Author Interview: Anoosha Lalani

Okay, so after a very narrowly averted crisis in which my Hotmail account decided to delete an extremely important email with an extremely important document attached, I have something awesome for ya'll today. Remember a few weeks ago when I spotlighted the new book from Reuts, THE KEEPERS, by Anoosha Lalani?

Well, today I've got a very special interview, so read on to learn about Anoosha Lalani's love for math and a little bit about her writing process.

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Warm-Up Question: tell us a little bit about yourself, things that a reader won’t be able to find in your author bio.

I really like math. I know math would not be something one would typically associate with a writer but there you go. I love calculus and algebra and math that makes your head hurt. I see them as puzzles and get such satisfaction when I can solve them. This is definitely something you wouldn’t find in my author bio.

Everyone loves a good origin story; how did you get your start on writing, and what keeps you motivated?

Writing has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember but I guess what first got me interested in books would be the stories my grandfather read me before putting me into bed. As I got older and learned how to read for myself, I started penning my own made-up stories down.  In terms of motivation, writing has always been something I’ve enjoyed doing. It’s a way for me to release stress. I’ve never really had to motivate myself to write, I’ve just always been writing. Finishing a novel on the other hand that took a lot of motivation.

When you write, are you a plotter or a pantser? What’s your process like?

I’m a pantser. The plot literally takes shape as I’m writing my story. My characters decide where the story is going to take them. They get themselves into their own messes. I simply observe.

On the same note: what’s your editing process like?

My editing process is a lot more organized. I’ll go through my manuscript two or three times, looking for potholes. There are always many that I have to resolve which makes the editing process quite long. I suppose it’s a perk of being a pantser.

What’s your favorite part of fleshing out and writing a story? Characters, plot, world-building, etc?

Characters! I think characters are the most significant part of a story. I love developing the personalities of my character. I’ve tried to give my characters important backstories as well that explain why they are the way they are. To me they are real life people that sit beside me while I type out their story. And no, I assure you, I’m not insane.

What’s been the most surprising thing about the journey to publication?

The fact that the whole journey actually happened. I’m still reeling from that. My book actually got published! Also just how smooth the whole experience has been. Huge shootout to guys at REUTS! 

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

Keep writing! Don’t ever stop. Don’t ever quit on your writing. I wouldn’t be where I am today if I had looked at my first draft and thought well I’m never going to compare to any actual published authors, time to quit.

Flash Round (Just for Fun):

Coffee or tea?

Tea, Coffee is too bitter for my liking.

Cats or dogs?

Cats!

Summer or Winter?

Summer!

High heels or tennis shoes?

High heels!

Describe yourself in one word.

Weird.

Thanks for having me!

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And now, in case you haven't already, check out Anoosha Lalani's debut, THE KEEPERS! I can guarantee ya'll that I've been just dying to get my hands on it!

The Keepers
Anoosha Lalani

Sixteen-year-old Isra Kalb has grown up starving in the slums of Islamabad. But hunger is only the beginning. When her father is mysteriously murdered and madness corrupts her mother's mind, she's left alone to fend for herself and her sister. Homeless and destitute, the only thing she has to remember her loving family by is a commonplace necklace--an amulet barely worth keeping.

Or so she thinks.

Swept into a web of lies, deceit and turmoil, Isra struggles to find a place for herself and Zaffirah, wondering if the strange creatures and visions she's seeing are indications of the madness that took her mother. But when Snatchers capture Zaffirah, Isra learns her amulet isn't so useless after all. Transported to Zarcane--the beastly garden where Adam and Eve were born--Isra comes face to face with her destiny. She's a Keeper, charged with protecting the borders of Zarcane and keeping the demon hordes lurking in the shadows from taking realms that are not their own. And she's not the only one; there's a second Keeper, a boy whose identity hasn't been revealed.

Now, in order to save her sister and fulfill her family's legacy as Keeper of the Amulet, she has to find the second Keeper and close the borders. Surrounded by betrayal, trapped between warring factions of angels, and desperate to save the only family she has left, Isra must decide:

Who can she trust when nothing is what it seems?

Amazon * Goodreads

Want to watch the amazing trailer made for THE KEEPERS? Check it out, right here.

Meet the Author:

Anoosha Lalani has always had an insatiable desire to escape reality. It was a childhood trait that never seemed to fade out. If Anoosha were to make one wish, it would be to have wings to journey off the face of this planet and into the worlds of her stories.

When she’s not writing, you may find Anoosha attending high school in Singapore. Having moved around so much, she has had the wonderful opportunity to be exposed to a vibrant range of cultures, which often seem to find their way into her stories. Anoosha was born in Pakistan, the setting of her most recent novel, The Keepers.

Website * Twitter

Tweet It:

@Rae_Slater has an interview with @anooshalalani, author of THE KEEPERS. Check it out! (Click to Tweet)