I am delighted to announce that author Amira Awaad features next in the series. As you may be aware I asked authors on my facebook page if they would like to appear in a series of *interviews*. I wanted to connect with other writers, find out what they write about, why they write, their thoughts about the writing process, their drives, and learn a little more about them.
Please find the full interview below (also linked to my twitter, tumblr, facebook, Goodreads, and google + account).
Please do share with your circle of book friends and leave me a like/comment - thank you very much.
Amira, tell us about your first novel?
The Ankhs: Red Marks the Child is a wicked, little tale of historical fantasy. Set in Ancient Egypt, it's brimming with allusions to modern known gods and goddesses. Specifically, it follows the life and tale of Hathor, who, in this telling of the story, wasn't a goddess; wasn't quite human, either.
I started writing it in 2011. At the time, I was a single, working mother, a master's student, and juggling to master time management. I've been writing for as long as I remember, and in this time of my life, I started to have many recurring dreams of being alive in Ancient Egypt. Then the muse began to whisper in my ears, even in my waking hours. So, between submitting assignments and doing laundry at 1:00 a.m., I wrote The Ankhs.
So do you work with a publisher or have a literary agent?
I do not have a literary agent. If I had spent the time trying to "secure" an agent, actually writing, I would be swimming in a stack of books by now.
Are you self-published or traditional?
Most certainly self-published. Not all of us are fortunate enough to have a publisher look at our manuscript and say, "Yes, I approve this story."
I will never wait for someone's permission to allow me to spin a tale.
How many books have you written?
Currently, I have three books out, and I'm writing my fourth. One book, "Living in the Shadows of the Pyramids", is a compilation of a selection of poetry. I was 15 the first time I shared a piece of my literature with the public, and it was in the form of poetry. This, particular, collection is the self-expression of my heritage; my homeland. It's the awe and joy I feel walking on Egypt's land. It's the scream in my mind for my people to wake up and become more than what they are today.
The second book, "Silently Yours, Lucienne", is akin to the proverbial "coming out of the closet". All the years I've spent writing online and partaking in wonderful communities of people were spent communicating under the pseudonym Lucienne. When I decided to publish my work under my true name, Amira Awaad, I felt it was time to let everyone in on it. This book can be described as drops of my story, I suppose. It is a collection of triumphs and pitfalls in my life. It's one thing to read a page "About the Author", it's another to truly access the wo/man conjuring the stories.
Finally, there is The Ankhs: Red Marks the Child, which I have spoken about, above.
Very interesting. I feel with your Ankhs that I really am treading Egypt's hot sands. Your descriptions are very vivid. What are you working on now?
The Ankhs: Firebird, which is part 2 in the Ankhs series. This is my current project. I'm over the moon with the additions of several new key characters and how the tale is weaving into itself. It's definitely darker than its predecessor, but this was to be expected. Still, there is more magic to be conjured, new characters to fall in love with, and old friendships to re-kindle.
Any future projects?
Of course! I plan to write my way to the grave. When I have completed The Ankhs series, I plan on weaving a dystopian future in the form of Amber Rain.
Who is your favourite character of your books and why?
I have two. Is it cheating of I choose two? It's cheating, isn't it? Okay, I will answer in accordance....... Bitaah. Bitaah is introduced as a steel bender and he's brilliantly strong; but, that's not the reason he's my favorite character. He's lawful good, and yet he's committed his own little transgression. It's his relationship with Mirr-Ha that pulls at me. See, Bitaah never makes eye contact with anyone, and there's a good reason for that, but if I tell you, you'll miss out on a major plot twist! It's the way he yearns to look at her, but simply says "Dua Netjer etj" when she brings him fresh bread everyday. In the dead Pharaohnic language that no mortal man speaks today, it means "Thank God for you."
I love that! How do you come up with the names for your characters?
Research, mostly. My work is currently historical fantasy, so I try to develop names that were used once upon a time. I'll use that as my base and re-shape the names as I see fit for my story-telling.
Have events in your own life made their way into your stories?
If Hemingway was right and writing is easy because all you have to do is sit at a typewriter and bleed, then, yes. We carry our DNA in our blood. We dream our stories in our mind. It is the same mind that carries every memory of every breath, inhaled. Writers are sensory beings and so we process life (both real and imagined) through every part of our being.
One of my favourite Hemingway quotes is “There is no friend as loyal as a book.”
Where can readers find your books?
On Amazon. As a self-published author, I need all the support I can get like the promotions my books can partake in with Kindle Select. To do that, though, I can't make them available anywhere else. So....Amazon :)
Well there are other ebook platforms, it's just that Amazon hold the majority and is extremely popular.
Which authors have enthralled you?
WOW! Ouch! It's like asking to choose your favourite children from among 1000!
Let's start: Neil Gaiman. The man that said "The world always seems brighter when you've just made something that wasn't there before." There have been times in my life when I thought our minds were connect. There were times when I thought perhaps our souls have met in the land of dreams. Gaiman's stories have been a source of wide-eyed wonderment for me. If I were to go on, I'm afraid the audience would find themselves into a brand new novella dedicated to a great many people. You see, when I was a little girl, I read whatever I was given, but I wasn't very good at shopping for my own books. I bought a lot of literature that just wasn't written for me, and sadly, I didn't read them. As I grew older, I learned more about what I like, and have bought and read hundreds of books in those genres. So, to all the authors, self-published and otherwise, I thank them for sharing a very carefully folded piece of themselves, opened for me to read.
I love NG's work. What writer or book has had the biggest influence on your work?
Ha! Stan Lee! because, oh my God, his characters and comics are what fed my ever growing fantasy as a child. It was because of him that I dared to dream of the unreal. He created the modern day epic(s) for me, the way Homer did for the Ancient Greeks.... but that's just my opinion.
Your opinion is not up for discussion, Amira :)
Now what book are you currently reading?
Don't laugh. Though I'm currently reading it, it isn't a current book. It's been around for a long, long time. So, without further ado, I am currently reading the complete collection of Miss Marple by Agatha Christie. Why? because she's the queen of murder! In our house, we grew up watching Perry Mason, Murder, She Wrote, Columbo, etc., when a show was on, it was a battle of wits between my family to see who would be the first to unravel the mystery. I love a good murder mystery, and Miss Marple really is one of the wittiest, sharp-minded, old women I've ever had the pleasure of meeting.
Where do you read mostly?
In bed, because I will read my way through to the wee hours of the morning; comfort is a plus.
How many books do you read a month, would you say?
It depends which month of the year it is. I could (easily) read over eight books a month if I had the luxury of time. However, I am a teacher and an academic dean, in addition to which I lecture once a week (in the evening) at the university. Also, I am a daughter, a wife, and a mother to the three wonderful men in my life. So, I usually max out at two books a month.
Where do you do your writing?
I don't actually have a spot. In terms of location, my only limitation is that I have to be at home. I can't write at a cafe or restaurant, unless I'm doodling in my journal. If I'm composing, however, I must be at home; at my desk, on my couch, in my bed, or in the garden.
How many hours a day do you write?
And now I'm going to cry. I do not own my time because of the multitude of tasks and obligations I am committed to, so I don't get to write every day. I might write for an hour on one day and four hours on another day and then live a few days without any writing. (But there will always be reading on those days :))
As long as you find time to write, that's the main thing.
Do you agree with the statement: write about what you know?
Nope; absolutely not. Neil Degrasse Tyson once made the comparison that: arguing there's no life in space is like taking a cup of ocean water and saying there are no whales in the ocean. What do we know? Socrates once said that the wise man is he who knows that he knows nothing. When you write, you tell a story and our whole world is made up of stories. Look around you... Life is a story; both the life you live and the lives you know nothing about; all stories. Go ahead, write the unknown..... who knows?
What challenges do you face when writing?
I write in silence and that says a lot. Composing a story bleeds every ounce of my focus. At any given time, when I write, I have several conversations happening simultaneously in my head. My brain constantly rewinds, fast forwards, pauses, etc. The smallest thing like the door opening and closing, or the phone ringing, throws me off.
What has surprised you most about writing?
How real the characters become. Not just "believable", I'm talking about walking into the kitchen, making a coffee and all of them come sit with me at the table and we're chatting and laughing. THAT level of real. They're in my kitchen, they're in my car, they're in my bed, they hang out in my office.... and the best part: they're all "off-duty" at the time. So, while they still look like the characters I created and dress like them, they chill with me like actors who are not currently in front of the camera. There's a lot of story-related gossip involved.
What are the best and worst things about being a writer?
Nothing beats the feeling of finishing your book or reading a review posted by a stranger somewhere in the world who enjoyed your story. The worst part is editing, polishing, editing, polishing, aaaaaahhhhh!!!! The madness it drives you to. It's hard, when you're self-published and don't have a knowledgeable conglomerate of paid professionals who help with publishing, design, advertising and so on. Like most others like me, I depend, mostly, on word of mouth.
What is the most exciting experience you've had as a result of writing?
Being sucked into a world of fantasy that I created by my own hand. I saw and lived things I'd never imagined or seen before. That was exciting! Also, my husband googled my book, once, and found that someone had recommended it to another person who was looking to read a little Ancient Egyptian Fantasy. That was incredibly flattering!
How do you go about marketing your books?
Hahahahah! I used to. My goodness, when I think about the number of hours I spent on research and applications and God knows what..... I know how to make up stories and tell them. Other than that, I am an academic. Sadly, I don't know much about marketing and after all the time I lost trying to understand and learn the ropes in this area, I walked away from it. For me, I saw it as borrowed time that I do not have, though I did learn a lot. In the end, I've decided on a path that leads to my happiness, which is: I write. I write for me, I write for the world, I write for every mortal soul who will ever turn the pages of my stories. No more... no less.
What do you like doing when you aren't writing?
Everything! If not writing, then I will read, photograph, cook! (I love to cook) I will visit my Mom's grave because, although it's rather morbid to some, it is the place where I feel the most serene. I will play games! because I love playing games with my family... let's see: Clash of clans, Plague Inc., Arcane Legends, D&D, Ticket to Ride (although that one has just been temporarily reinstated in our house since the last one resulted in a near triple homicide when my husband, my son, and me deliberately cut off each other's railroads. It got really bad. I daresay worse than Monopoly).
You like D&D - nerd alert! No, seriously, that's cool.
Have you attended any writing courses?
No. As a student, I attended class, paid attention, read like an addict, and self-studied everything else. Mr. McMahon was my 9th Grade English teacher. He taught me how to develop my voice and be in control of it through word choice, and not ten exclamation points. I always think of him kindly when I stand in class with my students.
I am a part of the Rowayat family. Rowayat is Egypt's first literary journal and I submit my work to them, regularly. On occasion, I've been invited to art galleries and other literary events to offer a reading of my work.
Do you watch TV?
Yay, Netflix! It's the only way I get to watch anything. My favorite shows are: The Flash, Gotham, Sherlock, Hannibal, Game of Thrones, Attack on Titan (Anime), Blue Exorcist (Anime), Death Note (Anime), Firefly, Constantine, Big Bang Theory, Supernatural, and Dexter.
Your favourite films?
Alice in Wonderland (the mad hatter *girlie squeal*), The Neverending Story (still not sure what name he calls out in the end), The Princess Bride (never bet against a Sicilian when death is on the line), The Labyrinth (David Bowie! R.I.P.), Mission Impossible (all except the one with the Chimera), James Bond (is that your real name?), Silence of the Lambs (Hello, Clarice.) There are too many....there are just too many....
Lastly, what advice can you give to other writers?
Tell your stories your way.
You are not alone in the world.
There will always be those that will have the capacity to see through your eyes.
Thank you, Amira, it has been an absolute pleasure to talk to you.
Please do share with your circle of book friends and leave me a like/comment - thank you very much.
Amira, tell us about your first novel?
The Ankhs: Red Marks the Child is a wicked, little tale of historical fantasy. Set in Ancient Egypt, it's brimming with allusions to modern known gods and goddesses. Specifically, it follows the life and tale of Hathor, who, in this telling of the story, wasn't a goddess; wasn't quite human, either.
I started writing it in 2011. At the time, I was a single, working mother, a master's student, and juggling to master time management. I've been writing for as long as I remember, and in this time of my life, I started to have many recurring dreams of being alive in Ancient Egypt. Then the muse began to whisper in my ears, even in my waking hours. So, between submitting assignments and doing laundry at 1:00 a.m., I wrote The Ankhs.
So do you work with a publisher or have a literary agent?
I do not have a literary agent. If I had spent the time trying to "secure" an agent, actually writing, I would be swimming in a stack of books by now.
Are you self-published or traditional?
Most certainly self-published. Not all of us are fortunate enough to have a publisher look at our manuscript and say, "Yes, I approve this story."
I will never wait for someone's permission to allow me to spin a tale.
How many books have you written?
Currently, I have three books out, and I'm writing my fourth. One book, "Living in the Shadows of the Pyramids", is a compilation of a selection of poetry. I was 15 the first time I shared a piece of my literature with the public, and it was in the form of poetry. This, particular, collection is the self-expression of my heritage; my homeland. It's the awe and joy I feel walking on Egypt's land. It's the scream in my mind for my people to wake up and become more than what they are today.
The second book, "Silently Yours, Lucienne", is akin to the proverbial "coming out of the closet". All the years I've spent writing online and partaking in wonderful communities of people were spent communicating under the pseudonym Lucienne. When I decided to publish my work under my true name, Amira Awaad, I felt it was time to let everyone in on it. This book can be described as drops of my story, I suppose. It is a collection of triumphs and pitfalls in my life. It's one thing to read a page "About the Author", it's another to truly access the wo/man conjuring the stories.
Finally, there is The Ankhs: Red Marks the Child, which I have spoken about, above.
Very interesting. I feel with your Ankhs that I really am treading Egypt's hot sands. Your descriptions are very vivid. What are you working on now?
The Ankhs: Firebird, which is part 2 in the Ankhs series. This is my current project. I'm over the moon with the additions of several new key characters and how the tale is weaving into itself. It's definitely darker than its predecessor, but this was to be expected. Still, there is more magic to be conjured, new characters to fall in love with, and old friendships to re-kindle.
Any future projects?
Of course! I plan to write my way to the grave. When I have completed The Ankhs series, I plan on weaving a dystopian future in the form of Amber Rain.
Who is your favourite character of your books and why?
I have two. Is it cheating of I choose two? It's cheating, isn't it? Okay, I will answer in accordance....... Bitaah. Bitaah is introduced as a steel bender and he's brilliantly strong; but, that's not the reason he's my favorite character. He's lawful good, and yet he's committed his own little transgression. It's his relationship with Mirr-Ha that pulls at me. See, Bitaah never makes eye contact with anyone, and there's a good reason for that, but if I tell you, you'll miss out on a major plot twist! It's the way he yearns to look at her, but simply says "Dua Netjer etj" when she brings him fresh bread everyday. In the dead Pharaohnic language that no mortal man speaks today, it means "Thank God for you."
I love that! How do you come up with the names for your characters?
Research, mostly. My work is currently historical fantasy, so I try to develop names that were used once upon a time. I'll use that as my base and re-shape the names as I see fit for my story-telling.
Have events in your own life made their way into your stories?
If Hemingway was right and writing is easy because all you have to do is sit at a typewriter and bleed, then, yes. We carry our DNA in our blood. We dream our stories in our mind. It is the same mind that carries every memory of every breath, inhaled. Writers are sensory beings and so we process life (both real and imagined) through every part of our being.
One of my favourite Hemingway quotes is “There is no friend as loyal as a book.”
Where can readers find your books?
On Amazon. As a self-published author, I need all the support I can get like the promotions my books can partake in with Kindle Select. To do that, though, I can't make them available anywhere else. So....Amazon :)
Well there are other ebook platforms, it's just that Amazon hold the majority and is extremely popular.
Which authors have enthralled you?
WOW! Ouch! It's like asking to choose your favourite children from among 1000!
Let's start: Neil Gaiman. The man that said "The world always seems brighter when you've just made something that wasn't there before." There have been times in my life when I thought our minds were connect. There were times when I thought perhaps our souls have met in the land of dreams. Gaiman's stories have been a source of wide-eyed wonderment for me. If I were to go on, I'm afraid the audience would find themselves into a brand new novella dedicated to a great many people. You see, when I was a little girl, I read whatever I was given, but I wasn't very good at shopping for my own books. I bought a lot of literature that just wasn't written for me, and sadly, I didn't read them. As I grew older, I learned more about what I like, and have bought and read hundreds of books in those genres. So, to all the authors, self-published and otherwise, I thank them for sharing a very carefully folded piece of themselves, opened for me to read.
I love NG's work. What writer or book has had the biggest influence on your work?
Ha! Stan Lee! because, oh my God, his characters and comics are what fed my ever growing fantasy as a child. It was because of him that I dared to dream of the unreal. He created the modern day epic(s) for me, the way Homer did for the Ancient Greeks.... but that's just my opinion.
Your opinion is not up for discussion, Amira :)
Now what book are you currently reading?
Don't laugh. Though I'm currently reading it, it isn't a current book. It's been around for a long, long time. So, without further ado, I am currently reading the complete collection of Miss Marple by Agatha Christie. Why? because she's the queen of murder! In our house, we grew up watching Perry Mason, Murder, She Wrote, Columbo, etc., when a show was on, it was a battle of wits between my family to see who would be the first to unravel the mystery. I love a good murder mystery, and Miss Marple really is one of the wittiest, sharp-minded, old women I've ever had the pleasure of meeting.
Where do you read mostly?
In bed, because I will read my way through to the wee hours of the morning; comfort is a plus.
How many books do you read a month, would you say?
It depends which month of the year it is. I could (easily) read over eight books a month if I had the luxury of time. However, I am a teacher and an academic dean, in addition to which I lecture once a week (in the evening) at the university. Also, I am a daughter, a wife, and a mother to the three wonderful men in my life. So, I usually max out at two books a month.
Where do you do your writing?
I don't actually have a spot. In terms of location, my only limitation is that I have to be at home. I can't write at a cafe or restaurant, unless I'm doodling in my journal. If I'm composing, however, I must be at home; at my desk, on my couch, in my bed, or in the garden.
How many hours a day do you write?
And now I'm going to cry. I do not own my time because of the multitude of tasks and obligations I am committed to, so I don't get to write every day. I might write for an hour on one day and four hours on another day and then live a few days without any writing. (But there will always be reading on those days :))
As long as you find time to write, that's the main thing.
Do you agree with the statement: write about what you know?
Nope; absolutely not. Neil Degrasse Tyson once made the comparison that: arguing there's no life in space is like taking a cup of ocean water and saying there are no whales in the ocean. What do we know? Socrates once said that the wise man is he who knows that he knows nothing. When you write, you tell a story and our whole world is made up of stories. Look around you... Life is a story; both the life you live and the lives you know nothing about; all stories. Go ahead, write the unknown..... who knows?
What challenges do you face when writing?
I write in silence and that says a lot. Composing a story bleeds every ounce of my focus. At any given time, when I write, I have several conversations happening simultaneously in my head. My brain constantly rewinds, fast forwards, pauses, etc. The smallest thing like the door opening and closing, or the phone ringing, throws me off.
What has surprised you most about writing?
How real the characters become. Not just "believable", I'm talking about walking into the kitchen, making a coffee and all of them come sit with me at the table and we're chatting and laughing. THAT level of real. They're in my kitchen, they're in my car, they're in my bed, they hang out in my office.... and the best part: they're all "off-duty" at the time. So, while they still look like the characters I created and dress like them, they chill with me like actors who are not currently in front of the camera. There's a lot of story-related gossip involved.
What are the best and worst things about being a writer?
Nothing beats the feeling of finishing your book or reading a review posted by a stranger somewhere in the world who enjoyed your story. The worst part is editing, polishing, editing, polishing, aaaaaahhhhh!!!! The madness it drives you to. It's hard, when you're self-published and don't have a knowledgeable conglomerate of paid professionals who help with publishing, design, advertising and so on. Like most others like me, I depend, mostly, on word of mouth.
What is the most exciting experience you've had as a result of writing?
Being sucked into a world of fantasy that I created by my own hand. I saw and lived things I'd never imagined or seen before. That was exciting! Also, my husband googled my book, once, and found that someone had recommended it to another person who was looking to read a little Ancient Egyptian Fantasy. That was incredibly flattering!
How do you go about marketing your books?
Hahahahah! I used to. My goodness, when I think about the number of hours I spent on research and applications and God knows what..... I know how to make up stories and tell them. Other than that, I am an academic. Sadly, I don't know much about marketing and after all the time I lost trying to understand and learn the ropes in this area, I walked away from it. For me, I saw it as borrowed time that I do not have, though I did learn a lot. In the end, I've decided on a path that leads to my happiness, which is: I write. I write for me, I write for the world, I write for every mortal soul who will ever turn the pages of my stories. No more... no less.
What do you like doing when you aren't writing?
Everything! If not writing, then I will read, photograph, cook! (I love to cook) I will visit my Mom's grave because, although it's rather morbid to some, it is the place where I feel the most serene. I will play games! because I love playing games with my family... let's see: Clash of clans, Plague Inc., Arcane Legends, D&D, Ticket to Ride (although that one has just been temporarily reinstated in our house since the last one resulted in a near triple homicide when my husband, my son, and me deliberately cut off each other's railroads. It got really bad. I daresay worse than Monopoly).
You like D&D - nerd alert! No, seriously, that's cool.
Have you attended any writing courses?
No. As a student, I attended class, paid attention, read like an addict, and self-studied everything else. Mr. McMahon was my 9th Grade English teacher. He taught me how to develop my voice and be in control of it through word choice, and not ten exclamation points. I always think of him kindly when I stand in class with my students.
I am a part of the Rowayat family. Rowayat is Egypt's first literary journal and I submit my work to them, regularly. On occasion, I've been invited to art galleries and other literary events to offer a reading of my work.
Do you watch TV?
Yay, Netflix! It's the only way I get to watch anything. My favorite shows are: The Flash, Gotham, Sherlock, Hannibal, Game of Thrones, Attack on Titan (Anime), Blue Exorcist (Anime), Death Note (Anime), Firefly, Constantine, Big Bang Theory, Supernatural, and Dexter.
Your favourite films?
Alice in Wonderland (the mad hatter *girlie squeal*), The Neverending Story (still not sure what name he calls out in the end), The Princess Bride (never bet against a Sicilian when death is on the line), The Labyrinth (David Bowie! R.I.P.), Mission Impossible (all except the one with the Chimera), James Bond (is that your real name?), Silence of the Lambs (Hello, Clarice.) There are too many....there are just too many....
Lastly, what advice can you give to other writers?
Tell your stories your way.
You are not alone in the world.
There will always be those that will have the capacity to see through your eyes.
Thank you, Amira, it has been an absolute pleasure to talk to you.
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