KaraSkinner

Tonight’s #IndieApril interview is with Aisha Urooj, who hopes her work will provide happiness and comfort to her readers.

LQ: Tell me a little bit about yourself. 

AU: I am Aisha Urooj and My Dear Ellie is my debut novel. I have a Hon. Bachelor’s from University College, University of Toronto. Reading has always been my passion and now I have most recently discovered, that writing is as well.

LQ: What does your writing process look like?

AU: It starts with inspiration and moves on to a notebook that I keep close to me. I jot down a few ideas or rough outline of what the chapter or scene would look like. I then open my iPad and start typing away. I know what my series is going to about (Love and Friendship). I have the story in my mind. It is just about filling in more nuanced moments.

LQ: What was your favorite book to write so far?

AU: I have only one book published but my WIP is a lot of fun to write. The first book was from Cassandra Grace’s perspective and though she is lovely, she is a bit of an introvert. The second book is from Eleanor James’ perspective and she is bold and adventurous. She is setting off on a journey around the world, on a quest to become the next big Superstar.

LQ: Who is your favorite character to write about? 

AU: Both of my main characters are my favorite, which is fortunate because I have two more books to write about them. They are flawed and human but also compassionate. Best of all, their friendship is something that inspires me and I hope will touch other people too.

LQ: Who are your favorite authors? Have any of them influenced your work?

AU: JK Rowling, Jane Austen, JRR Tolkien and many of the classic authors. I love the timeless stories and I love how their passion and humanity reflect in their works. Their novels are comforting and give a lot of hope to people, myself included. I hope that someday people would consider my writing to be a source of comfort and happiness as well.

LQ: How are you doing during the current pandemic? 

AU: I am doing ok I suppose. I feel sorrow for those that have lost their loved ones. I wish for everyone to be safe and healthy. It was this March that I discovered the writing community on Twitter. I have lots to write for my WIP but have been distracted. My second book, Eleanor’s Travels, will chronicle her trip around the world, which would be great to read about right now but is proving a little harder to write.

LQ: What are you currently working on?

AU: Eleanor’s Travels, my second book in the Love and Friendship series. Eleanor had been keeping secrets about herself from her best friend and everyone else in the first book. We will find out what they are and how they affected her life. Best of all, we find out her greatest secret: her dreamy love interest.

LQ: Anything else you would like to share?

AU: Thank you for sharing this interview. My ebook for My Dear Ellie is running a promotion during the month of April for only 0.99 cents. I hope that people continue to support IndieApril. There are a lot of great indie authors that you can discover on Twitter and I am glad that I am getting to learn so much from them. I would love to hear reviews from readers and hope that you will give my book My Dear Ellie a read.