Monday, November 17, 2008

Aasiyah Qamar



Author Pen Name: Aasiyah Qamar

CA: What genre(s) do you write? Why do you write the stories that you write?

AQ: First of all, thanks for this lovely opportunity to be interviewed on your blog.

The genre I write? It’s basically culture-based romantic fiction, with a slant on Indo-Mauritian culture.

I grew up and live in this cultural setup, with one foot in the world of tradition and ancestral ways, and the other foot in the mainstream world of modernity and globalization. My stories are about finding your place as a young person of distinct cultural origin in the gap between these two, apparently irreconcilable, worlds. My books are also about finding love in today’s age.

CA: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

AQ: I don’t think it ever came as a lightbulb moment. I loved reading since I was very young, and I always loved playing with words. I took to language classes like a duck to water and was already writing twice as much as I needed to in primary school. Many a time, my teacher would warn me before I started an essay – “Don’t go writing a novel, you hear?” Lol, he didn’t know how prophetic his words were!

I wrote in a diary every day when I was growing up, and now when I look back, I realize a lot of what I penned resembled a chick-lit or YA kind of rehashing. In secondary school, I loved story-writing essays as I got to let my imagination run wild. In a way, I’ve always written. It’s only lately that I started doing it fully.

CA: Who or what was your inspiration for writing?

AQ: I grew up on a steady diet of soap operas and Indian movies. Indian movies always have a happy ending, so is it a wonder I write romance? I always looked for the HEA everywhere.

If I needed to point towards a person as my inspiration, I would say my father. He always encouraged me with reading and writing. We loved to sit down on quiet weekends and play Scrabble, which helped me hone my vocabulary. We discussed books, news, everything. Both he and my mother never pushed me to become something big like a doctor, lawyer, etc. They always allowed me to find my way and become my own person.

CA: What is your work schedule like when you're writing?

AQ: I used to have a very rigorous schedule when I started. One day a week fully to writing, no distractions, silence, and 4-5 half-day skeds during the working week. But my son was a toddler then and as he grows up, I find it harder to stick to a schedule. The key to being a housewife-mom-writer is to be flexible, and that’s what I try to be. Basically, I write when I can now, trying to fit in a couple hours here and there. Depending also on whether I’m in the writing stage or the editing stage, I spread my time accordingly. If I am actively writing, I try to clear two mornings a week to focus only on writing. Edits are done when I can snatch some time at the PC. Having a plot outline helps me do this. If I was simply waiting on inspiration to strike, well, I’d be chasing the rainbow!

CA: Your book is about to be sent into the reader world, what is one word that describes how you feel?

AQ: Jittery. In an ecstatic but also nervous way. Stage fright feels a lot like it.

CA: What was your biggest challenge in writing your book(s)?

AQ: Trying to balance the writing life with the ‘normal’ life. It is so tempting to just stay in the zone when you’re writing and are on a roll. I sometimes have problems breaking away and not feeling resentful towards my husband and son because they also need me and all I want to do is keep on writing. I know, it sounds harsh of me to say so, but hey, that’s the life of a writer. Torn between the passion for writing and the ‘curse’ of the real life outside.

CA: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

AQ: Enjoy some silence, which is utopia when you have a small kid! I make do though, and I lose myself in Sudoku puzzles or in a good book. I also like to catch up with the people in my house, get to know how their day was, that sort of thing. I find this contact keeps us bonded, and maybe allows me to feel less guilty when I leave them on their own when I’m writing.

CA: How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

AQ: I have written 3 full-length novels, a handful of novellas and a few short stories. I can’t say I have a favourite as each story has something that drew me to it and this makes it special to my heart. Each story has characters that appealed to my feelings, and as such, each one is unique and valued as such.

CA: Do you tend to base your characters on real people or are they totally from your imagination?

AQ: When I first started writing, I found a lot of myself flowing into the heroines. I also found echoes of people I know in the supporting cast. But as time goes by, I find that this happens less and less. They always say your first stories are the most autobiographical, and I think that’s true. At the time being, I can say that yes, everyone stems from my overactive imagination.

CA: Do you have any advice for the aspiring writers out there?

AQ: Never give up. Believe in yourself always. Plunge ahead, never stop at the first hurdle. As much as anyone doesn’t want to hear this – hurdles will be there all the way, everywhere, all the time. Buck up and face them head on. Hone your skills too, learn the craft. Practice by writing, even if what you’re writing will end up under the bed.

CA: How can a reader contact you or purchase your books?

AQ: My website can be found at the following address: http://www.freewebs.com.aasiyahqamar/
My book can be bought from the following site http://www.lecygne.com

CA: Is there anything you would like to add?

AQ: I have enjoyed this very much. Thanks again for the opportunity! I love hearing from readers, so don’t hesitate to contact me.

CA: I am so glad you’ve enjoyed yourself! I hope you have a great week here!


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

thanks for the interview. always love meeting new authors\\

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