Robert New
When he was in high school, a dare escalated a little too quickly and Robert made the state final in an interpretive dance competition. Thankfully, his teacher was okay with him chickening out of the main event, thus preserving his affection for education. Whilst not a direct consequence, Robert has since spent too much of his life studying and is undertaking his seventh university degree, a PhD in Education. Robert has degrees in psychology, sociology, biology and education, all of which inspire his writing.
Robert studied Wado-Ryu karate for twenty years and ran his own dojo in Perth for several years. However, he is not currently training.
Robert is kosmemophobic, meaning he has a fear of jewellery. He has no idea why; it just freaks him out.
Robert can be found at:
Website: robertsnew.com
Facebook: facebook.com/1RobertNew
Twitter: @1robertnew
Tell me what inspired you to write your book?
It was a certain politician claiming they could shoot someone and not lose any votes. I decided to play with that idea and have my fictional country of Tantalia have a leader who was caught killing someone. She is then approached by a tv producer to create a reality show as she prepares for, and if you pardon the pun, executes her next target.
What came first the character or the world?
The character came first. It was then quite interesting to think of the nature of a country which would allow someone to continue to rule them.
How hard was it to get your first book published?
For this book it was not too hard – I have previously published and have a track record.
How long did it take to write?
The first draft took about three months, but then over a year of revisions to get it right.
Do you have a writing playlist? If so do you want to share it?
These days its music by Devin Townsend. Typically I’ll be listening to some form of heavy metal.
How many publishers turned you down?
I sent the manuscript to six publishers. Three I never heard back from, two asked for the full manuscript and one offered to publish it.
What kind of reactions have you had to your book?
Most people have enjoyed the story. Some have overlooked that it is satire and meant to be cautionary (like 1984) and not taken to seriously. I’m not trying to advocate for someone like my main character to exist!
Sovereign Assassin
What’s the favourite reaction you’ve had to your book?
The review from ReadFreely which reads “A thrilling, fast-paced book…run through with a seam of genuinely deep philosophy.” I like that they appreciated the philosophical aspects to the novel – a lot of research into ethics, morality, martial-art lore and psychology went into it.
What can you tell us about your next book?
It’s a dark, satirical thriller about an assassin whose sovereign immunity leads to her getting her own reality tv show as she prepares for her next kill.
Do you take notice of online reviews?
Sometimes. 😉
Would you ever consider writing outside your current genre?
Yes. I write mostly speculative fiction – some more in the science fiction end of the spectrum and some in the urban fantasy end, but also write detective/mystery fiction too! I’m even working on a couple of non-fiction books, though they will be years away from being finished.
What did you do before (or still do) you became a writer?
I’m a PhD candidate/Teaching Associate at the moment. Teaching is my vocation, but I’ve also run a martial-art dojo and small press (Tale Publishing).
Which author(s) inspire you?
Peter Hoeg, Ted Chiang, Andy Weir, Simon Singh, and many others.
Which genres do you read yourself?
Speculative fiction, thrillers, mysteries.
What is your biggest motivator?
Exploring ideas through writing. Sometimes I just have to get the story out of me and onto paper.
What will always distract you?
My children, my dogs and my life in general!
How much (if any) say do you have in your book covers?
For Sovereign Assassin, I was able to work with the cover designer, but ultimately the publisher had the final say. Thankfully we agreed which of the draft ones was the one we liked the most.
Were you a big reader as a child?
Absolutely!
What were your favourite childhood books?
Encyclopedia Brown series by Donald Sobol, Space Demons by Gillian Rubenstein, the Baker Street Irregular series by Terrence Dicks. I read all the Sherlock Holmes books by the end of primary school, so I hope that counts.
Do you have a favourite bookshop? If so, which?
Readings – particularly their Hawthorn store.
What books can you not resist buying?
Popular science books.
Do you have any rituals when writing?
coffee. more coffee.
How many books are in your own physical TBR pile?
Oh geez. Um… next question! Probably a dozen or so.
What is your current or latest read?
Starter Villain by John Scalzi
Any books that you’re looking forward to in the next 12 months?
System Collapse by Martha Wells.
Any plans or projects in the near future you can tell us about?
New short story collection called ‘Cleave’ should be out mid 2024.
Any events in the near future?
Hopefully some more conventions – I’ve enjoyed the ones I’ve been too, but the PhD has made it harder to find the time for them.
and finally, what inspired you to write the genre you do?
I love that speculative fiction allows you to do just that and speculate about the impact of ideas, events and situations. I love psychology, philosophy and science so use a lot of theories/research from those disciplines in my writing.
