Featured Interview With M. Naidoo
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in Germany but have been living in Northern California for over
25 years. We have a large family, so our house gets pretty crazy. To top it off, we have three dogs, known as ‘the3littleshits’ on Instagram, each with their own personality and all full of beans. They pile around me the moment I sit down and make the best writing buddies.
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
For as long as I can remember I have spent every free minute reading one book or another.
I love to be surrounded by books, and some people would call me a book hoarder – even though I would argue that there is no such thing!
Over the years I have written countless essays and short stories; just for fun and never with the intent to publish.
My background in photography and TV/film eventually led to my first screenplay – I was hooked!
Six screenplays later it was suggested that I should turn one of them into a novel, and a few months later ‘The Pelican’ was born. Although scripts and novels are two distinctly different media, I love them both.
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
That’s a tough one, there are just too many… and it depends on what mood I am in. I don’t necessarily go by genre.
For feel-good, emotional or thought-provoking novels, I love to pick up Jodi Picoult, Wally Lamb, John Green, Catherine Ryan Hyde, and Nicholas Sparks, just to name a few.
I also enjoy a good mystery or thriller on the lines of Dan Brown and James Hankins.
I think that every book that has ever made me feel something has inspired me to strive for the same in my writing.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
I have just released “Where Sleeping Lies Lie”, a suspense novel with a dose of romance.
If you like mystery, history, and twists at every turn, you won’t be able to put this one down.
Anna, the main character, has been living in Los Angeles ever since her parents moved from
Germany to the States, over 30 years ago. One Saturday afternoon the light on her answering machine is blinking (after all, this is in 2001). If she had known how it would turn her life upside down, she would never have pressed PLAY. Just 22 seconds into the recording she’s hit by the realization that, if the voice in the thick German accent is right, she has been living with an unthinkable lie for the past thirty years. To find out, she has to follow the instruction left by a dead person and head back to Germany. Since she has next to no conscious memory of her life there as a child, she’s surprised to find an ally in an old childhood friend whose law degree and language skills prove to be more than useful.
Besides, Peter has the most gorgeous blue and the uncanny ability to push her buttons without the slightest effort. A skill that turns out to be just as annoying as it is irresistible.
Every way they turn, they dig up and stumble on more lies and revelations. A rollercoaster ride of a read!
Having grown up in Germany I was able to draw on a wealth of memories and experiences. I could relate to Anna’s emotions as she returns to a place that doesn’t feel like home even though it technically is and everyone keeps telling her so.
Since a big part of the novel deals with passed down memories around WWII, the research took about as long as writing it. Making sure the facts, dates, and historical events are correct was absolutely crucial. The romance part, on the other hand, wasn’t planned at all. I just couldn’t resist the dynamic that developed between Anna and Peter. Hopefully, you’ll fall in love with them just like I did. Check your favorite online eBook retailer.
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