Sabaa Tahir’s reprieve is coming to an end.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: What have these books meant to you over the last five years?
Thats why I wrote the book because I wanted to see more of it.
Sabaa Tahir.Credit: Joseph Siroker
I was the first Pakistani-American to be on theNew York Timesbestseller list there were so few of us.
I think it opened a door, in a weird way, in publishing.
And those books sell.
Penguin Random House
For me, I write fantasy; its not about the immigrant experience.
Its brown kids having amazing adventures.
What’s the most important thing for readers to know aboutA Sky Beyond the Storm?
I think this book is really about the cost of war.
It’s also about who pays that cost.
In this book, it’s the children who suffer most from war.
When it comes to war, childhood is somehow no longer sacred.
Part of the inspiration for this was the children of war whose stories have never been told.
I think about the Pakistani army school that was bombed years ago in which 100 children were killed.
And how much you must hate humanity to do that.
There are a few moments in the book that are going to kick them in the feels.
Im going to get the angry DMs and tweets.
There are so many incredible marginalized authors out there who dont necessarily get those lead title spots.
They dont get the write-up.
They dont get the opportunity for success.
And I didnt get any bites because they didnt know if anyones interested in those authors.
What’s your secret to being such a productive author?
Tuesday is my script day; Wednesday is justEmbersstuff.
Its forced me to be much more efficient; I have no choice.
Its also forced me to work until 3 a.m.
