A Single Lifetime | Novella
q/a with mariam

Can you tell us what it felt like writing your first novella? Since you’re in the habit of writing books with thirty chapters.

Surprisingly, it wasn’t as hard as I thought it was and it’s actually the most fun I’ve had while writing, which is saying a lot because I have the time of my life while creating fictional worlds and people. I was expecting it to be difficult but it really wasn’t and I want to write more short novels now.

Were there any elements from your life that you wove into the story?

In Shadow and Bone, author Leigh Bardugo uses Russian culture to create the fictional country Ravka and when I first read her books earlier this year, I thought about using certain parts of Pakistani culture(such as food, language and dressing)into my own stories. So, throughout A Single Lifetime I tried to use certain Urdu words and hints at Pakistani culture. I’ll hopefully use more of it in time and with practice.

If it is only the women of the Husani bloodline who have this ability, do the men have an ability too that they have kept a secret as well?

Haven’t really thought much about the males of the Husani bloodline, and I don’t think I’d give them abilities. It’s the women who pass down–what I and Zareen like to call–The Extentive Gene, like how in the X-Men movies it’s the men who carry the X Gene and pass it down to their descendants. The only difference is that in A Single Lifetime Husani women can only pass the gene down to women, not men. However, this genetic system may not apply to all supernaturals–or Extentives, as Zareen would say.

In the later chapters, there’s a debate between mother-daughter duo, Zareen and Fajr, over whether there are more “people like them” in the world, meaning if there are more supernaturals like them. I like to believe that they do exist and eventually Zareen starts to track them down after gathering scientific research.

Fajr and Zareen have a condition called time blindness. Do you think it’s because of their ability or is it something else entirely?

I love fantasy novels with diverse characters who possess unique abilities. But in return they have flaws. And I try hard to make those characters deviate from what all my other characters are like, so I tried to give Fajr an ability with a downside: anxiety.

Fajr is basically ninety percent her ability, it’s who she is and trust me, even she would agree on that. I don’t think I can say the same for Zareen or all the Husani women. Then again, I can’t really picture them without their powers. However, I think that Fajr and Zareen would still be organized and punctual women with mild time blindness, even without their ability.

Can you tell us a little more about Sura and Zain and their relationship?

Since this novella was only ten chapters, I had to really challenge myself and write less. And one of my biggest fears was that I was going to make Sura and Zain those annoying side characters who have no purpose, but I hope it didn’t feel like that. But I’ve got something special planned for those two…

What does a typical writing day look like for you?

I’m a night writer. So, if I’m having a really good night and I’m writing really well, I tend to hyperfocus. But I usually wind down, then open up my laptop and write until the crack of dawn!

From the Instagram question sticker!

Will we get a separate novella for Zareen? I would love to read one. Like a prequel. sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ (ꜰind)ɴʘvel.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

I’ve thought about novellas for other characters, like spin-offs. But I haven’t given much thought to Zareen. Perhaps a short story for her. Over the years, I’ve developed a tendency to do exactly the thing I said that I “wouldn’t do” or “couldn’t do.”

How long did it take to write?

Twenty-five days(not counting editing.)

Where did you get the inspiration from?

Most of my story ideas come from daydreaming and I have a whole document full of story ideas and some of them just add up and turn into a plot. I thank the countless hours of daydreaming.

Are any of the characters based on real people?

No. I don’t base characters on real people. But I do often use elements from my own emotions. I’ll write about how other people make me feel and chop up pieces of my soul and give it to characters. And that, kids, is how fictional babies are made!

What was your favourite part of writing it?

My favourite part of writing is planning and outlining. Obviously, writing it and watching it play out on paper is satisfying. But with A Sinlge Lifetime I enjoyed every second of it. I never got writer’s block and I hyperfocused which I loved for some reason.

Who’s your favourite character?

Fajr.

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