Author Spotlight - Tayyaba Syed on her award-winning book, The Blessed Bananas

HOW DID YOU GET THE IDEA FOR YOUR AWARD WINNING BOOK?
It was a simple bedtime story I told to my kids.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LINE FROM YOUR AWARD WINNING BOOK AND WHY?
"The more bananas Rico gave away, the more bananas his plant bore." - This is a very valuable lesson for all of us: the more you give the more you get.

WHICH OF YOUR CHARACTERS FROM YOUR AWARD WINNING TITLE DO YOU BELIEVE IS MOST LIKE YOU?
Tucana because of her forgiving nature.

WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU HOPE READERS WILL GLEAN FROM YOUR AWARD WINNING BOOK?
Sharing and kindness are universal qualities we all should embody.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BECOME A WRITER?
The fact that I didn't see myself in the books I read when I was growing up and even now as a mother.

TELL US SOMETHING FUN ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A WRITER:
I went into professional writing as an introvert, and now I do so much public-speaking and trainings as a published writer.

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR WRITING PROCESS:
I like to do brain dumps and just free-hand whatever concepts and ideas come to me. I love working with outlines and character-building platforms. If I face a writers' block, I like to look at nature and step away from the mundane for a while.

WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST CHALLENGE AS A WRITER?
Getting over my insecurities.

IF YOU COULD BE COMPARED TO A WELL-KNOWN AUTHOR WHO WOULD YOU MOST WANT THIS TO BE AND WHY?
I'd like to be compared to Roald Dahl, because he wrote from the heart and with authenticity.

HOW DID YOU FIND AN AGENT / GET PUBLISHED?
I met a publisher at a college where I was teaching a writing-intensive.

CAN YOU OFFER ANY ADVICE FOR WRITERS ON HOW BEST TO PROMOTE THEIR BOOK?
Believe in yourself and your work and be passionate about it. Be willing to take risks and step out of your comfort zone.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR GREATEST LITERARY ACCOMPLISHMENT?
Being selected as a panelist for Writing Women's Lives Conference at Georgetown University.

WHAT ARE YOUR GREATEST LITERARY ASPIRATIONS?
I'd like to write books for all different ages, especially non-fiction books.

TELL US SOMETHING PEOPLE MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT YOU THAT THEY MIGHT FIND INTERESTING:
I enjoy weightlifting.

DO YOU HAVE ANY NEW BOOKS IN THE WORKS?
Hafsa's Kisses  It's a baby board book about the types of kisses a toddler gives. It will be available through Prolance.



















LITERARY CLASSICS Book Awards & Reviews International Book Awards • Top Honors Youth Book Awards • Seal of Approval http://www.clcawards.org