Q&A With Natalie Anna Jacobsen 

Almost a year ago I did my very first Authors In The Media Q&A With Natalie Anna Jacobsen which you can read here clicking on this link https://booknotions.com/authors-in-the-media-with-natalie-anna-jacobsen/ discussing her journalism career and her briefly speaking about her debut historical fantasy novel that will be available on October 15^th titled Ghost Train. When you read Ghost Train, be prepared to be immersed in the world of Kyoto during the Meiji Restoration with yokai & yurei.   

Q: Natalie, would you give a brief description of Ghost Train for those who haven’t read the novel yet?

A: GHOST TRAIN is set in the summer of 1877 Kyoto during the backdrop of the last samurai rebellion. Emperor Meiji is ushering in western ideals, technology and change, but as Old Japan comes tumbling down to make way for New Japan, ghosts emerge from the cracks with a cry for help. It’s up to one samurai’s daughter to find the demon that took their lives…before it takes hers. It’s all about taking on the patriarchy, trusting only yourself, and forging alliances with unlikely friends.

Q: In our Authors In The Media Q&A last year, we briefly spoke about how you, being a journalist, helped with researching & writing your novel. What was the research & writing process like & how long did it take you to research & write Ghost Train? 

A: Though I first started it in 2010 while an undergraduate, I realized I was in over my head and couldn’t do the story justice quite yet. I took a healthy break and spent years in Japan and building my skillset as a writer, and firsthand experience with the culture. Then in 2020 I realized I had the story still in my head, and a little more time while in lockdown. I was able to dedicate ample time to this project that was so close to my heart – and write it in the way I had envisioned. I read nearly 3,000 documents in order to absorb enough details and knowledge to confidently write about these historic events; I pulled from personal experience to capture the atmosphere; and spoke with historians and Japanese subject matter experts to ensure both accuracies, and to get the nuance of the details right. They helped me flesh out the characters and breathe life into the folklore; it was a four-year process to get it drafted, edited, and now published in its current form. 

Q: Reading Ghost Train I felt very immersed in the world of the Meiji Restoration Era & accompanying Maru & Fox. Without spoiling too much, which scenes were your favorite to write & why?

A: This is very difficult to say. But I think the prologue might have been the most fun. It was meant to be an immediate, wild ride, and a small moment that gets the reader hooked and immersed from the beginning. It was a scene I wrote 14 years ago, and never let go of – I so viscerally remembered and still visualized it years later, and still feel my heart pound when I reread it!

Q: One of my favorite quotes/passages was when Fox told Maru Release what holds you back—lies that cloud your truth and the pain others inflict. It’s time for you to become what you are capable of and what they have prevented you from being. In a way, you can see this as the beginning of your own ghost story. Throughout this section Fox was making Maru realize some truths, one of them being that she had courage and strength she didn’t know she had. What lessons & feelings do you hope readers learn and feel after reading Ghost Train? 

A: I hope readers come away with a better grasp of Japanese history. In the United States, especially, I think it is understudied – Asian history in general is vastly glossed over – so I hope this book gives readers some context as to what was happening halfway around the world in 1877. I’m hoping too they come away with a sense of being able to accomplish what they set their mind and heart to, and to push through the fears and anxieties they harbor.

Q: What would Maru & Fox be doing now? With how the novel ended I could see a sequel. Other than fiction would you also write nonfiction too? 

A: I do write nonfiction! As a journalist I am constantly writing articles and short essays on current issues and spotlighting important people of the present day who are making an impact in society. I’m working on a few other fiction projects. But who knows, if sales go well, I’d love to return to the Ghost Train world and finish the story I have in my mind. As far as Maru and the Kitsune…that’s going to have to be kept secret, for now. ☺ 

Q: If Ghost Train were to become a series, who would be your dream cast to play Maru, Fox and the other characters? One of my choices would be Anna Sawai from Shogun or Kiki Sukezane from Heroes Reborn & The Terror to play Maru. 

A: Those are great choices! I have given some thought to a whole cast for a Ghost Train movie or television adaptation, and here are my choices for a “dream cast” (the ages are quite off, but if we could go back in time and hire each actress at different stages in their lives and careers at ease (and a bit of magic):

Ako – Adakichi, the Head Geiko of the Teahouse

Honoka Yahagi – Ai, the woman destined to marry Abe, and heir to famed horse shrine

Yu Aoi – Tane, merchant’s daughter discovering new rights in Meiji’s world

Erika Sawajiri – Mitsu, the formidable maiko who guides and pushes Maru

Mayumi Sada – Kiku, the best friend of Maru

Mao Inoue – Maru, the protagonist 

As for the fox? I have a unique answer – Utada Hikaru (who I’d also love to do a song for the Ghost Train movie credits or TV show theme song!). And that’s right; the entire cast is nearly women! As far as the supporting male characters go, I would choose:

Hiroyuki Sanada – Kira, the man of the Court who was once a family ally
Ken Watanabe – Maru’s father, a retired samurai-turned-merchant
Tadanobu Asano – Fujiwara, a recurring patron of Adakichi’s Teahouse

Q: Eva Wong Nava called Ghost Train “A haunting and immersive read” & our mutual friend author and journalist Jake Adelstein said this about Ghost Train “With lyrical prose that evokes the mystique of 19^th century Kyoto, this meticulously researched narrative weaves together historical authenticity with the ethereal allure of yokai folklore.” How does it feel knowing that Eva Wong Nava & Jake Adelstein gave Ghost Train such high remarks?

A:  I was very honored they accepted my invitation to read and blurb Ghost Train. Both of their endorsements blew me away and were above and beyond what I expected. They were both the first authors whom I asked and responded to! They both gave me a sense of accomplishment as a writer; seeing their feedback made me feel like I had “made it.” It’s difficult to describe the joy and immense pride I felt in other words when I saw their reactions to Ghost Train, but I will cherish their words forever.