Author Interviews

Author Interview with Dianne Salerni, Part II

By on July 5, 2023   /   Articles, Author Interviews  

Introduction

While doing an interview with Dianne Salerni for her newest release, The Carrefore Curse, she mentioned hitting a career snag after releasing the final book in her fantastic Eighth Day trilogy. I’m a huge fan of her work and really enjoyed the Eighth Day series so my interest was immediately piqued by her doubts about the future of her writing career at that point. I thought it would be interesting to pick Dianne’s brain for a bonus interview about her writing career and how she navigates the ups and downs of this business.

Publication list to date:

  • The Carrefour Curse(2023)
  • Jadie in Five Dimensions (2021)
  • Eleanor, Alice, & the Roosevelt Ghosts (2020)
  • THE EIGHTH DAY SERIES
    • The Eighth Day (2014)
    • The Inquisitor’s Mark (2015)
    • The Morrigan’s Curse (2016)
  • The Caged Graves (2013)
  • Very Superstitious Charity Anthology (2013)
  • We Hear the Dead (2010)

The Carrefour Curse - Salerni, Dianne K.Jadie in Five Dimensions - Salerni, Dianne K.Eleanor, Alice, and the Roosevelt Ghosts - Salerni, Dianne K.The Eighth Day - Salerni, Dianne K.The Inquisitor's Mark - Salerni, Dianne K.

History

Can you tell us your writer’s origin story? Can I safely assume there weren’t any radioactive arachnids or harrowing escapes from dying planets involved?

No spiders whatsoever and no dying planet as far as I know! Just parents and grandparents who read to me all the time so I started trying to write my own books at the age of four. (Well, I drew the pictures, anyway.) I still have my first book, The Dragon and the Girl. It looks like I cut the pages from a larger sheet of paper and assembled them with Elmer’s Glue. 

I continued to write stories throughout my childhood, carrying notebooks with me everywhere I went. This went on into high school, during which I submitted short stories to Isaac Asimov Magazine (rejected). Fiction writing tapered off in college, but I returned to the habit as a young teacher, often writing stories for my students that featured them as characters. I produced a couple of YA novels that my husband convinced me to submit to agents (rejected). In 2007, once again encouraged by my husband, I self-published a book about real-life spirit mediums Maggie and Kate Fox with iUniverse. (This was before the days of Amazon self-publishing.) The book, High Spirits, A Ghostly Tale of Rapping and Romance, caught the attention of Sourcebooks just as they were launching their YA imprint, Sourcebooks Fire. They offered for the book, and it was edited and reprinted in 2010 under the title We Hear the Dead.

I quickly realized I was way over my head signing contracts and navigating the world of publishing on my own. The ink on We Hear the Dead was barely dry before I started querying for agents.

The Journey

The reality of a writer’s life is no different from the ebbs and flows of life in general. What are a few of your most significant or valued career experiences with over a decade as a published writer under your belt? 

The most important career experience I learned was the value of a good editor. My first experience with this comes from something that’s not usually part of my bibliography. Before the publication of We Hear the Dead, I published an adult short story with a short-lived anthology series called Visions. After reading my story, titled The Necromancer, the editor said that the ending lacked the right twist and suggested alternatives:  Ending A or Ending B.

I answered that I didn’t like Ending A but thought Ending B was a fantastic idea!

His response: “Great! Now make the reader think you are going for Ending A before pulling the rug out from under them with Ending B.”

MIND. BLOWN.

Hats off to Michael Katz, the editor in question! He was the first, and every editor afterward has taught me something important about writing in general and my books specifically. In particular, I love working with my current Holiday House editor, Sally Morgridge, who always has brilliant insights into how to take my manuscripts to the next level.

If you could travel across dimensions with Jadie Martin to leave a piece of career advice to the 2010 Dianne, what would it be?

What I would tell 2010 Dianne – and anybody else embarking on the journey of publishing – is this: When an authority in the publishing world gives you devastating news that predicts the end of your writing career, don’t listen to them! I don’t mean that you should ignore the advice of editors and agents. (See the answer I gave to the last question!) I mean, if they tell you that you are a failure, they are wrong.

In 2010, a high-ranking editor at Sourcebooks told me that sales for We Hear the Dead were so bad, she didn’t think B&N would ever stock another book by me.

Also in 2010, a high-powered agent told me that the contract I’d signed for Sourcebooks contained a bottomless option clause that made it impossible for her to take me as a client. “Frankly,” she said, “I doubt any agent will take you.”

As a point of fact, B&N stocked my next 6 books. (Then they stopped stocking all midlist MG books, but that’s a different kind of problem.)

And the next agent who responded to my query offered representation. When I confessed to her about the No-Good Very Bad Option Clause, Sara Crowe – agent extraordinaire – said: “They can’t hold you to that! I can make that go away with a phone call.” And she did.

No matter how important an editor or agent is, no one has the right to imply that you should give up. Their opinion is still only an opinion.

No Writer is an Island

Who is on Team Dianne? 

As you can probably tell from my answers above, my husband is very definitely on my team. Not only is he a one-man cheerleading squad and poker/prodder when I need a little push, he actually reads my manuscripts. Depending on the project, he might read chapter by chapter as I write, or I’ll send him the whole thing when I’m finished. He’s not a writer, but he has a good ear for voice and will highlight lines where “this character wouldn’t say it like that.”

For years I have relied on Marcy Hatch, author of time-traveling western West of Paradise, as a critique partner. I send her chapters while I’m drafting, and she provides feedback and cheerleading. (I do the same for her.)

There have been many people I’ve relied on as beta readers over the years – people I ask to read the entire manuscript after it has gone through a few revisions. But one person I can always count on to accurately pinpoint the problems in a manuscript is writer Maria Mainero. For example, Jadie in Five Dimensions went through many, many drafts (and died on submission twice). For years I insisted on including, in the second half of the book, chapters with adult POVs. Beta readers kept telling me, “You have to cut those because kids don’t like adult POV.” Well, that’s a dumb reason to cut them, and it’s not true. I can think of a few best-sellers with adult POV chapters.

Then Maria came along and said, “These late-appearing adult POV chapters would be better off told by the middle-grade POV characters you’ve already introduced. And here’s why.” It was the why that convinced me. Maria was the only reader who helped me see the opportunity I’d blown for my already established POV characters by introducing new ones. It had nothing to do with them being adults. 

Are there any support groups or individuals you turn to for advice and/or support?

I’m a member of the KidLit Author Club, a group of PB, MG, and YA authors who live in the mid-Atlantic states. We support each other at author events – conferences and festivals – sometimes carpooling or referring each other to events we can’t attend ourselves. The membership is fluid, as people’s lives and goals change, but I’ve been with the group since 2012. When I retired from teaching in 2014, I worried about the fact that I would no longer have contact with “co-workers.” But as I started attending events in Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New York, I realized that the KidLit Authors were my new co-workers. In addition to supporting each other at events, we also do some beta reading and book blurbing for each other.

The Horizon

We all know hindsight is, or appears to be, 20/20 so how do you prepare for what comes next using the gift of experience? 

I have learned to accept that gaps in my publishing resume happen, and that’s okay. There’s a 3-year gap between my first and second book and 4 years (almost 5, really) between the last book in The Eighth Day series and Eleanor, Alice, & the Roosevelt Ghosts. Sometimes, it’s an issue of manuscripts that don’t find the right editor. Other times it’s because my productivity is down. Both of those things are okay. It doesn’t mean there won’t be a next book when the time for that next book arrives.

Do you think one book at a time or do you project several future books at a time?

I am definitely a one-book-at-a-time author. The only time I planned multiple books at once was while I was writing The Eighth Day series. Even then, I only started planning the sequels after the first book sold. I was hoping for a series, but I had no big plan ahead of time! My editor, the head of HarperCollins Children’s Books, asked me to plan for 5 books but to make sure the 3rd book had a satisfying conclusion in case they decided not to buy the last two. She assured me, though, that wouldn’t happen. Then she retired. You can guess what happened next, and I chalk that one up to another “gift of experience.”

Navigational Beacons

With the saying, “That which does not kill you makes you stronger.” in mind, how does your experience affect how you evaluate your future projects and decisions? 

I have a lot of dead manuscripts on my computer. But I have come to believe in the power of resurrection. Jadie in Five Dimensions died on submission in 2015 and then again, after a round of revisions, in 2017. In the fall of 2019, my agent offered it exclusively to Sally Morgridge at Holiday House after she and I finished working on Eleanor, Alice, & the Roosevelt Ghosts. Luckily, Maria Mainero had already convinced me to rewrite those troublesome POV chapters, although I bet if she hadn’t, Sally would have given me the same advice.

My most recent book The Carrefour Curse and my next book The Tontine Caper (2025) were born out of manuscripts that I abandoned after the first draft. In both cases, the manuscripts languished in my “dead” files for 3 years before I opened them again and got back to work.

So, I guess I don’t always evaluate my projects correctly? Last fall, I closed the file on a really, really, really crappy story. But is it really trash? I don’t know. I’ll figure it out in a couple of years.

In the spirit of concerning yourself solely with controlling the things you can control, do you trust in the power of persistence + patience and in keeping to the course as a creator?

Very much so. Jadie in Five Dimensions would never have been published if I hadn’t believed in that story enough to keep revising and revising – and seeking out beta readers until an astute reader told me where I was falling down on the job. Some stories just need patience and time to slumber until I’m ready to look at them under the right lens.

Conclusion

Thank you so much for inviting me to participate in this interview, Mike! Publishing is a bumpy road, and authors are cautioned not to publicly air their woes. (I’m not supposed to tweet: 12 rejections for this manuscript! 3 editors loved the character but not the plot. 4 editors love the plot but not the character. And 5 just don’t like aliens! This was a real thing, by the way, for a manuscript that was never published. Yet.) But those rules are loosening, and I think it’s good for published authors to talk about the bumps and potholes and sinkholes so that other authors, published and pre-published, know their experiences are shared by many.

Thank you, Dianne, for being our guest once again and sharing your experiences and insights from over a decade in the publishing business. Best of luck and keep your words, especially those middle-grade words, flowing! 

If interested in more information and updates from Dianne, visit her online at https://diannesalerni.com/. Thanks for reading! 

 

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Interview with Tween Podcaster and Literacy Advocate, E Train

By on June 28, 2023   /   Articles, Author Interviews  

If you’re not familiar with E Train, the preteen literacy advocate, booktuber and podcast host, now’s your chance! Six months shy of his thirteenth birthday, this soon-to-be Bar Mitzvah boy has been reviewing books, interviewing authors, and spreading kindness—virtually and in-person—since the age of nine and a half (!). Today, it is my absolute pleasure to welcome E Train (aka Ethan) to the Mixed-Up Files.

Interview with E Train

MR: Thanks so much for joining us today, Ethan. It’s an honor to have you here!

Ethan: Thank you so much for having me, Melissa. I’ve loved reading your interviews with fabulous authors and members of the book world, so it’s a great honor to join you!

The Boy Behind the Mic

MR: What inspired you to host a podcast? How old were you when you started, and what were you hoping to achieve?

Ethan: I started my podcast at age eleven, after taking an online podcasting class on Outschool, an online virtual classroom. I’d already created a YouTube channel and was sharing videos, but I thought a podcast might be a fun and convenient way to share book reviews. My mom, dad and I wrote down different podcast names we liked and then voted. “E Train Talks” won! I really had no aspirations in mind; I let the journey take me. I did have one goal, though—to highlight the stories I liked, and to hopefully inspire others to read middle-grade books.

My Day is Booked

MR: How do you select which books and authors to feature on your podcast? There are so many to choose from!

Ethan: That’s a great question, Melissa! Originally, I said yes to almost everyone who asked to be on my podcast. At the time, I didn’t focus on the book genre, or if I’d heard of the author. I was just so excited and happy that writers were interested in talking to me, and sharing their writing journeys. Plus, I was homeschooled at the time, and I had quite a bit of time on my hands.

As my podcast grew, so did the number of people asking to be interviewed, and I learned quickly that there was no way to say yes to everyone—so I’ve had to cut back a bit. I was about to end homeschooling and start middle school too, so I knew I’d have to cut back on the number of monthly interviews I was hosting, which was around four to six interviews per month. As much as I’d like to keep that number, each interview requires reading and reviewing at least one book, as well as preparing interview questions, so it can be time consuming!

Now that I’m in middle school, with lots of homework, I try to host an average of two interviewees per month—give or take. Choosing who to talk to isn’t easy, so I try to base it on how much I enjoyed the book, or if there’s an important and compelling message the author is trying to share in their story.

Author Extravaganza!

MR: How many authors have you interviewed since you started podcasting? (I know it’s a lot, so ballpark…?) Also, I know you can’t choose a favorite, but which interview was the most memorable, and why?

Ethan: I get asked this a lot, and it’s always the most difficult question to answer, but I looked through my YouTube channel and podcast and, as of now, I’ve interviewed 90 authors, literacy advocates, kindness heroes, and more. It feels like every guest on my show becomes my new favorite, or most memorable, because every single person has something amazing to contribute, and honestly, it’s just too hard to choose one. But I’ll share several interviews that I’ll always keep with me.

The first is my talk with Stuart Gibbs. I’ve loved his books for a very long time, and talking to him was monumental. I remember I had a terrible cold that day, but there was no way I was canceling my talk with a book hero! Next is Gidon Lev, a Holocaust survivor who always focuses on the joy and hope in life. I’d never met or talked with a survivor before, so it was a life-changing experience. Oh! and, my interview with the legendary James Ponti was one of my most memorable podcasts as well. James is an unbelievably kind person, and he’s so knowledgeable and interesting to talk to. Three more meaningful interviews I had were with authors, Dan Gutman, Torrey Maldonado and Lisa Fipps—all incredible people who left a book print on my heart!

And, finally, another memorable experience was interviewing the authors who contributed to the MG anthology, Coming of Age: 13 B’Nai Mitzvah Stories. I’m not just saying that because I’m here with you, Melissa, but as an upcoming Bar Mitzvah boy, reading about the characters’ experiences, and talking with the authors who wrote the stories, gave me insight into some things I can expect.

Advocating for Literacy

MR: In addition to interviewing authors and hosting your podcast, you are a self-described literacy advocate. Can you tell us more about the work you do?

Ethan: When I started my podcast and YouTube channel, I had no idea how many kids in the world don’t have access to books. Even in my own city there are lots of kids who don’t have many—or any—books of their own. I was shocked by the numbers, and I only learned this after listening to Dr. Molly Ness, an incredible advocate for literacy.

When I found out that there were millions of kids without access to books, I knew I wanted to do something, so I started book drives and was so happy when people started to send books! So many authors and book lovers have contributed to my book drive. Two people who’ve really supported my book-drive efforts are the amazing teacher-librarian extraordinaire, Elizabeth Blye, and the incredibly generous and wonderful Jennifer Frances, Founder and CEO of Bess the Book Bus.

Because of the many generous book donations, I’ve also been able to visit and talk with kids at local Title One schools in my community and hand deliver books to entire classrooms. Last year I partnered with Book Drop, which is run by author Jennifer Nielsen, and I visited a local school with my book hero, author Stuart Gibbs, to talk about the joy of reading. We shared books with every student in the school! I can’t tell you how wonderful it feels to talk to kids about books, and then see the smiles on the kids’ faces when they get to take a book home!

Teen Readers’ Choice Awards

MR: Along these lines, you were chosen as the 2023 Teen Readers’ Choice Awards Book Hero. What was it like to win such a prestigious award, especially at the age of 12?

Ethan: When I heard the news, I literally leapt for joy! I think it was the best news I’d ever heard. So, the Teen Reader’s Choice Award is part of Teen Author Boot Camp, and they hosted a beautiful and fun awards gala for authors and teen writers. What made the experience even more special was that the award was presented to me by another book hero of mine, the wonderful author Jennifer Nielsen. Talk about making memories! I’m so unbelievably grateful for being recognized and awarded for my literacy work. The entire experience was inspiring and a night I will never forget.

Bar Mitzvah Boy

MR: Let’s turn to your Bar Mitzvah, which will take place on January 6th. (Here’s Ethan, pictured with Rabbi Herman). Can you tell us about your Bar Mitzvah Project? Spoiler alert: It involves books 🙂 Also, what does becoming a Bar Mitzvah mean to you?

Ethan:

My Mitzvah Project is one I’m extremely proud of. Continuing with my theme of book drives and getting stories into the hands of kids who need them, I’ve started an Amazon Wishlist and launched a GoFundMe, where people can donate money or books to help me continue sharing stories with kids in need. Every dollar goes directly to ordering books for kids in need. This project goes hand-in-hand with my Torah portion of helping those in need, when Moses was called upon by God to lead the Israelites to the Promised Land. Along with my book drives, I’m also spotlighting Jewish-themed books, as well as Jewish authors every month on social media and on my Bar Mitzvah Project Webpage.

(For more on Ethan’s Bar Mitzvah project, click here. And check out Coming of Age: 13 B’Nai Mitzvah Stories, edited by MUF’s very own Jonathan Rosen, with a story by MUF contributor Melissa Roske.)

Ethan for President (of Seventh Grade)

MR: Rumor has it that you won the election for president of your seventh-grade class. Congratulations! Can you tell us about the campaign? What will your responsibilities involve as president?

Ethan: Thanks! I’m excited about being seventh-grade president. I ran against two other candidates. Campaigning was a lot of fun. With my mom’s help, we made posters, stickers, and buttons to help spread the world. On top of campaigning every day for two weeks, we filmed and shared a campaign video, which I made with my dad. I also created a TikTok campaign page, and my mom and I made a couple of extra campaign videos to share.

To run for office, I had to get two teacher recommendations as well as have a good GPA. It was such an exciting day when I heard I’d won the election! I haven’t been told all my responsibilities yet, but I know I’ll be helping to organize and attend school events as well as learn new leadership and community-outreach skills. I’m hoping to add some kindness and book- themed events to the calendar too, if possible!

MR: How do you balance your responsibilities as a student, podcaster, literacy advocate, and soon-to-be Bar Mitzvah boy? It can’t be easy.

Ethan: You’re right, Melissa. It’s not always easy to balance things. On top of being a middle-schooler, I’m on a school quiz bowl team, and I’m in an IB program, so my studies can be very rigorous at times. Next year will be even tougher, so I’ve been trying to find ways to balance everything. One thing that’s helped is cutting my interviews from four to six per month to two or three. Also, with my Bar Mitzvah training coming up, I’m going to have to learn how to manage my time. Now that summer vacation is here, I’m hoping to get as much as possible accomplished before seventh grade starts and my Bar Mitzvah training gets more difficult.

MR: How do you spend your free time, Ethan? I know you love basketball and playing the ukulele…

Ethan: I like to play video games, watch funny videos, hang out with friends, read, play piano and sing, play quiz bowl, and yes—play as much basketball as possible. This summer, for instance, I’m playing in a basketball league. I also love spending time with my family, especially my cousins. As for the ukulele, apparently I went through a big ukulele phase when I was two and three years old. I thought I played pretty well, but I’m not sure everyone listening would agree!

Ethan Tells All

MR: Is there anything I haven’t asked that you’d like Mixed-Up Files readers to know about you? Now’s your chance!

Ethan: I host a monthly book-review segment on Good Day, Sacramento, where I review middle-grade books as well as picture books and a little YA. I’ve been at it since September 2022. I’m also a kid reporter for the Sacramento Kings, where I’ve had the amazing opportunity to interview the players, and even appeared on national television, TNT.

I’m often asked when I started reading, and my mom tells me I asked to learn when I was two-and-a-half years old. I was reading chapter books by the time I was three and a half. I’ve also had a passion for trivia and history for as long as I can remember! Lastly, I’m a Giving Tuesday Spark Leader. As a Spark Leader, my goal is to spread as much kindness through literacy as possible, especially around Giving Tuesday Spark, in November.

Lightning Round

MR: And finally, no MUF interview is complete without a lightning round, so…

Preferred snack?

Cheerios with milk.

Favorite subject in school?

Probably History or World Language (we get to learn French, Chinese, or Spanish at my school).

Favorite book? (This is a tough one, I know… 🙂)

Wow, that is a toughie! Probably Starfish by Lisa Fipps. But I love so many!

Zombie apocalypse: Yea or nay?

Nay.

Superpower?

Something discreet, like knowing exactly what to say in all situations. It can come in handy!

Favorite place on earth?

Hawaii is so beautiful. I also love Hotel Del Coronado, in San Diego.

If you were stranded on a desert island with only three things, what would they be?

My favorite book, a journal, and a water purifier.

MR: Thank you for chatting with us, Ethan. It was a pleasure, and I’m sure MUF readers will agree!

Ethan: Thank you so much for having me, Melissa! This has been so fun, and an honor to talk with you! I can’t wait for what’s to come in my book journey, and to see who you’re interviewing next on MUF! Bye!

About E Train

 

E Train is a 12-year-old award-winning literacy advocate, booktuber & podcast host, on an amazing adventure reviewing books and interviewing authors, book enthusiasts and kindness heroes. He is also visiting schools across the country (virtually & in-person). Find E on his website and YouTube Channel, and follow him on Twitter and Instagram. You may find his podcasts here. (Please note: E’s mom approves all of his tweets, posts, and content.)

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An Interview with Zohra Nabi (plus a book giveaway!)

By on June 16, 2023   /   Author Interviews  

I’ve always been a sucker for beautiful book covers. 

I remember wandering school book fairs in elementary school with armfuls of the most colorful, vibrant-looking books I could find. Even now as a middle school teacher, I display dozens of books in my classroom every year, and I fully admit that the ones getting the most love are the ones with beautiful covers.

Of course, with all that focus on the outside of the book, the stage is set for some occasional disappointment when I actually get down to the business of reading the story. But then there are also those moments when the promise of the front cover is wonderfully fulfilled as the story unfolds, and that’s the sort of thing we’ll be talking about today.

Zohra Nabi’s debut middle grade, The Kingdom Over the Sea, is just as sprawling and fantastical as it looks thanks to Tom Clohosy Cole’s beautiful cover design.  I’m so glad I was able to ask her some questions about the story and her process, and I think you will be, too! Stick around to the end to learn how you can win a copy of the book for free!

 

Chris: Thanks for taking some time to chat with me, Zohra! Let’s start with you as a writer. Your biography says you studied law at Cambridge and Oxford Universities, so how did you find your way to the world of storytelling?

Zohra: I’ve always liked writing stories, ever since I was a teenager. I liked writing in the style of my favorite children’s fantasy books, although nothing I produced was ever publishable. Even when I was studying Law – which I did really enjoy – I was writing in stolen moments when I should have been studying. Lockdown came just as I was sitting my final exams, and when I graduated there was suddenly no legal work experience I could do, and nowhere I could travel. But I did have some money saved up from a legal essay prize I had come second in. So, I decided to put the money towards a creative writing course, and try to write a book.

 

Chris: What an interesting way to come into publishing! Let’s talk abut your process —  I love learning how authors develop their characters. Your main character, Yara, is such a passionate and adventurous person. How did you work behind the scenes to create her for this story?

Zohra: Yara is such an interesting one! For me she’s a real mix of my two younger sisters, with her determination, and her strong moral compass. She also definitely has quite a bit of me in her as well – I loved debating and campaigning when I was Yara’s age. I wanted her to be someone who was shaped by how she grew up in the UK, who was equipped to fight injustice in a fantasy world because of what she had experienced here. I wrote her life story in first person to find her voice, and did little questionnaires to work out her favorite foods and biggest fears.  But even with all that preparation it was difficult to get her on the page. I had to really work with my editors to make Yara’s personality come through in the text, and to make sure that she continued to be a believable girl from our world even after she travels into Zehaira.

 

Chris: There are references in the book to Yara being a champion of causes, one of them being the banning of books / closure of libraries. Was there anything in your personal experience that made you want to incorporate this into Yara’s backstory?

Zohra: When I was Yara’s age there were a lot of library closures, and people in communities all up and down the UK really turned out to protest – in some cases successfully. Libraries are such an important part of a community; the ability to access information, or even just to print out the documents you need and talk to someone who wants to help you is such a necessary thing, especially when you’ve recently moved to a new country. My dad always talked about how important his local library was to him growing up, and I loved spending time in mine as a child. I knew Yara would be the kind of person who wouldn’t stand for her local library being shut down. When she gets to Zehaira, the library there has been burnt down – the ultimate in book banning and library closures – and I wanted to be honest about the impact it has had. The sorcerers of Zehaira have preserved some of their culture and knowledge, but a lot of it, maybe most of it, has been lost. I think some people are very casual about book bannings today, saying that will just make kids read those books more – but I think if we’re not careful, we’ll lose important texts for good.

 

Chris: That’s a great point. Language can be like that, too, and there are some themes of language in the book — what prompted you to incorporate it into the story?

Zohra: I think because immigration and movement of people is such a key theme of the story, and language is such an important part of that. Yara’s mama is preserving their link to their culture and country when she speaks her language to Yara, and I imagine Yara was also an interpreter for her mum growing up, the way many second-generation children are today. But I think it’s also been quite lonely for Yara, not knowing anyone else who can communicate with them in the same way. Speaking to other people in her mother’s language when she gets to Zehaira is a way for her to expand her knowledge of her culture through sources other than her mum, and I think that is a source of wonder for her. I also think it’s really important that when Yara does discover the magical power of language, it’s not by using English, which is the language she would have used when she was campaigning back at home, but in the language her mother taught her – because Yara’s mother is the person who made her want to fight back against everything wrong about the world. 

 

Chris: The streets of Zehaira are so richly described in the book, which is very atmospheric overall. Were you inspired by any real-world places?

Zohra: Thank you! I was hugely inspired by the cities of the golden age of the Islamic world – which were these places of amazing scholarship and learning and wisdom, with beautiful libraries and universities. I think I must have been influenced by all the different cities I visited before, because I tried very hard to imagine I was walking around Zehaira as I was writing, but I was careful not to create anything that was too close to reality. Part of the magic of Zehaira is that it feels familiar but also strange! There’s a book by Italo Calvino called Invisible Cities which describes different fictional cities, deconstructing and reconstructing the concept of a city itself, but centering the descriptions around an idea of Venice. I’m not trying to do anything so elaborate, but it gave me the confidence to build my own fictional city based on an idea of a city as a place of both culture and corruption.  

 

Chris: It totally works! So, what’s next for you as an author? Can you give us any clues about new projects you’re working on?

Zohra: I’m currently working on the sequel for The Kingdom over the Sea! I’m really enjoying working on it with my editors, and puzzling out how Yara’s journey can continue. Book 2 takes us deeper into Yara’s past, examining both her family history and the history of sorcery itself. Yara makes an important discovery – but the Chief Alchemist is hot on her heels, lurking in the shadows…

 

Chris: Sounds amazing — thanks for the sneak peek! Okay, and now for the lighting round…

 

Favorite place to write?

At my desk in the attic.

Favorite authors?

Diana Wynne Jones, Eva Ibbotson, Judith Kerr.

Best desert?

Tiramisu

Do you have any pets?

No, but I did once have a hamster called Horace

Favorite elementary school memory?

Making up imaginary worlds for pretend games with my friends.

Favorite piece of advice for other writers:

Write to entertain yourself. And drink lots of tea.

 

Many thanks to Zohra for taking time to chat with the Mixed Up Files. You can find her online on Instagram at @zohra_nabi and Twitter at @Zohra3Nabi, and you can learn more about the book HERE. 

And last but not least — leave a comment below for a chance to win a free copy of Zohra’s book. We’ll be selecting one commenter at random on Monday, June 19th 2023!

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