The Perfect Song Blog

I interviewed Martha Horton upon the publication of her book, Faun, a 21st century retelling of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s classic, The Marble Faun. Here’s part two.  You can find her book on amazon.com

You tell the story from the viewpoint of the three main characters which gives more dimensions and substance to the work.

I really wanted to get inside the characters’ heads, something I don’t think Hawthorne was particularly successful at doing. My first draft had only Kendall’s narrative and Hannah’s journal. Then I really wanted to know more about Lili’s motivations and her true feelings about Donatello, so I added her commentary. (And yes, once I established my characters they sort of wrote themselves.)

Were you influenced by Lawrence Durrell’s Alexandria Quartet?

I read it decades ago and was fascinated at the time; then I forgot about it. If it influenced me, it did so on a subconscious level. Of course, everything we read influences us in some way…

I have to ask if you’re a Hawthorne fan?

I’m neither a Hawthorne devotee nor a Hawthorne scholar. I did do a lot research on him (and presented a book review of The Marble Faun). I’ve read The Scarlet Letter and The House of Seven Gables and a few others, as well as sections of his Italian Notebooks. I’ve also read some biographies, including the newest, by Brenda Wineapple, a true Hawthorne scholar. No doubt Nathaniel was a singular character and great writer, but there any many authors I prefer to read.

What writers have influenced you?

I’m not sure I can name any specific influences, except Hawthorne. I tried to retain his magic, but because I was following the original Hawthorne so closely in laying out my scenes, I had to fight not to imitate his language and style. And I tried to convey the Italian experience and landscape without turning the book into a guide, as Hawthorne did unintentionally. Oh! There is another influence - Dick Francis, of all people. I tried to define my characters through their interaction with one another, something he does brilliantly. Also, Dick Francis always succeeds in making you like and care about his characters. If that doesn’t happen in the first chapters of a book, I don’t bother reading the rest of it.

What advice can you share with other writers hoping to publish?

God bless if you’re writing non-fiction and have a specific audience in mind; heaven help you if you’re doing fiction - particularly fiction like Faun, which doesn’t fit into a convenient marketing niche. Either way, just do it! Do your homework by reading the magazines for writers, talking with other writers, learning about the publishing business, seeing what’s being published in your field - there’s tons of advice out here, almost too much to sift through. Which brings us back to - just do it. You’ll make some mistakes, but they’re not fatal. Publishing your book with an online publisher will cost about as much as a root canal or two (and will be somewhat less painful) and you’ll have something to show for it when it’s over. You may well earn back your investment and even eke out a little profit.

My daughter in England read my book and loved it. Something she said made it all worthwhile: “Mom, fifty (!) years from now when you’re gone I can read this book and it will seem like you’re talking to me.”

I’ve never done a book review here, but longtime friend Martha Horton recently published her first novel. She sent it to me and I just need to share it with you. In the next post, I’ll include an interview I did with her about the book. Martha’s a fascinating woman. Faun’s an intriguing book.

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Love, intrigue, murder and . . . Rome!

Martha Horton’s novel, Faun revolves around four characters: Nathan Kendall, a freelance writer; Dr. Hannah Ingram, a composer; Lilli Castelli, an art dealer with a gilded past and a shady present; and Donatello, a wine maker, who might be descended from the mythical creature. (Check the ears!)

The novel is loosely based on Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Marble Faun. It’s clear from the beginning that the author knows Rome as only a one-time resident can. (In fact she wrote for tourist magazines in Rome in the 1960s). Her descriptions of the cobblestone streets, the corner cafes, the ancient buildings, are beautiful word pictures that bring the city to life. I found myself re-reading passages, feeling as though I were in the city, sitting, walking, eating and sharing a glass of wine the main characters.

I was intrigued by the book’s construction. The story is told through Kendall’s narrative, Hannah’s journal and Lilli’s notes from the future, creating three different perspectives of the same events, and enough tension and suspense to push the reader to the next chapter.

While love develops between Hannah and Kendall, a relationship forms between the innocent “faun” Donatello and the worldly Lilli who is being threatened by a sinister character from her past. It leads to murder, a fall from grace and a slow healing.

Horton’s knowledge of the language, music, literature, myth and history make every page dance. She weaves the information into the narrative in a subtle, pleasurable way that adds dimensions to the book.

Beyond the adventure and intrigue, Faun is a sensuous work—food, wine, the arts, love for others and love of life.

I read a lot of novels.

This one I savored.

It’s available on Amazon.com