She is not a writer by profession but writing to her is more like
a passion. Being a writer has always been a dream; in fact, it's a passion that
resides deep inside her heart and soul. Having written in many fan fiction
forums; her interest grew and her writing skills improved. She has finished
working on her first book, Undying Affinity. Insha Allah, the book is published recently and is available on Amazon.com. She earnestly hopes
people appreciate her writing; an asset, she most deeply covets.
Welcome Sara. Your real name and pen name? My real and pen name is Sara Naveed.
Please share some of the best memories of your childhood The first 12 years of my childhood have been spent in Sharjah, U.A.E. After I turned 12, my family moved to Pakistan because my father wanted to establish business here. Childhood has been well spent, I must say that. Childhood is a phase of your life when you are completely unaware of major issues pertaining to life. You live a carefree life when all you to have to worry about chocolates, toys, watching movies and attending birthday parties.
About your education After completing my matriculation degree, I opted for pre-medical. I must admit during that time, I paid less attention toward being a doctor and hence scored less in the final examination. My interest diverted and I stumbled into the business line. I did Bachelors in Commerce followed by Masters in Banking and Finance. Education is something that has no end. I intend to take MPhil and then go for PhD.
What career did you plan during your education days I had originally planned to become a doctor but I guess fate had some other plans for me.
What languages you can speak and write? I can speak and write English and Urdu quite easily. Hey, I can speak Hindi too. (Winks)
What is your biggest source of inspiration in life My biggest source of inspiration comes from the fear of losing. Failure scares the hell out of me. If I want to achieve something then I'd go for it; no matter how hard it is.
What hurts you most in this world Family separations and heartbreak hurt the most, I guess.
What is the biggest challenge you have faced? How did you overcome it? My biggest challenge was to go out of the city to complete my Masters degree and stay away from my family in a girls hostel. I guess at that time I found it really challenging for myself and I'm glad I made that decision. Living alone and far away from family taught me to live an independent life. I felt myself more confident than before.
What is your favorite genre and why? My favorite genre is Romance because I've been grown up watching Bollywood romantic movies (Laughs). Jokes apart, romance is the only genre that intrigues me and that is why I've decided to write romantic novels whenever I intend to write because I feel I am good at it.
When did you start writing? What is the purpose of your writing? I've been writing fan fictions since my teenage years in various celebrity fan clubs and forums. From there my interest grew for writing . There were a couple of readers who enjoyed reading my fan fictions back then. I still remember my friend once told me to write a story and become a published author but I never took her advice seriously. I am amazed how I finally took the initiative and started writing. The purpose of writing is to express your innermost ideas and desires and share it with the audience. Writing gives me peace and another reason to live.
Which of your work has been published so far? Would you like to share a synopsis of your work? My first fiction book – Undying Affinity has just been released. Here is the synopsis;
Twenty two year old, Zarish Munawwar,has everything she could ever ask for in life; an elite family, a high profile status, a bunch of good friends and a childhood friend. Being childish, stubborn, imperious, extravagant and a bit impulsive at making important decisions pertaining to her life is what perfectly describes her personality. She takes life easily and can get anything she desires. To her, life is a bed of roses.
It is only when she meets, (Guy's name), her mentor and finance professor at university, her perspective of life completely changes. He looks quite young for his age as every girl at the university thinks he is attractive, seductive, intellectual and rather intimidating. This charming man is every girl’s fantasy and she also finds it hard to resist him. But is he fascinated by her?
Little did she know how one little interaction could bring about so many twists and turns in her life.
Do not miss this romantic tragedy as it will encapsulate you totally and will stay in your heart forever.
What are your forthcoming writings? I have my first book which has recently come out. Then I am working on another book which is also an intense romantic tragedy.
What keeps you motivating towards writing? When I come across a good book, I always think why this idea did not occur in my mind. Why I couldn't write such a terrific story? So yeah, I guess every well written book with engrossing story is the only factor that motivates me toward writing.
If Writing a Book is taken as a project, What are the key essentials you take care of in Project Management? I did not follow any rules and regulations while penning down my first book. It just came out naturally.
How do you plan, schedule and monitor your writing commitments? I always plan to write on daily basis. If I do not write daily, then I lose the temperament and eventually the story or any particular scene that I'd imagined, skips out of my mind. So whenever an idea strikes my mind, I plan to write it down as soon as possible.
What is generally your preference in reading – a paper book or ebook? And why? I will always prefer a paperback to an e-book. I believe when you're reading via an e-book, the impact of reading is lost somewhere. The feel you get when reading through a paperback is incomparable. I love reading paperbacks because I love the smell of the books. The idea of turning pages and then listen to the sound of turning a page drives me crazy.
How much real life goes into a fiction writing? I believe fiction is interlinked with non-fiction. The only difference between the two is that the former has to make sense. Writers write what they've experienced or seen in their real life. Therefore, real life experiences is what creates fiction.
Is high level of imagination important to have for an Author? Yes. Absolutely. A writer is not a writer if he/she is not imaginative at all. Fiction is a pool of imaginations. You cannot write unless you imagine or draw a picture in your mind.
Your dream destination on Earth? I'd like to go on a world tour and visit all the exotic locales.
Your zodiac/ sunsign? Aries.
Your favorite color and why? My favorite color is white because it indicates peace and tranquility.
What is the last book you finished reading? What is the current book you are reading? The last book I finished reading was Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. Pride and the Prejudice by Jane Austen is the one I am reading nowadays. It's a cult classic.
Your favorite book and why? I don't have one. It's a never ending list. I fall in love with every good book I read. So, the favorite keeps changing.
Your favorite movie and why? Again, it is a never ending list.
Your favorite celebrity and why? Fawad Khan because he is the protagonist of my book. The main character of my book is highly inspired by his personality.
Your favorite food? Chicken Biryaani made by my mother.
Your favorite sports? Badminton
What is the force that drives you? The passion of becoming a successful person one day.
What comes to your mind when you think of India? Beautiful historical places and fortes based in India. Taj Mahal for instance. I love India and I cannot wait to explore it one day.
Some quickies: Sun or Moon- Moon Laughter or Smile- Smile Morning or Evening- Morning Coffee or Tea- Tea Mountain or Sea- Sea Long Drive or Short Drive- Long Drive Silence or Conversation- Conversation Water or Fire- Water Air or Earth- Air Mars or Jupiter- Mars Tulip or Rose- Rose Red or Blue- Red Left or Right- Right Glance or Stare- Stare Fame or Money- Money Boy or Girl- Girl Day or Night- Day Tree or Plant- Tree Love or Passion- Love What three words come to your mind for each – Technology- Necessity, intelligence, Next Generation Life- Unpredictable, blessing, dream God- Generous, Merciful, Beneficent Humanity- Kind, helpful, supportive Terrorism- brutal, inhumane, terror Racism- injustice, cruelty, discrimination Childhood Abuse- cruelty, injustice, discrimination Love- blessing, best feeling, life Parenting- blessing, love, life Old age- inevitable, unavoidable, mercy
First thing you do in the morning after waking up? I drink a glass of water.
Last thing to do before sleep? Pray to Allah.
If one fine morning you wake up and find your sex changed to opposite, what will be your first reaction? I would plead God to change my sex as soon as possible because I am blessed to be a woman.
State your signature line/ tagline/ best quote Love me for a reason and let the reason to be love.
The title of your autobiography would be… Pakistani Fiction Writer
Links & other relevant details: Publisher: Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Undying-Affinity-Sara-Naveed-ebook/dp/B00P53QSOY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1419353479&sr=8-1&keywords=Undying+Affinity
Twitter handle: @SaraNaveed Facebook page: www.facebook.com/saranaveedwriter Goodreads author page: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/13168057-sara-naveed Goodreads book page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23499489-undying-affinity
Any other links: www.saranaveedwriter.blogspot.com
