of advice can you offer to new and aspiring authors?
NB: My best advice for new and aspiring authors is to believe in yourself and never give up. It’s a tough industry and as authors we need to wear many hats, the writer, the editor, the marketer, the sales person, and more, so it can be hard to juggle and difficult to find the right audience for your books. But if writing is important to you, if you’re pulled to it and it’s something you feel you have to do, then you can do it. Just keep trying, don’t give up, and believe in yourself.
