Wednesday 24 July 2013

PROMOTIONAL SPOTLIGHT & AUTHOR INTERVIEW - REGNUM VITA BY NAIM SADEER

BLURB from Goodreads
Regnum Vita is the story of the princess of Heartsas, a kingdom in Vita, named Prudence Fulgura. On her coronation day, 17-year-old Prudence is attacked and forced to run away. She manages to escape through a magical portal. When she opens her eyes, Prudence meets Ryan Snowangel, a young man from a city named London. Prudence is drawn to Ryan and becomes attracted to him - but she is quickly reminded of her duties towards Heartsas. Cheryl, a half-human and half-wolf, tells Prudence that she only has until 24th December before her kingdom banishes her forever. With the help of Ryan and his friends, Prudence returns to Vita. She learns the myth of a sword with the power of an army. It is only a myth - but her only chance to free her kingdom. It is on her journey that Prudence discovers the meaning of friendship, family, loss and responsibility...but above all, love. Prudence is destined to make a choice, a terrible choice: love or duty. Will Prudence defy her and Vita's destiny for love? Or will she sacrifice the one thing she wants, forsaking all others?


INTERVIEW

What is your name, where were you born and where do you live now?
My name is Naim Sadeer, I was born in Paris in 1992, and I’ve moved in England in 2006. I live in Epsom Surrey. 

Did you always want to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?
My first love was drawing. I wanted to be a game designer or create my own video game. I did not like writing back then, I would only write biographies for my characters.

When did you first consider yourself as a "writer"?
When I started writing, I fell in love with writing. I was just writing episodes (6 pages long each). It was fun and it was a good way to put my inspiration down on paper and give a story and a motivation to my characters. I’ve only considered myself a writer when I began thinking of publishing my story.

Did it take a long time to get your first book published?
Yes kind of, about a year I would say. I mean that’s without counting all the proofread and the edits I’ve done before sending to the publisher. If I put everything together, that would be a year and half.

Do you work another job as well as your writing work?
No, I’m a full time student.

What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarise it in less than 20 words what would you say?
My latest book is my first book. It is called Regnum Vita and it tells the story of Prudence Fulgura, the princess of Heartsas.

Who is your publisher? or do you self publish?
I am a self published author. I’ve signed up my book with Matador after hearing so many good things about them.

Do you have a "lucky charm" or "lucky routine" you follow when waiting for your book to be accepted by a publisher?
Yes, it’s more of a routine. I would listen to a positive song and cross my fingers.

How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it?
It all depends to my writing environment. The more inspired I am, the fastest I write. I think it’s the same with everyone. However, if I had to give an approximate time, I would say about 4 to 6 months (without editing or proofread).

Which of your books were easier/harder to write than the others?
I’ve only got one book out, and it took a lot of me. I’ve been writing a series as well, but this was easier because I was just doing it for fun and for myself.

What can we expect from you in the future?  ie More books of the same genre? Books of a different genre?
I’m writing the sequel of Regnum Vita. I don’t care if my book sells well or not, I’m writing the sequel because Regnum Vita made my dream a reality. This story is precious to me and I will always cherish it. I’m also writing a story which is completely different from this one. It is focused on romance only, without any fantasy.  And for any fans (if I have fans), I was creating Regnum Vita’s game (using RPG MAKER VX), but I’ve changed my mind and I’ve decided to write a prequel to Regnum Vita instead. This is a way for me to fulfill my other dream as a game designer.

Do you have plans for a new book? Is this book part of a series?
Yes, this book is part of a series. I plan on writing 5 books for Regnum Vita. Even if it is not successful, I will write for me and for my children (if I have children one day).

What genre would you place your books into?
Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, YA

What made you decide to write that genre of book?
My childhood and all my memories made me want to write this kind of genre. However, what truly impacted on me putting a lot of romance was my experience with love. When I fell in love for the first time, I could not explain it and that changed me in a lot of ways. It is the reason why I feel romance is important in my book(s), because I believe love is the biggest quest of life.

Do you have a favourite out of the books you have written? If so why is it your favourite?
This one is. It gave me a lot of hope. This book was the only thing that kept me going when I was down. It will always have a place in my heart.

Do you have a favourite character from your books? and why are they your favourite?
I love Ryan, Prudence and Cheryl more than the others. I love Ryan because he is the first character I’ve made (I was 9 when I created him). Cheryl, because her personality is the deepest one I’ve came up with (she’s more revealed in the sequel). However, Prudence is and will always be my number one. She was the most difficult to draw, I was never satisfied or happy with the way I was drawing her. But, one day, when I had finally found the perfect design for her, I felt like I knew her all along. Her story, her personality, her motivation(s)…I knew everything I wanted to write about her. It is the reason why she’s my favorite.

If you had to choose to be one of your characters in your book/books which would you be? and why?
That answer is pretty obvious, I would be Ryan. Everyone likes him (which is not the case for me in real life). Though, I must say, Prudence has a lot more in common with me (personality) than Ryan.

How long have you been writing?, and who or what inspired you to write?
I’ve been writing since I was probably 15 or 16 years old. But I’ve been drawing since I was 7 years old, and that’s how I was inspired to write.

Where do you get your book plot ideas from?What/Who is your inspiration?
I have to say that I get my inspiration from everyone and everything outside. Anything that I experience is a source of inspiration that pushes me to write. When I feel sad, I write something sad, when I’m happy, I do my best to emphasize that feeling in my writing, and so on…

Do you have a certain routine you have for writing? ie You listen to music, sit in a certain chair?
I listen to a song that speaks to me. The song choice is as important as my mood. After that, I begin my writing and I let the song entertain my brain while my fingers tap the keyboard.

Do you have anybody read your books and give you reviews before you officially release them?ie. Your partner, children, friends, reviewers you know?
My editor and my brother.

Do you gift books to readers to do reviews?
Yes, I don’t value my book’s sales as much as I value the reviews. Reviews tell me where I got things right or wrong. If someone just buys but don’t even read the book, then great I made a couple of pounds, but what does that tell me about my book? I would rather give my books for free and get reviews, instead of selling them and not knowing what people think.

Do you read all the reviews of your book/books?
I don’t have any reviews at the moment. However, I would read all reviews. When someone comes to me and say “I’ve read your book”, I feel so happy. Even if they hated it, I feel happy that someone actually took their time and read my book. So yes, if I get reviews, I would read all of them.

Would you ever ask a reviewer to change their review if it was not all positive about your book/books?
No, I want honest reviews even if they are painful to take. I’ve learnt to take negative comments since I was a child. I was not at drawing at first, so obviously people used to laugh at my characters, but thanks to them, today I know I can draw. It is the same for my book. If people’s comment can make me a better author, then I will welcome bad reviews even if they hurt at first.

How do you come up with the Title and Cover Designs for your book/books?Who designed the Cover of your books?
The title of the book came while I was writing the book. I was not sure what to put. At first I thought of a French title, but then I’ve changed it into English. I didn’t like it. Then, after writing a bit more, I came up with Regnum (Kingdom) and then I thought of Prudence’s World’s name (Vita). I’ve put the two together and that gave “Regnum Vita”. For the front cover, I drew about 4 different covers. In all the covers I had to put something that shows it is a fantasy book. However, I first started with the characters I wanted to display. Prudence, Ryan, Cheryl and Nash were my priority. After drawing them in different covers, I’ve selected the one that stood out from the rest. I then began drawing more things and I’ve added a background that would make the book’s cover stands out. This is when I’ve decided to put a dragon, because dragons reflect the notion and idea of fantasy.

Do you choose a title first, or write the book then choose the title?
Usually the title comes before, but this time it was different.

How do you come up with characters names and place names in your books?
I’ve picked Prudence’s name after watching Charmed. I was probably eight when the first episode was broadcasted in France, and I’ve instantly liked Prudence in Charmed. She became my favorite character, and in French, Prudence is a synonym for careful. I think it’s a beautiful name for a woman. I’ve picked Ryan’s name during an English class. We were 9 years old me and my friends, and we had to pick an English name. The list was big, and I’ve picked randomly “Ryan”. After that, I began liking this name and that’s how I’ve come up with Ryan’s name.

Are character names and place names decided after their creation? or do you pick a character/place name and then invent them?
I draw first, and then I give them a name. Just like when a baby is born. I begin writing their stories, personality, and motivation only after I’ve named them. 

Do you decide on character traits (ie shy, quiet, tomboy girl) before writing the whole book or as you go along?
I do that before, but sometimes the plot makes me react to one character’s personality, and I develop the character even more.

Do you basic plot/plan for your book, before you actually begin writing it out? Or do you let the writing flow and see where it takes the story?
I let it flow. As soon as I have my main characters sorted, I let the plot flow and the story develop.

How do you market/promote your books?
I’ve paid Authoright to market my book, but I am also working on my side. I send reviews requests to people and I try my best to promote my book by talking to people I know etc…

What do you think makes a book a really good/bestseller ?
I would have to say awareness. The more people know about something, the more that something ends up in the basket. Books are the same; it’s all about existence in the public’s eyes.

Have you ever suffered from a "writer's block"? What did you do to get past the "block"?
No I didn’t. If I feel writing is not making sense to me, then I take a break and I get back to it. It’s better to not write, it helps to avoid writing rubbish things.

What do you do to unwind and relax?Do you have a hobby?
I have a lot of hobbies, mainly drawing, and martial arts. I also love ice-skating, and socializing with friends.

Have you ever based characters on people you know or based events on things that have happened to you?
Yes, a lot in Regnum Vita is based on things I’ve experienced, and some characters are also based on some of the people I know.

Are there any hidden messages or morals contained in your books? (Morals as in like Aesops Fables type of "The moral of this story is..")
Yes, my book is about love and decisions. The choices in life are important. If love can conquer all, it can surely destroy someone’s identity. Someone selfless can become selfish, and people around might suffer the consequences.

Is there a certain Author that influenced you in writing?
J.K Rowling has made my childhood fabulous (Harry Potter series). If I could make someone’s teenage phase better with my book, then I would be happy. J.K Rowling influenced me to publish, not because of her success, but because of her impact on my childhood.

Which format of book do you prefer, ebook,hardback, or paperback?
Paperback, because books smell great (especially when they’re old). I love to hold the real thing, not a device.

What is your favourite book and Why?  Have you read it more than once?
Difficult one, I would have to say Chrétien de Troyes “Yvain le chevalier au lion”. I’ve read it thrice. I can’t say why, I just love that book.

Do you think books transfer to movies well? Which is you favourite/worst  book to movie transfer?
I think they do yes. Harry Potter was perfect. I loved both the books and the movies equally.
What are you currently reading? Are you enjoying it? What format is it?(ebook, hardback or paperback)
S.D Perry Resident Evil, I am enjoying it, and it is in paperback format.

Do you think ebooks will ever totally replace printed books?
Unfortunately ebooks are taking over now, but I know there will always be readers out there just like me, who prefers the real touch and smell of a book.

Do you think children at schools these days are encouraged enough to read? and/or do Imaginative writing?
No they are not. Children are too involved with technology now. I remember the first time I had a console, I was 7. Children now, they have consoles, Ipads/Ipods etc…at the age of 4 sometimes. I know some will disagree and some will probably dislike me for saying that, but children are too quickly attracted to technology instead of the good old things. Writing, drawing, reading…I don’t see any children who take any of these seriously now. I know there are a few exceptions of course.

Did you read a lot at school and write lots of stories or is being a writer something newer in your life?
I used to play episodes instead of writing them. Me and my friends would pick a role (I would always be Ryan) and then we would begin playing. We were knights and we would go in my garden and take wooden sticks. The sticks were our swords, and after that, we just started to imagine things. I was not writing, but I enjoyed playing a lot. The reason it was important for me to mention that is because these plays had an impact on me writing.
Did you have a favourite author as a child? J.K Rowling and Victor Hugo.

Do you have a treasured book from your childhood? If yes, what is it?
I had one but I’ve lost it. It was called “J’aime lire” and that book was the first one I have read. It was filled with small stories for children. This book taught me how to read.

Do you have a favourite genre of book?
Fantasy, Romance

Is there a book you know you will never read? Or one you tried to read but just couldn't finish?
Twilight, the author has been successful and that is good for her. However, I didn’t like her book at all.

Are there any New Authors you are interested in for us to watch out for? and Why should we watch out for them?
I don’t know about that one. I think every new author is courageous and brave to put their book(s) out there. I’m interested in all of them.

Is there anything in your book/books you would change now if you could and what would it be?
Just the proofread, it took too much time. I was lucky someone from Matador gave me a good and quick proofread, otherwise my book would have been even more delayed.

What do you think about book trailers?
Good idea, if I could finance on them, I would.

What piece of advice would you give to a new writer?
Whatever happens, never lose hope or the sight of your dreams. Writing is not measured by money; it is measured by the love you give to it. My advice is to never let anyone or anything stop you from writing something you believe in. A lot would think a successful writer is someone who becomes a bestseller, but to me, a successful writer is someone who took the step ahead and published. Now if you do become a bestseller (heck I wish I become one), then that’s a great bonus!

Do you or would you ever use a pen name?
No, even if my name is strange or difficult to pronounce, I will keep the name I’ve been given.

If you could invite three favourite writers to dinner, who would you invite and enjoy chatting with?
Victor Hugo, J.K Rowling, and J.R.R Tolkien.

Where can readers follow you?
Your web site ? www.naimsadeer.co.uk
Your facebook page? Still to come, just follow my twitter until my facebook page is available.
Your Goodreads author page? I don’t have one.
Your Twitter details? https://twitter.com/NaimSadeer

No comments:

Post a Comment