Interview with Author Mark Jamilkowski about Mask of Romulus
- Mark Jamilkowski
- Dec 18
- 6 min read
Hello!
Today we are meeting Mark Jamilkowski, an entrepreneur and an author, about his new book, Mask of Romulus.
Mark, tell us a bit about yourself.
Hi! My name is Mark Jamilkowski. I am a resident of New York City, a father and husband, with personal passions that inform and shape my literary style, including music, photography, cooking, and games of strategy. I am also a co-founder of a healthcare focused start-up.
Being a founder of a healthcare start-up and being an author are very different. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
About ten years ago, I set out to find my birth mother. This was late in life, sort of, as I grew up knowing I was adopted. Still, it came to pass that I did search and eventually meet her. What I gained was immeasurable, only amplified by the wonderment I had for the life and circumstances that led to my birth. My first novel, The Road to Moresco, explores the dramatic events and emotional upheaval of Maria-Luisa Moresco and her daughter, Chiara as they persevered in the world events of the 1900's. This is that personal story, it is a work of passion, a work deeply emotional and vulnerable for me to write. Most of the book is true to the events and lives of these real-world women, cobbled together from interviews and recorded historical events. The fiction part is in wending it all together as I imagined it did. In the end I found myself humbled, inspired, awed, and grateful. I have been blessed with the support and encouragement of friends and family to turn my research of my story of origin into The Road to Moresco, and the critics seemed to agree, with many 5 star reviews and being named a Golden Book selection by Literary Titan.
How long does it take you to write a book?
It takes about two or three years to write a book. This is because of the competing responsibilities I have with the start-up as well as because I tend to do an extraordinary amount of research. While I do my research I am molding the story I want to tell in my mind, mulling it over repeatedly for many month. The framing of the story, the moments to lean in on, the pacing of the language, including the number of syllables per sentence, all figure into my craft. Once the manuscript is ready, after about 18 to 24 months, the editing and pre-launch marketing begin.
With so many responsibilities in your start-up, what is your work schedule like when you're writing?
I work full time and dedicate evenings and weekends to writing. But it comes to me in spurts. There are weeks when I am searching for the right direction to go in, questioning what I thought the nature of the story will be. Then, inspiration hits me, and I produce a frenzied amount of material. Sometimes this comes at ten in the morning, and sometimes after midnight. I have gotten out of bed in the middle of the night to start writing when I have a strong idea I do not want to lose.
Tell our audience what would is your most interesting writing quirk?
I am a philosophy and psychology nerd. This infuses my stories with empathy and emotional atmosphere beyond historical detail. I am committed to crafting narratives that explore new creative terrain that inspire readers to rediscover the hidden courage and motivations shaping history. I enjoy exploring themes of ambition, resilience, political oppression and personal growth. I think that makes my stories deep, perhaps with meaning and intent that goes deeper than the actual words on the page.
This is your second book. What have you learned about how books get published?
I suppose there is no restriction as to the actual publishing of a book. Self-publishing is readily accessible through various platforms. This has been both good and bad for the industry. First, reading is a lost art, rapidly falling off as people express preferences for podcasts, videos, and social media, over turning a page in a book. For those who do want to get into a book, discerning which books are quality and well formed stories to be worth reading has become very difficult. Self-published titles compete with the mass-marketed titles from major publishing houses, where the authors have secured an agent and further petitioned multiple printing and publishing houses to be represented by them. It is daunting. I have to say it was eye opening to me as I did not understand any of these dynamics when I published The Road to Moresco.
Developing a historical fiction novel seems to take a lot of research. Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?
I am inspired by news events, like the discovery of a Hindu religious artifact in the ashes of Pompeii, as well as by personal family history. I focus on historical fiction because I like to bring the human element of the events to the front of the story. Sure, the historical element is there, the events, times, people, places, usually well documented. The missing part, and the part that I like to dig into, are the unknown, the unspoken parts, the shadows between event A and event B that drove people in that time. Their motivation, their relationships, their own inner misgivings or boldness. I love the untold somethings that exist between, and even the unknown reasons for what has been documented. These are fertile grounds for my imagination to tell a story that could just be true. One critic even noted that Mask Of Romulus read so true, that they forgot they were reading fiction. I love that.
When did you write your first book and how old were you?
I was 56 when I wrote my first book, back in 2023.
Other than pulling your hair out from the stress of a start-up, what do you like to do when you're not writing?
My non-writing time is predominantly time focused on the start-up, and when not that work, I find yoga, cooking, and music as main passions.
What does your family think of your writing?
My family has been very supportive of the time and effort I put into my novels. I think the evolution of my "authorship" has taken them by surprise a bit.
Now that you have published your second book, what was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
First, it has been surprising to me how much I love research and the creative process that comes with pulling together all the pieces of that research into a cohesive story. Second, I have been surprised how cathartic and vulnerable writing has been. Each character I write about has a piece of me embedded in them, forcing me to understand their circumstances as well as myself a bit more each time I write. It has been fascinating.
Do you have a favorite between your two books?
I have written two books thus far, and am researching the third currently. I will have to defer to readers of my books to pick a favorite, as each offers something unique. I hope I am consistent in delivering an emotional and immersive experience, full of historical insight that floats along within a rhythmic narrative. That balance of intellectual rigor and vulnerability is something I strive for.
Do you have any suggestions to help others to write or become better writers?
I think it is important for any writer to know whether they are writing for themselves of for an audience. There is no wrong answer to that question. If you write for yourself, then you have to accept that not everyone is going to like your books and you may not be represented by a major publishing house. If you are writing for an audience then you have to accept that a significant part of being an author will entail marketing and promotion, regardless if you are or are not represented by a major label. Once you make this choice, my best advice is to write with passion and love, care about every word you put on the page. Edit yourself only after you think you have reached the end of the last chapter. Be honest, and use resources that are readily available to help develop your characters fully, keep your pace and depth of story balanced, and hone the scope of your novel so that there are not too many plot lines. My hardest critics lay into me on that last one, noting that there are many sub-plots that can be distracting from the main story line. Finally, accept that the whole idea of publishing is incredibly vulnerable, so be open to the idea that it is also a process of continuous improvement. No one is perfect.
What feedback or messages have you received from your readers?
I am touched by some readers that have told me how much my books have affected them, or how surprised they were at the emotions my work triggered within them. This is very satisfying and fulfilling to me as a person and I appreciate it very much.
Mask of Romulus is available on Amazon, free for Kindle Unlimited subscribers, in paper back and hard cover. Audiobook coming soon. Also to be available on Barnes & Noble and Nook.
A gift box with both of Mark's books, The Road to Moresco and Mask of Romulus, is currently available on the author's website. Two hardcovers for only $39.99 (reg. $60)
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