Photography: Marta Huelves, Facebook profile.
Martha Huelves, from Madrid, is a writer and popularizer of History. She had already published titles like the albanian taliman and now it is released in the black novel with The memory of the yew. Thank you very much for your time and kindness for this interview where he tells us about her and much more.
Marta Huelves—Interview
- ACTUALIDAD LITERATURA: Your new novel is titled The memory of the yew. What do you tell us about it and where did the idea come from?
MARTA HUELVES: The memory of the yew part of a disturbing premise. Nobody thinks that something bad can happen in an idyllic place, in a quiet town in eastern Asturias such as Colombres; surrounded by pastures, near the beach and in the middle of nature. But kidnapping of a teenage girl who is released forty-eight hours later in Gijón, more than a hundred kilometers from her home, exposes the fragility of our lives. In its blood find remains of a yew derivative It is used to treat some types of cancer. From here, the reactions of the different characters follow one another and I trust that they will not leave anyone indifferent.
This is one unique story by several reasons. The first for my status as a historian. Discovering the past, getting closer to the historical legacy in some way or simply knowing who our ancestors were and how they lived in other times motivates me a lot. the second because It's my first foray into the police genre., of mystery, if you want. Most of my works converge in the historical genre, either in the form of stories or articles. And the third because, according to the questions of those who know the novel, I think it will arouse curiosity to find out what a Madrilenian does writing a novel set in Asturias.
La idea arose during a visit to the Quinta Guadalupe, located in the Asturian town of Colombres, and which houses the Emigration Museum and Indianos Archive. It is hard for me to think of anyone who would be reluctant to let their imagination run wild in front of this majestic and well-preserved building. There was born part of this story.
- TO THE: You can go back to that first book you read? And the first story you wrote?
MH: In my house they say that I learned to read very soon, thanks to my father's homemade method, which consisted of some cardboard on which he had drawn the letters of the alphabet. With them I discovered the syllables and the first words. And I haven't stopped reading ever since. In my school library I devoured the entire collection of The Hollistersby Jerry West The five, by Enid Blyton and the first volumes of Esther and her world, Purita Campos. But the first book that marked me in a special way was The lost World by Conan Doyle.
The first thing i wrote and what I dared to show to others was a poetry. It was titled Forebodings and with which I won the first prize of the poetry contest of my institute: fifteen hundred pesetas to spend on books. Go figure! I even managed to win the short novel award sponsored by the Alcorcón City Council. On White skin, black soul I addressed the problem of racism.
- AL: A head writer? You can choose more than one and from all eras.
MH: Undoubtedly: Isabel Allende. I think she is the most important living writer on the current literary scene. And a little behind: Carlos Ruiz Zafón. I have always admired the richness of the language and the levels of plasticity that he achieved in each sentence. a delight As well Rosa Montero and Javier Cercas. Each one with his particular style, but both are great masters.
Of the classics I prefer Oscar Savage, Lovecraft and Edgar Allan Poe. And I am passionate about the tragedies and comedies of classical Greek theater, especially those of Sophocles or Euripides. I admit that I am a compulsive reader.
- AL: What character in a book would you have liked to meet and create?
MH: Fermin Romero de Torres. He is the main character of The game of the angel by Carlos Ruiz Zafon; of the third installment of the tetralogy: The cemetery of forgotten books. It's a round character. A simple man, with a fine and shameless humor, somewhat chopstick and tremendously cultured. He suffered the repression of the vanquished after the Civil War with great dignity. The way he faces life makes you want to imitate him at times and other times it causes you enormous tenderness. I would have loved to meet him in person.
- AL: Any special habits or habits when it comes to writing or reading?
MH: Always display I write by hand, in small notebooks that I collect and with three colored pens: blue, red and green. I use green to highlight important things.
- AL: And your preferred place and time to do it?
MH: I like to write for morning, I concentrate better. But it is not uncommon to find myself with a notebook in my hands at any time of the day. Regarding the place, I adapt easily to all scenarios.
- AL: Are there other genres that you like?
MH: In addition to the black novel I really like the historical novel, but as I have already said that I am a compulsive reader, I still read novels fantastic, test, travel o Romantic.
- What are you reading now? And writing?
MH: Independence scored by Javier Cercas when we have the information.
Now I am preparing the first outlines of a second novel that will be continuation of The memory of the yew. I have a couple of book reviews pending and as many other articles.
- AL: How do you think the publishing scene is and what decided you to try to publish?
MH: I think it is as complicated as ever. It is true that today there are many more possibilities to publish, I mean the possibility of publishing by oneself, on giant online sales platforms or on web pages, which promote new authors. But access to a classic publishing house, one of the serious ones, is extremely complicated. The number of manuscripts with which you compete is very high and, in addition, you have against being an unknown author. Let's not lose sight of the fact that this is a business and that publishers have to insure before taking risks.
In my case I was looking for a professional and qualified opinion about the quality of my work. Normally, that zero reader is a friend or family member who values what you have written and, of course, is not impartial. I was looking for that impartiality. And I found it in the positive response of a publishing house with such prestige as Ediciones Maeva.
- AL: Is the moment of crisis that we are experiencing being difficult for you or will you be able to keep something positive for future stories?
MH: I am one of those who believe in human adaptability and, although this crisis is being very hard, knowing that it will happen helps me to trust in the future. It's all about time.