Anton Peeters Interview

• Q. Can you tell us a little about yourself and what inspired you to become a writer?

  Ans. I am a Dutch author who has made Thailand his home for almost 20 years. I got inspired to start writing, learning more about the country’s rich history and culture, with a focus on South Thailand

• Q. What genre(s) do you primarily write in, and what draws you to that particular genre?

  Ans. Historical fiction, modern-day thrillers. In particular, a combination of the two.

• Q. What is your favorite book, and what about it resonates with you the most?

  Ans. As a boy already crazy about adventure stories, I read too many to have a real favourite, but Wilbur Smith’s Birds of Prey and Monsoon, I happily reread every few years.

• Q. Who is your favorite author, and how have they influenced your writing?

  Ans. Clive Cussler and the likes. Inspiration to combine a historic event with a modern-day thriller might have come from him.

• Q. How do you balance writing with other aspects of your life, such as work, family, or hobbies?

  Ans. That is the tricky part. Having a demanding job high level with long hours clashes terribly with trying to be an author. The author still will have to remain a weekend/holiday job, but a great escape from the stress.

• Q. How do you show appreciation and love to your followers and readers? Do you actively engage with them on social media or through other means?

  Ans. Will try to, but the scammers around take much of the fun out of it.

• Q. What do you enjoy most about being an author, and what keeps you motivated to continue writing?

  Ans. I enjoy the research part tremendously, and then coming up with ideas to merge this into a modern-day thriller.

• Q. Have you ever faced writer's block, and if so, how do you overcome it?

  Ans. Yes, but in the case of my books, as I try to connect a historical context to a modern setting, I would not call it so much writer's block, but more a lack of plot connections, inspiration. More research, travelling to the area in question and putting the story to the side for a while helps mostly enough for the pieces of the puzzle to fall into place.

• Q. Can you share any interesting or funny anecdotes from your writing journey?

  Ans. One of the characters in my book was inspired by the father-in-law of my brother-in-law, and them both don’t knows.

• Q. What advice would you give to aspiring authors who are just starting their writing journey?

  Ans. If you get that urge to write, don’t give it too much thought. Just start writing. It does not matter if it stays just a scribble project or ever matures. If you had told me several years ago that I would write a book, I would probably have laughed myself. When I started, I was not even sure if I would be able to finish. When you at some point start to feel comfortable enough with what you write, just publish.

• Q. Do you have any upcoming projects or works in progress that you'd like to share with your readers?

  Ans. The second book is in the rough stages. Historical context will, as it looks now, go 800 years back in time.

• Q. Finally, what are your goals and aspirations as a writer? Where do you see yourself and your writing career in the future?

  Ans. Time will tell…

Share on Social Media