Author Spotlight: Martin Venning

If you are seeking a hearty dose of suspense, political intrigue and drama, then Martin Venning’s The End of the Road might just be the novel for you. This strikingly relevant book tells the tale of one Oxford professor's scientific breakthrough, and the potential it has to revolutionise humanity’s energy usage for the long-term greater good. 

However, setbacks come thick and fast. Professor Desmond Kelly is diagnosed with terminal cancer and a severely limited life-expectancy. In the midst of this harrowing realisation, the worlds’ superpowers are also generating their own schemes in order to stake a claim to the financially lucrative achievements of Kelly’s work. With salvation found only in the prospect of assisted death, Des’ future actions hold in balance not just his own immediate mortality, but the fate of mankind in general.

With this novel being such a compelling read, it was The Book Network’s honour to catch up with author, Martin Venning, and talk about the inspirations and methods which went into the book’s creation. In his own words, it is “An entertaining story with an original plot, believable characters and focused on real world issues. The central character is managing a personal dilemma and contemplating his destiny.”

As somebody who’s read The End of the Road, the writer of this piece can confirm that this description is bang on point. Venning also explained what he considered the book’s underlying themes to be.

“For me, the underlying theme is, despite changing and conflicting circumstances, the protagonist must be true to himself. Self awareness is the key to personal fulfilment. Never underestimate the power of the mind…”

Martin went on to give us a deeper insight into how the novel’s story was conceived, explaining that the inspiration came from a visit to the Danish Island of Rømø, which is one of the central locations of The End of the Road, or more exactly, “the natural phenomenon of the shifting sands of the Wadden Sea - strangely beautiful, but barren and deadly for the unprepared.”

As far as the more technical nuances of the novel are concerned, much of it comes from a lifetime’s accumulation of knowledge. Martin Venning has acquired a wealth of professional experience during his work in the fields of project communications and strategic investments, to name but two of his many career paths. These and other job roles gave him the ideal head start in building the world as depicted in The End of the Road.

“Most of the venues were researched from personal experience, although several were visited before the idea of the book came together. I trained as a journalist at the beginning of my career, but chose to become a commercial writer before going into business management. During my career to date, I have met a number of people whose characters have been a source of inspiration and I hope I am now able to start rediscovering my creative writing abilities.”

The End of The Road contains a vast web of intrigue and an expanse of characters based across numerous countries, many of whom converge in the novel's closing act. (No spoilers!) Suffice to say, boredom is null and void across every page. Martin explained how he was able to weave such a complex and rapid chain of events in what appears to be a seamless manner.

“Part of the attraction of books like this is their ability to link often random people and events who are individually disconnected to create an outcome. The world is a relatively small place where actions taken in one location often have implications elsewhere. The End of the Road illustrates this well. The strength of the work is its immediacy. The plot literally unfolded as it was written.”

No doubt, writers across the board can relate to that, but let’s get on to the central theme of the novel! The End of The Road addresses the prospect of a scientific breakthrough which could bring the world back from the brink of climate disaster. So is this book really an example of art imitating life? As reflected in his literature, Martin Venning delivers us an enlightening sense of optimism. And he’d know…

“The spectre of climate disaster is inspiring huge technical and scientific innovations across the world, although much of it remains at an experimental stage. For inventions that are proven to work, the commercial potential is almost limitless. I am pleased to say in the renewable energy field, British companies and experts, like Desmond Kelly, in some startups, are already making some exciting progress that we will all be hearing about in the next few years.”

As the longevity of the themes of this The End of the Road are most definitely assured, so is the book itself. Perhaps the legacy for this novel will extend beyond the written word and into film or TV format. It certainly has the capacity to translate.

“As a writer you are visualising the subject. This story is a pacy, geopolitical thriller set in visually impactful settings with distinctive dramatic characters which offer plenty of scope to actors of both genders to develop their roles. Perhaps given this is a book about the prospect of death, it is surprising that it is both optimistic in tone and also ironic on occasions, offering scope for interpretation. In The End of the Road, I treat death with the respect it deserves and try not to have an unnecessarily large body count!”

So will The End of the Road be the last novel of its kind? Let’s hope not! Regarding the prospect of other writers planning to tread the same ground as The End of the Road, Martin offers some reassuringly candid advice.

“I wouldn’t dream of offering my peers advice! The diversity of the writing community is what makes modern fiction so alluring. I think it helps if you can demonstrate some affinity with your subject, even if that topic is controversial. Referencing some relevant personal experiences helps the reader to immerse themselves in the situation you are creating...”

…As is proven amply in The End of The Road. With this novel being a notable milestone in Martin Venning’s writing career, one can only hope that there is more literature to be unveiled in the future. Thankfully, this author does not disappoint in his announcements.

“I am completing a third manuscript, another self contained adventure, which I expect to publish at the end of the year.”

Given what has been delivered already, it will almost certainly be worth the wait.