Q1. Hello Ma’am, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.
I live on the West Coast of Canada and when I’m not at home, I like to travel in my camper van and hike. Much of my recent book was written while on the road.
Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing ‘Burning Hope’ book?
All of my books are set in Washington State which is usually a quick trip across the border for me. During the pandemic I couldn’t cross into the U.S. to do my usual research trips. Because of this, instead of setting the story in a real place, I invented the town of Hope Harbor.
Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
I read a lot and across many genres but I’d say Charlaine Harris and Tana French have influenced me.
Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?
I love to visit waterfalls. One of my favourites is the Sombrio Beach cave waterfall on Vancouver Island. It feels magical!
Q5. Is there lots to do before you dive in and start writing a book?
When I start a new book I don’t do a ton of research. Instead, I focus on the protagonist and her special skill. In the case of Burning Hope, Red Hooper’s special skill was a psychic fire seer.
Q6. How long did it take you to write ‘Burning Hope’ book?
It took me about 5 months to write the first draft and another couple of months to edit before I sent it to my agent.
Q7. On what platforms can readers can find ‘Burning Hope’ to buy?
Burning Hope is initially available in all e-reader formats: kindle, kobo, nook, ibook etc. In a few months it should also be available in paperback.
Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Burning Hope’?
I am blessed to have my publisher, Carina Press, design the cover for Burning Hope. The title was the working title and, to my surprise, the publisher said we could keep that name. That doesn’t happen often!
Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?
I try to come up with twists and turns to keep readers guessing. While writing, I don’t plot the ending so I have no idea who the killer is until I am about three-quarters through the first draft. This keeps me interested as well!
Q10. Are there any secrets from the book (that aren’t in the blurb), you can share with your readers?
I will say that the protagonist’s skill of fire seeing came to me after talking to a psychic who shared this happened to her.
Q1. Hello Ma’am, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.
I’m a writer of women’s fiction, which I lovingly call the “trashcan punch” genre because it can have action and adventure stories, mysteries, love stories; all it has to have is a female character who undergoes an arc. I’m also a dog and cat mom, a travel addict and avid reader. Running and yoga keep me sane, and of course I love hanging out with my family and friends.
Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing ‘Dire’s Club’ book?
Probably the key challenges was getting inside of a character who is struggling with grief and depression. We learn early on that Charlotte is contemplating suicide, which was really difficult to spend much time in her point of view. The other strange twist was that I started writing Dire’s Club the very week that both Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade took their lives. But once she joined the Dire’s Club and began healing I found it easier to spend time in her perspective.
Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
I think it’s easy to say that everyone from Dr. Suess and Shel Silverstein, Beverly Cleary and Judy Blume all the way to David Mitchell and Jennifer Egan have had some influence on me and my writing. I think writers are all part of an ecosystem that influences each other, even if it’s difficult to discern how. I will tell you the one book that had a direct impact – Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales” was a major inspiration for Dire’s Club.
Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?
My favorite place to visit is Big Bend National Park in far southwest Texas. It’s hours away from civilization and has this incredible rugged beauty. The population is sparse, but the people who live out there have the most fascinating stories.
Q5. Is there lots to do before you dive in and start writing a book?
There is. Usually story ideas find me. In the case of Dire’s Club I had a dream where I was having a conversation with Jimmy Dire. I woke up and immediately started journaling and the bones of the story flowed out. I was actually finishing a trilogy and had another book that I was outlining, so I had to put Dire’s Club on ice, but the story rumbled around in my head for a while. When it was time to finally write it, I sketched out the plot and got to work.
Q6. How long did it take you to write ‘Dire’s Club’ book?
The idea came to me in 2014, but I didn’t start writing it until a few years later. But once I started writing it, it took probably about a year, and then editing took another year or so.
Q7. On what all platforms readers can find ‘Dire’s Club’ book to buy?
You can get Dire’s Club wherever you buy ebooks or paperback books – Kobo, Apple, Barnes and Noble and Amazon and Indiebookshop.com.
Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Dire’s Club’?
I’ll start with the title first, and that was part of that dream I spoke about earlier with Jimmy. I just knew that the name of his business, and thus the book, was Dire’s Club. I also like that play on words with the purpose of his business, to take dying people on their bucket list trip. But, in a truer sense of the word, things are dire for some of the characters.
Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?
Oh this is such a good question! As I mentioned, I outline or plot my books, but I don’t get too deep into the details. If I overdo it, I feel like the story feels less organic, and I truly believe that if something surprises me as I write it, it’ll surprise readers as they read it. So I approach my plotboard like a map. Let’s say that I want to drive from New York to LA. There’s a lot of different routes I could take – interstates, back roads, northern routes or southern routes. Now, let’s say I want to stop in Nashville, Kansas City and Las Vegas, but I leave it up to chance on how I get there it’ll leave me open to discover something cool along the way.
Q10. Are there any secrets from the book (that aren’t in the blurb), you can share with your readers?
One thing that’s not in the blurb is the fact that Dire’s Club is it’s a love story. It’s a story about loves that are lost, and loves that are found but fleeting. It’s about forgiveness – especially the hardest person to forgive: yourself. It’s a story about death, but most importantly, it’s a story about life.
Q1. Please introduce yourself so that the readers will get to know you better.
Hey, my name is Laura Bevan and my book is called ‘Come On Little Duck!’. This is my debut book and I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed creating it!
Q2. What is your inspiration behind your book “Come On Little Duck”?
My inspiration comes from being a parent to my two beautiful children. As a Mummy I believe in the importance of encouraging children to persue their goals and interests at a young age. This also applies to adults also. There is nothing stopping you persuing different careers or starting new personal hobbies or interests at any age.
Q3. When did you realize you wanted to be an author of Children’s Books?
My daughter took an interest in writing stories and at the time she had a huge obsession with Unicorn’s so we decided to create a book which incorporated life experiences at the time. This then lead to book two and I enjoyed it so much I decided to create ‘Come On Little Duck’, among others at a time where writing down my thoughts was helping me deal with the situation of the 2020 Lockdown.
Q4. Are you planning to release your next book soon?
There is more I would like to do with my debut book before I get started on any others of mine. However, I do intend on completing the final book of my daughter’s trilogy with her this year.
Q5. For which age group are your books suitable?
The book has been rated suitable for age group 3-7 years old.
Q6. What is your favorite Quote?
When I get excited about an idea I can’t help but say ”Oh My Gosh…. that’s Awesome!!” and I repeat it about four times. It just comes out!
Q7. What do you like the most about your country?
I love the beautiful scenery and seeing the beautiful pictures captured. Especially sunsets. The country walks where you can be in nature with the creatures and animals of all sizes. It’s so good for you and your mind.
Q8. What suggestion would you want to give to parents of little readers regarding a reading habit?
I would always say it’s good to start anything beneficial early. Picture books and things you can share that are interactive and good for cognitive skills is so important for young children.
Q9. What does literary success look like to you?
Everyone saying positive comments about the book and how inspiring it has been to the reader at whatever age. Also with this particular book ‘Little Duck’ is such a cute character and should be seen!
Q10. Lastly, who is your inspiration in life and why?
My dad is my inspiration in life. Always there when needed without hesitation to share his wise words of wisdom, encouragement and comfort. I love my dad and he has always had confidence in whatever I have done.
Q1. Please introduce yourself so that the readers will get to know you better.
My name is Amal Alexander, pen name (Amal Banafa). I am a mother to three children and also an English teacher for almost two decades.
Q2. What is your inspiration behind your book “Maryam’s Eid Party”?
The story of Marayms’s Eid party emerged from my own daughter Maryam, who always looked forward to celebrating Eid with her family and friends, similarly it’s the same for most Muslim kids around the world.
Q3. When did you realize you want to be an author of Children’s Book?
When my kids were growing up, I was unable to find good books about our religion that was entertaining and educational for the kids so for about two years I decided to write these books myself because I was well experienced with these stories.
Q4. Are you planning to release your next book soon?
Currently I am working on two books, and I intend to release it this year God willing.
Q5. For which age group your books are suitable?
The books are for ages 3 to 12 years old.
Q6. What is your favorite Quote?
My favourite quote is by Maya Angelou, “If you don’t like something change it, if you can’t change your attitude.”
Q7. What do you like the most about your country?
The thing I love the most about the USA is the diversity of people and cultures and religion.
Q8. What suggestion you want to give to parents of little readers regarding a reading habit?
I think it’s very important for parents to encourage their kids to pick up a book and read and use their imagination because we live in an age of electronics.
Q9. What does literary success look like to you?
Literary success is writing books that a lot of people can relate to.
Q10. Lastly, who is your inspiration in life and why?
My inspiration in life are my kids, they inspire me everyday to do better and my Creator keeps me humble.
Q1. Hello Sir, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.
Hello, my name is Michael Walker-Thomas. I am an author of many books and I love writing. I am from Philadelphia,Pa but I love to travel the world. I started writing at a young age and I fell in love with it. I love creating stories and characters. I am married and I also enjoy teaching.
Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing ‘The Voices You May Not Hear: The Lost Pages’ book?
The key challenges I faced were creating the characters’ setting. I wanted each character to be set in a place of entrapment, but with hope. The settings set the tone for the poems and the characters.
Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
My favorite authors are James Baldwin, W.E.B Du Bois and Langston Hughes. My favorite books are Encyclopedia Brown, The Souls of Black Folk and The Frederick Douglass Memoir.
Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?
My favorite spot to visit has been Hawaii and California. I have been to California a few times, but Hawaii was amazing. It gave me a sense of peace that I never knew I needed. I spent time there this past summer and I will forever cherish those memories. I will be back to Maui soon haha.
Q5. Is there lots to do before you drive in and start writing a book?
I usually create a one page paper with everything on it. The characters names, the chapter titles, and the settings. I then usually put Classical music on and write from my head. I started this process after my first book. There is a quote from the movie Finding Forester that says “You must write your first draft with your heart. You rewrite with your head.”
Q6. How long did it take you to write ‘The Voices You May Not Hear: The Lost Pages’ book?
This book took me only a couple days. I was determined to get this project done. I love writing Poetry. When I come up with ideas I have to just finish as soon as I can because the thoughts are in my head.
Q7. On what all platforms readers can find ‘The Voices You May Not Hear: The Lost Pages’ book to buy?
You can find this book on Amazon. If you also type in my name on Google you can find all five of my books.
Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘The Voices You May Not Hear: The Lost Pages’?
This is part two of a series I titled The Voices You May Not Hear. I love this title because everyone has a voice, but some voices you may not hear because of different circumstances. I put myself into peoples shoes not only with these books, but in life. In life it is important to have your voice heard. It is also important to make sure someone hears it. Saying that, these are The Voices You May Not Hear.
Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?
I keep things fresh by staying on top of current events and speaking from real life circumstances. Many of the stories are made up, but they can be real life to most people. I remember writing the first book of this series and one of the poems spoke to me. After I wrote it I realized how many people went through that situation. I always think about the reader when I write. I always want to put my reader mind on when I write.
Q10. Are there any secrets from the book (that aren’t in the blurb), you can share with your readers?
Yes. There is a poem in this book about a Mother and a daughter. It is very powerful. I feel as though it is one of the more heartfelt poems about sacrifice and love.
My name is Teressa Hill! I am originally from Portland Oregon where I grew up as a competitive figure skater. I have always been a writer. As a young girl, I would write poetry and short stories. I enjoyed my English classes in grade school and English and Creative Writing in College where I studied theater as well.
Q2. From where did you get the idea for your book “Boo Who?”?
I was trying to figure out a plot that my characters could face that teaches children how to face their fears. I’m a strong believer in getting out of the problem and into the solution. Walking through the fear sometimes is the best way to go because then you turn around and look back and you’ve done it, which builds self-esteem.
Q3. Can you tell us one thing people may not know about you?
I am currently working in Los Angeles as a professional film and television hair stylist, which is another art form that I enjoy. I am honored to be nominated this season for my work in the film industry. I’ve had the opportunity to work with some of the greats in our business.
Q4. How much research did you do? before you began your book?
Before I begin any project, I always do massive research. For this particular book, I researched trolls, fairies, Halloween, scarecrows, snails, witches and ghosts. I focused on Halloween and all the characters that come with it.
Q5. Which age group is your book “Boo Who?” suitable for?
For reading, I think it is great for ages six years and older. I believe it can be a book very entertaining for children under than the age of six due to the story line, characters, and the poetic meter.
Q6. What makes you passionate about being a writer?
Knowing that I can change a child’s perspective at a young age and encourage them to better themselves and to be kind and accepting of others. We are all flawed, yet our flaws make us unique unto ourselves and bring something special to the world.
Q7. What is the process of writing a book: how does it go from an idea to finished work on sale in bookstores?
For me, the first step was creating my core characters that I knew were going to embark on adventures where they would meet interesting characters along the way who set obstacles in their path. The challenges my characters faced and overcame would help children understand how to maneuver situations that may occur in their life as they grow older. I am a big fan of positive influences in children’s lives, as well as a big advocate for animals.
Q8. Where do you see yourself in five years?
I see myself as a successful children’s book author with a successful children’s animation series, Gracie and Sniggles.
Q9. What has been the highlight of your career so far?
Publishing my books! The ability to give back has been a highlight as well as all the royalties of “The Mystery of the Blue Goo” are donated to Saint Jude’s and the royalties from “Boo Who?” go to the ASPCA.
Q10. What do you hope kids learn from your books?
The benefit of kindness towards others, compassion towards those that are different from themselves, and the importance of friendship. Being different makes life more interesting and makes the world go round.
Q1. Please introduce yourself so that the readers will get to know you better.
Hi, I’m 44 I live in Great Yarmouth in Norfolk with my wife and 2 sons. My father and mother are Greek Cypriot I was born in North London, I love gaming and all tec I have secondary progressive Multiple sclerosis & Epilepsy. But I am really happy and I feel really lucky.
Q2. What is your inspiration behind your book “The Nose Family”?
My mother handed me a sketch I did of the characters in the book which inspired me to write a story about them.
Q3. When did you realize you want to be an author of Children’s Book?
After my family and friends & people I didn’t even know liked my sketches and my writing.
Q4. Are you planning to release your next book soon?
Yes I hope to release my next book this year and If Possible another One is previewed on the back of the first book.
Q5. For which age group your books are suitable?
3-9.
Q6. What is your favorite Quote?
Nothing comes to mind.
Q7. What do you like the most about your country?
The opportunities and support is like no other.
Q8. What suggestion you want to give to parents of little readers regarding a reading habit?
Find something you love to read and read regularly it stimulates creativity.
Q9. What does literary success look like to you?
When my characters are enjoyed by everyone and around the world, And children know their names.
Q10. Lastly, who is your inspiration in life and why?
My Cuz, Cary Kiki. Because Within just 15 years he has created a worldwide and brand. Oh, and his support is unfathomable.
Q1. Hello, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.
Hi, my name is Joseph T. Humphrey. I founded the independent publishing company, Intrepid Pen, and I am the author of the company’s first published novel, Branded. I’m an Emergency Medicine doctor, a Christian thinker/speaker, a novice banjo player, and I love hunting for the best donuts around.
Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing ‘Branded’ book?
One of the major challenges was finding time to complete and edit the work while also working in an Emergency Department during a global pandemic! But writing the book has a been a way to express hope and triumph in difficult times. I hope the same sentiment comes through in the pages of the story.
Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
Some of my major influences have been Ted Dekker, John White, Joseph Finder, Donald Maass, Tim Keller, C.S. Lewis, and J.R.R. Tolkien, and the Bible. From authors to commentary, I’ve been shaped by these and many more.
Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?
My favorite spot to visit in my country is the Northern Woods. Places like northern Wisconsin, northern Minnesota, and northern Michigan have a special place in my heart.
Q5. Is there lots to do before you drive in and start writing a book?
I do a ton of prep work ahead of time. I write down an explosion of scenes, events, and dialogue to take place in the story, and my notes have become a series of “a-ha!” moments—the moments that move, inspire, scare, twist, and soar the story. Then comes the sorting. There’s polishing, adding and subtracting, and developing the moment. It takes a lot to work the story, to make it more than mere words, and translate it to emotion and conviction.
Q6. How long did it take you to write ‘Branded’ book?
Branded was written over six years. From original concept to storyboarding, full concept, writing the original draft, and subsequent edits and revisions, it was a long process. But totally worth it. I’m so happy to have completed it.
Q7. On what all platforms readers can find ‘Branded’ book to buy?
Branded is available in ebook from Amazon/Kindle, Apple iTunes, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and Google Play, along with others. The book is also available in printed paperback and hardcover versions through Amazon. Your local bookstore can request the book as well through the global distribution network Ingram Spark. If your bookstore doesn’t have it, ask for them to get it!
Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Branded’?
The title Branded is a reflection of the story. The title came much later, and only after the story had been fully written. I worked with a fabulous cover designer at 99Designs to come up with the cover to reflect a moment in the story.
Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?
Freshness is important for the reading audience, and even for the author as well. The way to keep things fresh is to inspire—to give a moment of hope and reflection that will lift out of the pages of the novel and translate to the real world around us. The craft of fiction is to take the reader on an emotional ride so that at the end of the hero’s story, it is not only the characters that have learned and grown, but the reader as well. That is the triumph of the novel, and the moment of refreshment that all of us look for when we turn to literature.
Q10. Are there any secrets from the book (that aren’t in the blurb), you can share with your readers?
This is a book full of secrets, monsters, lost heritage, and reclaimed hope. Find the truth. Reclaim the Forgotten. Escape to the Other Side.
Q1. Hello, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.
Justin and Alexis are authors, speakers, business owners and part of the Forbes Next 1000 class of 2021. Together, they’ve published an award-winning, bestselling book titled Redefining Normal: How Two Foster Kids Beat The Odds and Discovered Healing, Happiness and Love that has impacted over 15,000 individuals and families. With ROSE (Rising Over Societal Expectations) Empowerment Group and Redefining Normal, they hope to continue the conversation on healthy relationships, mental health, and healing through speaking engagements, trainings and book clubs.
Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing ‘Redefining Normal’ book?
Redefining Normal book is an intimate and personal journey of two individuals learning themselves outside of the unhealthy generational practices. We want to take people into the rooms where things happened, meaning we had to relive these situations ourselves. During this progress, we had a roller coaster of emotions and needed to find healthy outlets to continue out healing journey as we continued writing the book.
Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. It is a story of shame and redemption that reaches across racial and religious gaps. That no matter your environment, even in war, you can find joy. I can see this reflected in my own life that no matter what I go through and what my environment looks like, I have the power to choose joy in any situation. This reminds me of the power of our mind and our words and how we can reframe our situations so that we can learn and be empowered from it.
Q4. What’s your favorite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?
One of our favorite places we’ve been to is Washington D.C. It’s a place known for politics but truly a beautiful and historic place to be. The energy of the city forces you to be focused and disciplined like no other place.
Q5. Is there lots to do before you drive in and start writing a book?
Yes, the book writing process can be exhausting but it all starts from an idea. With our latest book, we primarily focused on a concept that we’ve pondered on for years. We believe that challenging concepts and issues bring people together and that’s what we wanted to do with our book and business.
Q6. How long did it take you to write ‘Redefining Normal’ book?
We started writing the book in March of 2020, the start of the COVID-19 Pandemic where we were locked down and looking for employment. Instead of continuing to search for job, we decided to put our full effort into creating this book and releasing it in 2020. The final product, Redefining Normal, was released on November 9th, 2020.
Q7. On what all platforms readers can find ‘Redefining Normal’ book to buy?
Readers can find our book at re-definingnormal.com! You can also find it on Barnes & Noble as well as Amazon along with the audiobook.
Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Redefining Normal’?
Your normal is the identity that has been shaped by your family, community, and society. For those with trauma and abuse survivors, we inherited a culture of ideas that was a reflection of the trauma of our family and community. This became our reality and the image we had of ourselves. We needed to go through the process of redefining our normal and challenging others to do the same.
Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?
Living life and allowing yourself to process what you’re writing and your experiences keep things fresh. For us, we felt like we’ve lived four lives in one and we’re only in our 20’s. Being as detailed as possible also allows the reader to have the impact in living that experienced as well.
Q10. Are there any secrets from the book (that aren’t in the blurb), you can share with your readers?
The last chapter ends with us getting married. Not that it’s a surprise but it lets readers know just how far we’ve come from our childhood.
Q1. Hello Ma’am, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.
Well, My name is Salma Soliman, I am a 35 years old Egyptian and a proud mother of 2. A girl, Malak 3 and a half years old and a boy, Selim 2 years. I’ve always been so passionate about 4 main and constant things ever since I was a little girl; kids, reading, writing and dancing, and as I grew up, my passion for them grew as well and never changed or dimmed.
Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing ‘The Series Of Kindness’ book?
Well, as hard as it still feels to talk about it, but the truth is that the key challenges I faced while writing my first book “The Series Of Kindness, Volume 1” was the fact that I was writing it during the course of a personal significant trauma. When I was diagnosed with unexplained infertility and undergone several failed IVF attempts only to be more certain that it is never going to happen for me, that’s when my husband told me it was time we tried something new and Oh my! Thank God we did! We traveled to the UK to undertake another round of IVF with a new approach and for the first time I conceived triplets, but sadly I lost my boys in my 6th month which somehow pushed me towards the darkest yet brightest phase of my life. The darkness of losing my precious babies and the light that after all I CAN conceive. Those two opposite and profound feelings lead me into a rollercoaster of emotions that I found myself writing stories to my unborn children manifesting through them the human beings I would wish them to grow up into and as I wrote I felt closer and closer to them and my dream felt so attainable. This was my real challenge, I was too emotional to write, yet I couldn’t stop myself. At some point, I was too scared that all my hurt and personal struggles will be reflected in my stories but yet again I believe that the best books are written from the heart, so I continued to write through all my pain and loses. My book includes 5 stories and as I finished my fifth, I was ready to give birth to my beautiful miracle “Malak”. I don’t think I will ever face a bigger challenge than losing the children I longed for for years, but these challenges are the real reason my book is written & are also the reason I am now enjoying every single second with my children.
Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
To be honest, I am not consciously aware that a certain writer influenced my writing more than others. I have a lot of favorite authors, I believe they all influenced me one way or another, but I am not sure how exactly have they influenced my own writing. But let me tell you about my favorite books & authors as a kid & as a grown woman. Ok, let’s see, as a kid, I loved Robinson Crusue by Daniel Defoe, i was fascinated by the survival skills & the adventure of this book that I had my uncle read it over & over to me again whenever he visited. The Whizard of Ozz by Liam Frank was also one of my very dearest books, I was enchanted by the fantasy world & it’s beautiful message that everyone has a missing part & it is either we accept our incomplete selves & focus on our own edges or we will keep searching forever for what we are missing & lose ourselves entirely in the process. Growing up, I fell in love with Charlotte’s web by E.B. White, I believe it is a story that teaches true meanings of kindness, acceptance & friendship. As I became a mother myself, I loved the Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, I think it is a brilliant story that teaches your little ones so much in a fun & appealing way. Now, as a grown woman, I tend to love thrillers & dark novels like “the Prey Series” by John Sandford. Gone Girl & Dark Places by Gillion Flyn. Deceit & A Dark Devotion by Clare Francis.
Q4. What’s your favorite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?
My favorite spot in my country is a very small & very primitive village called “Ballah” right by the Mediterranean Sea in the North Coast. I really don’t know what it is about this place that speaks right to my heart. It is amazingly beautiful in its very own way, it is like civilization has totally forgotten about it & so it is still pure, simple & real. When I go there, I feel so at ease & calm. The houses there are tiny, the sea is crystal blue, the sand is snow white & the weather warm with a chilly breeze. Just Perfect. It is the kind of place that freshens your heart & awakens your soul. I am very lucky to be living in Egypt, my country has all kinds of uniquely beautiful sceneries. It has exotic deserts, beautiful seas & shores, historical monuments, just all kinds of beauties that fit all tastes. Really It is a very special country, I can’t get enough of it, yet I still choose “Ballah” to be my favorite spot.
Q5. Is there lots to do before you drive in and start writing a book?
Yes, I believe there is so much to do before starting to write a book, but it all has to start by having the right state of mind that helps your imagination blossom, whatever state it is that serves your personal self best. For me, It all begins with having an idea, then I have to get my mind to keep on thinking & thinking about this idea without trying to push it in a certain direction, just let it be until it defines itself. Once it has been defined, it is time I start putting it on paper in the form of key words & sub ideas that eventually shall lead to a complete story. I then start taking one sub idea at a time & start building on it by research, creation, & details in the form of characters, events & circumstances. At this point I should have a clear vision of who I am talking to & what is the effect I wish to leave on my readers. It is then that my initial idea is starting to breathe & come to life, during this stage it is essential to not stop & keep going. Let it flow without over thinking, self-criticism & evaluation. By the time I am done, I have my story & I am free to reevaluate, add & subtract as much as I want and boom! There you go, My book is alive!
Q6. How long did it take you to write ‘The Series Of Kindness’ book?
It took me almost 2 years to be completely done & satisfied with my final draft.
Q7. On what all platforms readers can find ‘The Series Of Kindness’ book to buy?
My book is published now by Austin Maculey publishers. You can find it on their own website together with all major online retailers like amazon, Barnes and Noble, Waterstones, WHSmith and Book Depository under the name “The Series Of Kindness, Volume 1”. You can also find it on my very new Instagram page KINDKIDS by S S where you will soon find a bunch of interesting and appealing ideas on how to advocate Kindness to your kids, so please follow and stay tuned!
Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘The Series Of Kindness’?
My book cover was my own sketch, I croakily drew it, then my mother being the talented architect & painter that she is neatly sketched it for me, & we had it sent to my publisher. I was trying to reflect through my cover the celebration of love & kindness by all, featuring the heroes of the book all teaming up together to carry the big heart of kindness feeling happy & empowered by all the love they are feeling. The title was pretty easy for me because my idea was very clear from the start. I wanted to create a whole series of books linking every value in life to kindness. Serving the purpose of advocating for a culture of kindness, emphasizing on the fact that the kinder you are the stronger you get & thus resulting in creating kinder realities for all our children. So the title very simply became “The Series of Kindness”
Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?
Keeping things fresh is a very important aspect of writing. You have to practically be living in your story & not push away any idea that comes to your mind. I personally love to write in open spaces, it keeps my mind opened, vibrant, & fresh. I like to imagine that all my ideas are already a success, that gives me more confidence when writing. Also, I believe it is essential to add from my very own opinions & personality to anything I write, because we are all different & unique human beings & by adding a part of you, you know that it is only yours & thus it is fresh. Reading a lot also serves writers really well, the more you read different things, the better you write. For me every time I read a book, something lights in my mind & a door opens to a brand new idea that could turn into another book or simply just disappear in thin air, the important thing is that reading keeps my mind working & productive .Finally, having an inspiration always keeps my writing fresh, whether it is a person who inspired me or a feeling, a song, movie or anything else, Being inspired makes me write with passion, & passion is always fresh.
Q10. Are there any secrets from the book (that aren’t in the blurb), you can share with your readers?
The first secret is that I believe that “The Series of Kindness” could be a book that grownups could enjoy as much as children. It can be suitable from the age of 2 & all the way up to young adults, it all depends on how you pick from each story what you believe shall stick with your children according to their ages yet keeping the main moral of the story.
Another secret is that the characters of the book can be anyone & everyone of us. We can all make the choices that the heroes made in the book, we don’t have to be super or skillful. All you have to do to be karim, Hannah, Fares, Farida or The Little People is to be strong enough to see things differently & allow your heart to see everything before your eyes does!
Sassy Reviews 