Welcome, guys!
Today I have the absolute pleasure of having Farah Oomerbhoy, author of The Last of the Firedrakes, on my blog! I'm so excited! She's here to answer a few questions for us :) Don't forget to check out the awesome giveaway at the bottom, too! and if you haven't read her book yet, do it! (You can check out my review of her book here.)
Alright, let's get started! Welcome, Farah Oomerbhoy!
1. To get the ball rolling, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I am a happily married mother of three wonderful kids and live in Mumbai in India. But I think I would rather live in Narnia. :)
2. When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?
I think that started a very long time ago when I started writing four line poems and sticking them all over my mother’s walls. I think I was seven. Since then I would write a few pages of different stories and then start a new one. When I became a teenager I continued writing my poems. I think my grandmother had a box somewhere where she would store them, since she was the only one who was interested in reading them. After that I went on to study English literature in university. After that there was no doubt in my mind that I wanted to be an author, I wanted to write stories and share them with the world.
1. To get the ball rolling, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I am a happily married mother of three wonderful kids and live in Mumbai in India. But I think I would rather live in Narnia. :)
2. When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?
I think that started a very long time ago when I started writing four line poems and sticking them all over my mother’s walls. I think I was seven. Since then I would write a few pages of different stories and then start a new one. When I became a teenager I continued writing my poems. I think my grandmother had a box somewhere where she would store them, since she was the only one who was interested in reading them. After that I went on to study English literature in university. After that there was no doubt in my mind that I wanted to be an author, I wanted to write stories and share them with the world.
3. What first attracted you to write in the
fantasy genre?
Every reader at some point in
their lives comes across a book that inspires them to think beyond the
boundaries. For me that story was Harry Potter. The wonderful world of Hogwarts
and the magical beings that lived within it made me look at the world of magic
in a completely different way. I had always loved reading fantasy stories, and
Tolkien’s Lord of The Rings, along
with C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia, and Enid Blyton’s Magic Faraway Tree
series were already my favorites. But somehow reading Harry Potter was like a
switch that suddenly turned on and fired my imagination. I wanted to write
about magical worlds with wondrous creatures and life threatening quests. And
so The Last of the Firedrakes started
to take shape.
4. What was the most challenging thing you
had to face when publishing your book?
I would have to say the most
challenging thing was finding the right people to work with to get the book
ready and into the market. I had an agent at first and sent my manuscript out
on submission but the book was not ready and was still unedited. So after being
rejected by a few publishers, I decided that I needed an editor and that I
would go ahead and self publish my first book.
At that time I was completely
new to publishing and I had no idea how to go forward. I realized that I needed
help and I started looking for someone to assist me. That was when I found my
wonderful virtual assistant Kate Tilton who was like a fairy godmother when it
came to getting things done. Somehow she always manages to have an answer to
everything. She put me in touch with Laura Zats and the amazing women at Wise Ink
Creative Publishing, and everything fell into place. They set me to work with
the best editors, a great cover designer and interior designer, and have done
such a wonderful job in taking my very rough manuscript under their wing and
transforming it into a lovely book that I can be proud of.
5. Can you tell us what your novel is about
and where the idea comes from?
I started thinking about this
book nearly ten years ago. Building the world of Avalonia whenever I got time.
The actual world creation started with a tapestry in my grandmother’s house.
One day I stood before it and
wondered, what if I could step into the tapestry, where would I end up? From
then on, the person who stepped into the tapestry was a young sixteen-year-old
girl who didn’t know who she really was, her name is Aurora, and this is her
story.
6. If you could be any supernatural creature
what would it be and why?
I think I would like to be
Fae. Faeries and the magic they posses have always fascinated me.
7. If you can write any book outside your
genre, what would it be and why?
I think I would love to try
and write historical romance. It has always been a favorite genre of mine to
read, and I love history, so exploring different historical settings and
periods would be quite interesting.
8. What is one of your favorite hobbies?
Reading is pretty much my
only hobby!
9. Last but not least, are there any other
projects you are working on? Any sequels or new novels to be looking forward
to?
Yes! I am working on books
two and three of the Avalonia Chronicles at present. Hopefully book two should
be ready by the end of next year.
Thank you so much for answering these questions, Farah! Best of luck for your next books! And if you guys haven't read her book yet, do it! (You can check out my review of her book here.)
The Last of the Firedrakes By: Farah Oomerbhoy Publisher: Wise Ink Creative Publishing Pub Date: August 15, 2015 Pages: 488 Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy
A fantastic adventure story that will transport you to a dazzling world of myth and magic. 16-year-old Aurora Darlington is an orphan. Mistreated by her adopted family and bullied at school, she dreams of running away and being free. But when she is kidnapped and dragged through a portal into a magical world, suddenly her old life doesn’t seem so bad. Avalonia is a dangerous land ruled by powerful mages and a cruel, selfish queen who will do anything to control all seven kingdoms—including killing anyone who stands in her way. Thrust headlong into this new, magical world, Aurora’s arrival sets plans in motion that threaten to destroy all she holds dear. With the help of a young fae, a magical pegasus, and a handsome mage, Aurora journeys across Avalonia to learn the truth about her past and unleash the power within herself. Kingdoms collide as a complicated web of political intrigue and ancient magic lead Aurora to unravel a shocking secret that will change her life forever.
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About The Author:
For Farah Oomerbhoy, writing is a passion and reading her solace. She is a firm believer in the fantastic and magical, and often dreams of living in Narnia, Neverland, or the Enchanted Forest. Farah lives with her husband and three children in their family home in Mumbai, India. She has a Master’s degree in English Literature from the University of Mumbai. Farah's first novel, The Last of the Firedrakes, Book 1 of the Avalonia Chronicles will be published worldwide August 15th, 2015.
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Giveaway:
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I'd already seen your review for this book and after this I'm definitely going to look into it! My TBR list will never be done, will it? :P
ReplyDeleteAlso, I've nominated you for Seven Deadly Sins book tag, see the details here: http://lessrealitymorebooks.blogspot.ie/2015/08/seven-deadly-sins-book-tag.html
Awesome, thank you so much! I'll get to it asap :)
DeleteSo glad to hear she is working on book 2 and 3 of the avalonia chronicles, I sure want to know what happens next :)
ReplyDelete@ "Book Addict"
I feel the same way! I desperately want to know what happens...
DeleteI agree! I'm so excited for the next two books!
DeleteAgreed! I can't wait! :)
DeleteThank you so much for posting and participating. You rock. xx
ReplyDeleteAmy