I’ve been a fan of Hafsah Faizal for a while. If you didn’t already know, she’s the brilliant brains of @iceydesigns. When I found out that she was writing a book inspired by ancient Arabia? I immediately took the chance and said yes to partnering with Fierce Reads. Hafsah was very generous with her time and had a quick chat with me. Check out the interview after the jump.
About Hafsah Faizal: Hafsah Faizal is an American Muslim and brand designer. She’s the founder of IceyDesigns, where she creates websites for authors and beauteous goodies for everyone else. When she’s not writing, she can be found dreaming up her next design, deciding between Assassin’s Creed and Skyrim, or traversing the world. Born in Florida and raised in California, she now resides in Texas with her family and a library of books waiting to be devoured. WE HUNT THE FLAME is her first novel.
Find Hafsah on the Web, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Goodreads, and Pinterest.
We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Publish Date: May 14, 2019
Synopsis:Set in a richly detailed world inspired by ancient Arabia, Hafsah Faizal’s We Hunt the Flame–first in the Sands of Arawiya series–is a gripping debut of discovery, conquering fear, and taking identity into your own hands.
People lived because she killed. People died because he lived.
Zafira is the Hunter, disguising herself as a man when she braves the cursed forest of the Arz to feed her people. Nasir is the Prince of Death, assassinating those foolish enough to defy his autocratic father, the sultan. If Zafira was exposed as a girl, all of her achievements would be rejected; if Nasir displayed his compassion, his father would punish him in the most brutal of ways. Both Zafira and Nasir are legends in the kingdom of Arawiya—but neither wants to be.
War is brewing, and the Arz sweeps closer with each passing day, engulfing the land in shadow. When Zafira embarks on a quest to uncover a lost artifact that can restore magic to her suffering world and stop the Arz, Nasir is sent by the sultan on a similar mission: retrieve the artifact and kill the Hunter. But an ancient evil stirs as their journey unfolds—and the prize they seek may pose a threat greater than either can imagine.
BookChelle: First, thank you for your story of representation and diversity. Did you first envision your setting or your characters for We Hunt the Flame?
Hafsah Faizal: Thank you for reading, and for having me! The characters came first, and it wasn’t until I was about a third of the way through drafting that the world of Arawiya made itself known and everything just clicked. The story was set in a eurocentric kingdom before!
BC: How many books did you write before We Hunt the Flame come into fruition?
HF: Four. All of them were first person, present tense, and sci-fi — though I was a little clueless on genre and might have blended in fantasy at times. Because of this, WE HUNT THE FLAME feels like my first!
BC: What was the soundtrack, or ambient sounds, did you listen to while writing We Hunt the Flame?
HF: I actually don’t have any! I need silence when working, or I have a hard time thinking. Alas! I do love the Assassin’s Creed cinematic game trailers if I’m having a hard time getting into the mood!
BC: How is it on the other side of the bookstagram curtain, now that you are a published author?
HF: In short: fascinating. As bloggers and bookish influencers, we have a unique viewpoint on publishing. I’m realizing there’s so much we don’t see or know of, and I love that I’m being able to see so many facets of the industry. I’m so grateful!
And now, for some quick questions!
BC: Stumped on the first words or on the last words?
HF: Can I just say all of them? Usually the last, though. You have a moment to think about how to start a sentence, but once you’re in the thick of it… well… See what I mean?
BC: You just submitted for deadline! What do you do first?
HF: Catch up on everything else, unfortunately. Then maybe reward myself with an extra
hour of sleep!
BC: You’re hosting your characters for dinner. What would you serve them?
HF: A full course meal, with roasted lamb, baba ghanoush, dolma, kanafah… Zafira would be happy she doesn’t have to hunt for once, Nasir just needs food made with love, and Altair is… hungry. I’d be nervous about serving Kifah because she’s such an expert on all things food, but I know Benyamin would be grateful, even while silently judging
Hafsah, thank you so much for stopping by today! It has been a great pleasure.
We Hunt the Flame is out in the world on Tuesday, May 14! Make sure to pre-order at your favorite book vendor, stop by your local bookstore, or reserve at your local library!
Sounds amazing, right? Read an excerpt HERE.
