Fredrik Nath ~ an interview and his novel The Promise

I AM PLEASED TO WELCOME AUTHOR

Fredrik Nath

Author Bio.

Fredrik Nath is a full time Neurosurgeon. He has worked and lived all over the UK from Liverpool to Aberdeen to Edinburgh and Glasgow, finally settling in Middlesbrough, jewel of the North-east! He lives with his teenage daughter, his three sons having grown up and flown the coop. In his time, he has run twenty-two consecutive Great North Run half-marathons, trekked to 6000m in Nepal, crossed the highest mountain pass in the world and began writing like John Buchan, ‘Because he ran out of penny-novels to read and felt he should write his own’. Fred loves a good story which is why he writes.

BANTER – STUFF ABOUT YOU

Q: Tell me something you would like your readers (fans) to know about you.

A: I’m half Swedish and half Indian. Born in Sweden, brought up in London, lived in the north of England from then on – see my bio.

Q: If you could morph into any creature what would it be?

A: Probably a seagull.

            If you don’t mind me asking, why?   

A: I love the way they soar. Where I’m living there are plenty of seagulls. I sometimes imagine what it would be like looking down from where they are and wonder what they make of our little lives.

Q: Bedtime, relaxing so you can sleep sounds. Is your preference, white noise, TV, soft music, ocean waves, forest or meadow sounds, babbling brook, or something else?

 A: The sweet sound of ocean waves would do me. There is something about the sea and warm golden sand between your toes that really appeals! Beats the hell out of my dog howling (which is more usual).

Q: What kind of music do you listen to? Do you have an all time favorite song?

A: I’m eclectic. On my iPhone the tracks vary - one minute a bit of Chopin, next Findley Quaye then maybe Ed Sheerin followed by AC/DC. All-time favourite is maybe Red, Red Wine by UB40.

Q: If your life were a movie would it be considered an action film, comedy, drama, romance, fantasy or a combination?

A: It’s an action film! But on a microscopic scale. We use an operating microscope for the most dangerous surgery (aneurysms etc). One slight slip and you can see nothing but blood, your heart rate goes to 150 and your blood pressure rockets until you get things under control. Then you’re back, doing what’s needed. A rollercoaster ride. What do they say in that film – ‘You’re on an express elevator to hell and you’re going down.’ J

Q: Tell me one thing that your spouse does that really endears him/her to you. One thing that annoys you. These can be tiny little things, actually the smaller the better.

A: For example, take my wife - please

Q: Dine in or dine out?

A: Sorry I misheard your question – I thought you said wine in or wine out :)  I like cooking but I like to eat out once a week. My favourite restaurant? Galvin Bistrot Deluxe  on Baker Street in London. Fantastic French fare!

Q: How do you feel about exercise?

A: I run for a couple of miles with my dog every morning. Opens up my ‘pulmonary arteries’ and keeps me fit enough to climb stairs without getting out of breath. There’s a definite feel-good factor about being fit. The older you get, the more exercise you need to stay on top – it’s a fact.

Q: Texting, love it or hate it?

A: TBH I LMAO  wen I TB.

BOOKS – ABOUT THE CRAFT

Q: When did you start writing and why?

A: 2006. I’d got to the end of a Simon Scarrow ‘Cato and Macro’ book and was waiting for the next one to come out, so I wondered if I could write my own. I did and sent the first draft off for a critique. The review came back saying it had the bare bones of a historical novel but was unpublishable because…

So, I read books on writing and tried again, and again.

Q: Where do you get your ideas?

A: The French resistance books came to me as I stood in front of the monument to the dead partisans in Bergerac’s market square – it’s moving.

Q: What do you think is the hardest part of writing a book?

A: I find the hardest thing is finding time. I guess the answer is to make time but I have a busy professional life.

Q: Describe your favorite heroine?

A: My third book in the French resistance series is written from a woman’s POV. It’s called Francesca Pascal – she’s not physical but wants to fight back against the Nazis. She does it in her way. She does it well.

Q: Describe your favorite hero?

A: Galdir Galdarson – he’s the MC of one of my Roman/Barbarian series. He’s naïve with women but fights like the furies. He romps across the Roman Empire in the time of Marcus Aurelius and Commodus. The book’s called Galdir – A Slave’s Tale.

Q: Who's your favorite author?

A: I don’t have one. If I was pushed it would be a toss-up between Hemingway, Graham Greene and Bernard Cornwell. Hemingway and Greene for brevity. Cornwell for story.

Q: Your favorite title?

A: Probably Farewell Bergerac – the second in my French resistance series. The MC is a grumpy old git but he’s human and he fights back.

Q: How long does it take you to create a novel?

A:  Varies. I wrote THE CYCLIST – my first published book in three months. It consumed me! The fourth book in my Amulet (Roman Republic) series took almost a year.

BOOKS - NOW LETS PROMOTE – STRUT YOUR STUFF

Q: What are you working on now? Would you like to share anything about it?

A:I’m writing the fifth book in the Galdir series. The fourth book leaves my MC high and dry – cast out with nothing. The fifth book sees him rebound and come into his own. Ends in a big battle scene involving five armies in Gaul.

Q: Do you have a new book coming out soon? Tell us about it.

A:My most recent book is THE PROMISE. The last in my French resistance series. A medical student who dares all to rescue someone from occupied Poland.

Q: How can we find you? Do you have a web page, FaceBook page or any buy links?

A: My website is: http://www.frednath.com

My email is: fred@neurosurg.co.uk

I’m on FaceBook as me – Fred Nath

Here’s a review of THE PROMISE:

This is a story of Jean searching for his sister who, along with her infant daughter, has been betrayed by her husband for being distantly related to somebody of Jewish religion. This runs parallel with the story of he and his sister's lives before the war begun. It alternates without confusion... I think the psychology of this character is fascinating, as are the emotions that he feels which drive him to do the deeds that he does. It reads very relaxed, like the calm before the storm... Overall highly recommended for its characters and quick pace. – Katie Lewington

I’m happy you could join me on Books and Banter. 

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