Hawk's Ascension

Today our guest is SJ Garland, historical fiction author from Singapore. She is working on her historical fiction series set in colonial Singapore. The first book in the series is titled Captain Hawk and her latest release is titled Hawk's Ascension. We have conducted an interview with her.

What inspires you the most for the historical fiction series?

I have always loved historical fiction. It is what I like to read, and all of my favourite authors are from this genre. I find the fact that we are not much different to our historical counterparts the most inspiring. Sometimes it’s hard to think a woman or a man who lived 500 or 1000 years ago were motivated by the same ambitions and emotions as people are today.

What is Hawk's Ascension about?

Hawk’s Ascension is the second in my Hawk’s Legacy series. It is the continuation of Nathaniel Hawk’s life journey. He has bested his enemies and is now able to focus on his wife and his career. Unfortunately, fate has other plans, and he is forced once again to hunt down his father’s enemies. Essentially the story is about a man and his legacy. His wife, Charlotte, also has a greater role in this second book and acts as a foil to his story.

How do you craft your characters?

The characters in my stories always come first and the plot second. I create characters that fall naturally into different scenes and conflicts building their personas through their response to other characters and circumstances.

Please tell us a little about how the setting affects your writing process. How does Singapore compare with UK/Switzerland?

Since the Hawk’s legacy series is set in Singapore, it has given me an opportunity to research and learn more about the city where I live. Singapore is such a fascination place, a stunning multicultural conclave that it provides many opportunities for different storylines. The United Kingdom and Switzerland also have their varied and exciting histories, but they both lack the exotic appeal that Singapore naturally lends to a story.

Do you encounter any writers' block along your writing journey for 'Hawk's Ascension'? If yes, how do you cope with writers' block?

Writer's block is something I do not suffer from very often. The best remedy, for myself, is to go back over my plot notes and try to let the scenes unfold naturally.