Featured Interview With Jennifer K. Marsh
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
My name is Jennifer K. Marsh, and I am from the south west of England. I was born and raised in Salisbury, Wiltshire. I currently live in West Somerset, on the outskirts of Exmoor National Park, having moved there from Salisbury just before I turned twenty years old. Living on Exmoor’s doorstep is a great inspiration for me since my story is inspired by nature and the environment, and besides, I deeply love Exmoor – and nature – anyway!
Due to my love of nature in combination to the fact that I am from the south west, I set my upcoming environmental fantasy trilogy in Dartmoor National Park (although there is no specific mention of this in the story itself). There are also moments, as the story progresses, that are set in Exmoor and the New Forest. I chose to set the vast majority of the story in Dartmoor because, despite my love for all of Britain’s National Parks, Dartmoor is my favourite. Bleakly and breathtakingly beautiful.
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve never actually had a fascination with books in the sense that I am truly rapt by the thought of them, and although I do love a good story, my fascination lies with words themselves – or rather linguistics and etymology. I realised my true love for words when I was about fifteen/sixteen, as I was studying English Language at the time. As for writing, I always used to write and/or plan stories to pass the time, and I never even considered that writing could lead to – or even BE – anything whatsoever. The first time I wrote with the clear intention of it becoming something ‘more’ was when I was fifteen, and that was when I realised that, all along, my heart had belonged to the written word. After all, you cannot force a child to write; some things come only from an inner calling within yourself.
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
One of my favourite authors is Jodi Picoult. I love how she ventures to really dark, serious places with her writing, and how deep and thought-provoking her stories are, or go. As for my favourite genre, I’ve never really been one who prefers reading any particular genre over another; so long as the story is deep in both plot and characters, makes me think, or just generally interests me, it doesn’t matter what genre it is. Though, I always steer clear of chick-lit, romance, erotica etc. – that’s not my cup of tea. Of course, due to my love for the freedom and imagination fantasy offers both reader and writer, I am more inclined and open to that genre, and I don’t think it would be much of a disclosure to say that Tolkien is one of my greatest inspirations. The Lord of the Rings trilogy is undoubtedly my favourite story ever, though it is actually HOW the story was written that inspires me, as opposed to the story itself.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
As I mentioned above, I am in the process of writing an upcoming trilogy, but only Book 1 is available at this precise moment in time. I am currently working on Book 2.
‘Ilimosks: Times of Old’ is the first part of the Ilimoskus journey. It is a deep story which takes the reader into a stark collision between fantasy and reality, for it is told from both the fantasy world and the human world. Living amongst the humans of Earth is a race of beings unbeknown to them; they are Ilimoskus, the elemental folk: beings of fire, earth, air and water. They are a most peaceful race who lead uneventful lives in harmony with nature, but one fateful autumn, the Flamikus (fire folk) feel the ground tremble beneath them in tension they have never before endured, and troubling concern starts to linger. Throughout this ever-growing tension, Fii’dezrhu Reotum – a rebellious Flamikus – discovers a momentous secret he then acts upon by venturing to the forbidden human lands; while there, he inadvertently reveals the Ilimoskus’ existence to one young girl. Little does he know that this sets in motion the beginnings of an earthquake so great, it will result in gruelling searches, confounding ambiguities, painstaking truths and heart-wrenching decisions. In time, both humans and Ilimoskus will watch the world they once knew crumble around them.
Although a fantasy tale at heart, there are a multitude of themes, sub-plots and genre crossovers entwined throughout the book and the trilogy as a whole. I certainly believe there is something for everyone to enjoy. The environment/nature is one of the main themes, as is friendship, hope/faith/destiny, and courage. I have been told countless times that Ilimoskus is “different”, so if you fancied reading something that little bit off the beaten track, perhaps the Ilimoskus story could be worth a try. Indeed, as time has gone on, I have realised just how different, yet remarkably approachable, Times of Old seems to be, for I have had people in their 70s say they enjoyed it as well as people just becoming teenagers; I have also had both male and female interest in equal amounts, and people who have enjoyed it even though fantasy isn’t their go-to genre.
The Ilimoskus trilogy has been my heart’s dedication since 2011. It took me six months of planning before I wrote a single word for Times of Old, but I started writing it properly on 26th December 2011! Somehow, I managed to work on it very promptly, as I finished it in November 2012. Sadly, work on Book 2 has been very slow in comparison, for other things keep getting in the way, but progress is gradually getting steadier.
Ilimoskus: Times of Old is available on online bookstores worldwide, in both paperback and eBook.
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