We’re delighted to welcome author and all-around Renaissance man Mark Charan Newton. You can follow him on Instagram here!
Mark Newton has written 8 fantasy novels, including the Drakenfeld and the Legends of the Red Sun series published by Pan Macmillan, as well as under the pen name James Abbott. He’s also written extensively about spirits for various publications, and was a reviewer for Whisky Magazine. In the world of fiction he is now working on a new project, represented by James Wills of Watson, Little; whilst professionally he has somehow managed to turn a whisky addiction into a respectable career.
What are you reading right now?
George Gissing’s New Grub Street, which is so far the kind of hilarious, snobby, murky Victorian novel I wish I’d known about years ago.
What's the last great book you read?
I have just re-read(!) Bursting Bubbles by Robert Walters, which is a kind of travelogue/exposé/evangelist/nerdy book about grower champagne producers (they make wine from their own grapes) – as opposed to the major champagne brands who source the grapes/wines from the growers; which is to say a true sense of place style versus a house style; which is to say about terroir, the land, and rebel growers versus bling and marketing. And it’s an excellent polemic that encourages the reader to reflect. But it wasn’t a great book until I had furthered my own knowledge about the topic - the first time I read it, it was merely good, but now with experience under my belt, it’s like seeing everything in colour for the first time – bright, outlandish, 8K – on a subject that has huge appeal for me. I got so much more out of it, is what I’m saying. (Which I suppose, in some ways, puts the responsibility on the reader when it comes to engaging with a book?)
Books about food and drink inherently have a little more soul about them; they feel nourishing somehow – even good booze books.
What's your best advice for aspiring writers?
Over time I’ve come to believe success - of any degree - in writing is made up of four possible things: real talent, sheer luck, good timing and actual graft. You probably need about 2 of those 4, of which the only thing you can really influence is graft. The good news is, the more you do of the graft part, your chances of the other three things increase, too. So: crack on, be patient, and try not to worry too much. (Which is perhaps decent advice for most things in life.)
Also, as someone now with kids, I can also heartily suggest putting down your phones and making the most of any leisurely free time you might have; not just the quiet moments for actual writing, but solo headspace in general (walks etc), where all the good stuff happens.
What's the last interesting fact you've learned?
I’ve just glanced at my Wikipedia history, and there are many pointless facts I have been looking at even in the past 24 hours. They are not especially interesting. Or rather, I suppose these days it feels like we’re overwhelmed by information, that it’s hard to be impressed as easily?
However, reading an interesting city fact/history book to my son, I was most recently surprised to learn that Gustave Eiffel (of French Tower fame) also created the internal skeleton/frame for the Statue of Liberty. Two big hits. It’s one of those “I feel like I should have known it” from childhood facts, which is perhaps why it stuck.
Can you recommend something extraordinary to drink?
Oh, can I. Jacques Selosse Initial - a bonkers cult ‘grower champagne’ is outrageous, complex, muscular – and impossible to find. I was lucky enough to be gifted a bottle for a very happy occasion this year. It’s expensive, mind you. To link into the above sentiment about recommendations and great drinks, grower champagne from producers like Agrapart, Olivier Horiot, Marie-Courtin; but I’d also recommend reading about them before, during, after… I could equally recommend rolling the dice on some funky natural wine from Patrick Bouju on a humid afternoon. I should plug Waterford Whisky! Niepoort port, Peerless rye; or just some classic claret with a Sunday roast… Name a genre of drink and I probably have opinions.
That said, I don’t think these days I’m always after the extraordinary. I had long discussions recently about this notion of envie de boi: the desire to drink. Some drinks have it, some don’t. Some drinks just influence the brain - which is where flavour is processed; they have a little more going on, and it’s hard to say what. Such drinks don’t have to be extraordinary per se, but they just in their own quiet, humble, authentic way, tickle some primitive part of brain and makes you want to keep reaching for the glass, consciously or otherwise. Whether it’s textural, complexity, nuance: that’s probably what it’s about for me. Something rooted, something real. A drink that somehow feels fundamental, rather than extraordinary – which also sounds like I’m disappearing up my own fundament.
Thank you so much, Mark!