Martinette Williams is a singer/songwriter living in Dunedin. Her debut novel Everything She Wanted is in stores now. The novel includes original music written by Martinette which can be found on Soundcloud.
Can you tell us a little about your new book?
It’s set in Dunedin in 2012 and follows 21-year-old Madeline in her final year of university. She is so ready for a real, grown-up relationship and meets a guy who she thinks is perfect for her. We follow her throughout that year when things become very complicated and watch how she tries to overcome obstacles. Even though it’s focused on relationships, it’s not a romance novel, despite those being my favourite kinds of books to read.
How difficult was it writing your first book Everything She Wanted?
It was quite difficult. The story is based on my real-life experiences that I’d never fully processed. The first draft, all 107,000 words of it, was written in only four months. It was like an emotional purge. Going back over and editing it all was mentally taxing. I had to relive really painful moments. I cried more than a few times while working on it.
What research was involved?
I kept a journal in 2012 when all of this happened and read through the entire thing multiple times as I was drafting the story. I also read through Facebook messages between me and some of the other main characters in the story. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any of the text messages saved (that would have been a treasure trove!) I managed to rely on my own memory and the journal entries to remain true to what really happened without having to fictionalise it too much. There are certainly fictionalised aspects of the story, but the heart of it remains realistic to what I experienced.
What was your routine or process when writing this book?
I wrote whenever I had the chance. My children were 4 and 2 years old when I wrote the first draft, so I remember my husband having to run interference a lot. I mostly tried to write when the kids were at Kindergarten. I definitely reached my breaking point a few times and had to take weeks or even months off from writing just to recover and find the will to go on. I had a friend who really championed the book and that was a Godsend.
If a soundtrack was made to accompany the new book, name a song or two you would include.
Well, funny you should ask that. The novel features five original songs that I wrote and recorded in 2012 and 2013. In the story, Madeline is a songwriter and writes the songs to work through her emotions. I would include these five songs. The song that encapsulates the novel the best is called Everything I Wanted (see what I did there?) In terms of non-original music, the song Treacherous by Taylor Swift is very fitting, as well as Skinny Love by Bon Iver.
What did you enjoy the most about writing Everything She Wanted?
I enjoyed writing characters based on my friends. The character of Ella is based on one of my best friends and everyone who has read the novel so far absolutely loves her. She’s so funny and likeable. She’s the voice of reason. It was also fun to relive my early twenties. It was such a special time in my life, and I got hit by the nostalgia factor pretty hard.
What did you do to celebrate finishing this book?
The night I finished my final edits, I watched Taskmaster with my husband, and he fell asleep. It was quite anti-climactic.
What is the favourite book you have read so far this year and why?
The Teacher by Freida McFadden. I’m a romance girlie through and through but I enjoy Freida’s writing. I didn’t see the twists coming at all and by the end of the novel I was laughing out loud. I also enjoyed the book One In Three by a local Dunedin author Mira Harrison.
What’s next on the agenda for you?
I’m currently starting up a second round of edits on my second novel. I started writing it while doing edits for Everything She Wanted because I needed a break from that story. I’m also a singer/songwriter and the bass guitarist in a band, so I’m usually playing gigs all around Dunedin, which I love.