I can’t think of a better way to kick off the month of Halloween than with a historical fiction featuring a young girl haunted by ghosts and encountering mystical spirits. While this isn’t a romance (and the first of many non-romance authors that will be featured in the series), Natalie Anna Jacobsen’s debut, Ghost Train sounds fantastic. Set in 1877 Japan, this book is one of my most anticipated reads for the year.
The book is steeped in Japanese history and if you’ve followed Natalie long enough, you know how important this is to her. If this is the first you’re hearing of her, I’m glad I get to introduce you to someone so wonderful. Every Friday, on her socials, Natalie does something called Folklore Friday where she introduces one element of Japanese culture and folklore to her followers. For most of us, Japanese culture is what we see in regular media so this information is really interesting!
If you’re interested in historical fiction, folklore and Japanese culture, then Ghost Train is for you. It releases October 15th and will be available everywhere you buy books, but you can preorder your copy right now.
BEING AN AUTHOR
Who or what inspired you to write?
I have been so fortunate to have mentors and guardians who have guided me and encouraged my interest in writing from a young—very young—age. Before I could talk, I was folding pieces of paper into a book shape and scribbling in them. I gave one as a gift to my maternal grandmother, who was a professor of literature and a poet. I think she and my mother were the most encouraging, but I had wonderful teachers and professors throughout my education who said I had a talent and pushed me along in the right direction. I was fortunate to attend writing programs and take a number of extra classes while growing up to continue to hone my interest.
Journalism was my first stage of my writing career—I was inspired to seek the truth in all things. I wanted to tell stories by those who were not having their voices heard. I wanted to share information so people could make important, informed decisions. I wanted to investigate, and whistleblow, and share my knowledge on my travels and from my meetings with others. I have always dabbled in fiction, but Ghost Train is my first true, completed personal project.
What’s the best and worst part about being an indie author?
Working with a small, independent publisher has given me freedom and options that Big-5 published counterparts may not have. It’s been a joy to speak to my publisher and editor and team on a weekly basis, and go step by step through the entire editing, cover design, and marketing process with them. I’m learning so much and have much more of a say and choice in direction than I expected! When authors say to wait for the “yes” that feels right, they mean it. This agreement has been the best choice I could have made for Ghost Train—they truly believe in my work and are committed to making it a success.
When you’re not writing, what do you do to get the creative juices flowing?
I am a photographer, videographer, and volunteer in my spare time! I love going on photoshoots, movie sets, and into spaces where I can challenge myself, meet new people, and constantly grow in my skillset. Photography and videography are both ways for me to focus on how I see the world and work on my craft and how I develop my eye and voice. Volunteerism gives me a chance to not only give back, but meet people who I may otherwise not, and help solve issues I don’t normally get to in my day-to-day work. Not everything can be solved by a stroke of a pen like in a fiction book, so it makes me get creative and work in policies and ways that I can still inspire and assist others.
If you were to step out of your comfort zone and write another genre of fiction, what would you choose?
This is tough! I am currently working on a project that is a little out of my comfort zone: contemporary fiction, with a dash of romance. I never thought I’d write romance (and it is very, very difficult for me!), and I might still pivot and change it to just contemporary fiction. Writing about the present (despite being a journalist) is definitely something I am not as familiar with.
What are your top 5 tips or pieces of advice for aspiring authors?
Listen to only the stories in your mind and heart. They want to be written.
Write what you know…but for everything else, research, research, research, collaborate, do outreach, and info gather until you can write what you know.
You don’t need to write every day to be an author. Write when you can, pace yourself, and give yourself grace. You’re a writer, no matter what.
Find a few trusted people to share ideas with. Writing can be a lonely place, but it doesn’t have to be. Find your cheerleader to join you on your journey.
Be open to feedback. Not all advice will be right for you, but it will help you write better.
ABOUT YOUR GENRE
Why did you choose historical fiction?
Some of my favorite stories I read early on in my life were historical fiction, or adventure and survival books. I loved the Little House on the Prairie, Dear America, Clan of the Cave Bear, and Amy Tan’s generational stories. I loved being transported to another place and another time, and learning about our roots as humans, the fights of our ancestors, and how we can continue to build toward a better future, and not repeat their mistakes. I always felt that I came away learning something from those books, and throughout my career as a journalist, I found that I loved capturing historic moments in time, so future generations may learn from us or have accurate depictions of the world as we lived it. So historical fiction marries my missions and passions.
Writing historical stories requires a lot of research, how long have you been working on this book? What were some of the most interesting things you learned along the way?If you can believe it, I started this book in 2010! It looked very different back then—it actually had three young boys as the main characters, instead of one young woman like Ghost Train has in today’s iteration. I did take a lengthy break, and returned to the book officially in 2020. One of the most incredible parts was seeing how many different perspectives to Japanese history and events have been recorded. I loved delving into the mindset of a merchant or lower-class citizen and seeing history told from their eyes; while the reports from a shogun or Emperor were more prominently taught in history class. There were so many conflicting opinions and complex discussions being had, just like in today’s political arenas!
You talk about folklore on your socials every Friday, what prompted you to start this series and can we see stories based on any of the stories you’ve shared already?
I realized that in Ghost Train, I make casual references to different folklore creatures and characters—Japanese yokai (typically a demon in a physical shape) or yuurei (typically a ghost or something with an intangible shape)—and didn’t elaborate too much in the book. To the characters in Ghost Train, yokai and yuurei are almost a fact of life. They know those stories from childhood. But to readers, many of these would be brand-new. So in order to prepare some readers, I decided to start a series that would highlight fun, interesting, or little-known folklore from Japan, including Pokemon origin stories, birth of superstitions, and how some ghost stories come out of someone just being wronged in life.
Eagle-eyed readers of Ghost Train who follow my channel may recognize a few names! And throughout September and October 2024, I will specifically talk about folklore from the book; including…the origin story of “ghost trains” themselves.
You mentioned studying Japanese media and history, was that the main reason you chose historical Japan as the basis of your book?Yes! I do not feel equipped to write casually about any culture or historical point in time unless I have: experienced it, studied it, spoken with its people, and learned their language. Those are the hallmarks of a culture; and without those four pillars, there would be no foundation to my stories. My approach to Ghost Train and to Japanese history in general was taken with utmost care; I studied Japanese literature and media in college, and then lived there for years, and called upon subject matter experts to work with on the book, to ensure accuracy and get direct feedback to improve on the cultural nuances.
I don’t think I could have written Ghost Train without first studying Japanese media and literature; that was my springboard into their history and language. It’s the same with any culture or country—I wouldn’t feel adept to write about it without taking the same approach.
YOUR BOOKS
What inspired your published stories? How and when did you come up with these stories and plots?
History is such a rich source of stories. There is so much material to pull from ancient mythology—all around the world—and firsthand accounts in moments in time. They’re really my favorite springboard to go from. Since I write in Historical Fiction, I’ll start with a small incident, then start to imagine the scenes, the people, the reactions, and events that led up to it. A lot of the material then takes on a life of its own.
Ghost Train, for example, is my debut novel I started writing back in 2010 in college when I was studying Japanese media and history. I came across an old urban legend about the first locomotives to arrive in Japan and some fears that surrounded their appearance. From there, I started to envision what it must have been like to be in a time of rapid changes, westernization, and the consequences people faced as their culture and world began to shapeshift. The first idea was just how an urban myth came to be, but it turned into a much bigger project that delved into Japan’s history, people, mythology, and a whole lot more.
Can you briefly tell me about your debut?
Ghost Train is set in 1877 Kyoto, a pivotal time in Japan’s history. Emperor Meiji was the young, new emperor on the throne, having just reclaimed it after over 250 years of rule by shogun and daimyo. Emperor Meiji ushered in the Industrial Revolution in Japan when he opened its borders legally to the world, resuming international trade and relations that the previous leaders had cut off in an attempt to shield Japan from global wars and religion.
Ghost Train follows a samurai’s daughter as her world evolves before her very eyes. In Emperor Meiji’s first 9 years of rule, Japan adopted gas and electricity, introduced trains and other technology, established western political systems and education, adjusted their diet and clothing. It also came with hardship: plagues, misinformation, fears over foreigners, wars, religions, new laws—including those that stripped women of power. It was a tumultuous time that inspired a lot of urban myths and folklore, which is the basis for Ghost Train.
The samurai daughter, Maru Hosokawa, finds herself haunted by ghosts. And as girls in the city begin to disappear, a kitsune approaches her and asks for help in defeating a demon that is the culprit. But Maru resists her destiny, certain there’s no way she could find out who is behind the disappearances…until it becomes apparent that she must stop them, before she becomes the next victim.
Do you already have a favorite character from the stories you’ve written?
There’s one character in Ghost Train, Kiku, who I adore. She’s spunky, ferocious, and ambitious. She’s making a name for herself, but makes mistakes along the way. Without spoiling anything, some readers may not be a fan of hers. But if my story continues into a series, I have something big planned for her…
How much of yourself do you put into these characters?
In each story I embark on, I try to give the character cushion and freedom to explore their own personality and identity, making them different from my own. It pushes me to ask questions and dig a little deeper into human nature, psyche, and what makes people do the things they do.
Coming from journalism, I can take my experiences and write on what I learned, but do so through someone else’s eyes. Everything is a learning experience. I don’t close myself off or keep myself limited to my own perspective. I try to find ways to let the characters make themselves, borrowing from others observed, things learned, and history studied.
Is there one common element that readers can find in all your stories?
Folklore! There is much to be learned from historical stories, whether written or oral. We can adapt and continue to listen to the past to shape our future. I think there’s a lot of beauty in how humanity experiences the same emotions and faces similar challenges, no matter where they are in the world or where they are in time. My stories will almost always be looking at history, and asking the world today what we would or will do differently this time.
What’s next on the bookshelf for you? Anything you can tell us about a future project?
There are a few projects I have in mind. One is a dystopian novel, another is a coming of age tale, another is a twist on a classic tale, there’s a historical fiction in the works (set in England this time!), and one more that is climate change fiction. The thing they all have in common is badass women who lead the charge and change the course of history.
When you write these stories, what are you hoping your readers will feel?
My first hope is that they were transported somewhere new and able to walk away having learned something. In terms of feelings, I hope they would feel inspired to explore, see the world differently, or a little more in love with potential around them.
AUTHOR’S CHOICE
Paperbacks, hardbacks, ebooks or audiobooks
Contemporary, fantasy, historical or romantic suspense
Single or Dual POV
Standalones, series or standalones in a series
Open door, ajar door or closed door romances
Music or silence when writing
Plotter, pantser or plantser
Water, tea, coffee or….wine?
Cold or warm weather
Write better in the morning, afternoon or night?
Illustrated or photo cover?
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