| Romy: | How did you become a writer and what made you want to write? |
| Shaida: | I couldn’t find a proper job and writing seemed like a fit punishment, an indulgent form of self-flagellation. |
| Romy: | How did you come up with the concept for this book? |
| Shaida: | Fairytales have always fascinated me, but when I reread them as an adult, the stereotypes of maiden/crone of good-pretty-young-princess versus evil-ugly-old-witch, annoyed me. For a while, I lived in a region immersed in Disney-culture and was spellbound by Disney villains (mostly female, mostly middle-aged, mostly diabolical!) but all demonstrating a strange allure. Fairytales (and their villains) have a magnetic pull on children and many readers buy into the model of living “happily-ever-after”, as demonstrated by popular culture. It was while watching a parade of Disney villains that Zuhra, the younger sister in Not a Fairytale, began muttering in my mind. |
| Romy: | Why this kind of novel? |
| Shaida: | I wanted to write a pragmatic not-fairytale about two Muslim sisters. The parallel, fractured fairytales, which mirror their lives, evolved simultaneously with the main story. |
| Romy: | How long did it take you to write the first draft? |
| Shaida: | Initially, much of the tale was written in my head. When I eventually sat down to write the story, it probably took a sporadic year. |
| Romy: | How long did it take from completion of the first draft to publication? |
| Shaida: | I wrote three drafts (dissimilar to the final version) but did nothing with it for a long time, for years, because I couldn’t imagine anyone wanting to read my drivel. Then I attended the launch of a book written by a confident high school scholar. This motivated me into dusting (literally) off the manuscript and searching for publishers. |
| Romy: | Did you experience much rejection before selling your first novel? |
| Shaida: | Every publisher I sent it off to responded favourably which aroused my suspicions. I was convinced they were all Tik-taking lunatics. |
| Romy: | Tell us about The Call (your first sale, and/or selling this novel). |
| Shaida: | I received an email with an emphatic “Thank You!” from FB, the commission editor at Umuzi, (the first publisher to respond) requesting the rest of the manuscript. I half-thought it was a prank. |
| Romy: | What was the easiest part of writing this novel for you? |
| Shaida: | The part I wrote in my head. Every word was untainted perfection. However, something was lost in the translation between brain and paper. |
| Romy: | What do you struggle most with when writing? |
| Shaida: | My children. And lately, the stray tom who has half-adopted us and enjoys spraying my leg as I write (everyone’s a critic) so that the stench of ammonia weighs down my every word with gruesome perfume. |
| Romy: | How important is research to you? |
| Shaida: | Research is always necessary. When your words are sulking and refuse to materialise in story form, research alleviates the burden of a blank page. It’s a wonderful tool for serious procrastinators: I can’t write today, I’m busy with research! Research can take the form of an emergency shopping trip, a telephone chat, a nap, going to the movies, several cappuccinos at your favourite coffee shop and of course best of all – reading. |
| Romy: | What did you learn while writing this book that will always stay with you? |
| Shaida: | “Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia.” E.L. Doctorow. |
| Romy: | Who or what has been your inspiration along the way? |
| Shaida: | Women writers, particularly the encouraging and gifted women in my writing group, run by Anne Schuster. My close, idiosyncratic buddies, who love my stories. |
| Romy: | What advice do you have for aspiring writers? |
| Shaida: | Read, read, read. Write, write, write. Read, read, read. Join a generous writing group, muzzle your bitchy inner critic, and write your rough draft without pausing to polish it, without weeping, without self-criticism. There’ll be ample time for that later when you’re busy with drafts two, three and of course your dental draft. |
| Romy: | What’s next for you? |
| Shaida: | I’m in the throes of writing another novel. So if anyone would like to offer me a real job |