1. How did you get involved in writing for Rick Riordan Presents and how did it feel to be asked?
I’ve been with Disney-Hyperion since 2008, and Stephenie Lurie has been my editor through all that time. She’s also Rick’s editor. So I was given a heads up when RRP was starting, that she and Rick would love me to be involved. But the pitch I sent didn’t really work, so I didn’t get involved till a couple of years later, basically I needed the right idea. Then I wrote up a partial (first few chapters, outline) of CITY OF THE PLAGUE GOD and sent that to Steph. She took it to Rick and the rest of the team, we got the thumbs up and we were off!
2. As a very white guy raised in a western/Christian milieu it was a delight to read a book that was steeped in Muslim values and a story based in Mesopotamian mythology, do you have more stories planned that pull on these influences? I know that City of the Plague God was supposed to be a one-off but after Fury of the Dragon Goddess I am hoping for more stories of Sikander and his friends.
Oh, I have SUCH PLANS! I am literally waiting for the publisher to give the okay to go public. So much of publishing is waiting…
3. For readers that enthralled by the Mesopotamian influences in your Sikander stories what books would you recommend that they discover more?
I mainly used the works of Stephanie Dalley and Andrew George. Look at their translations of the Epic of Gilgamesh and Myths of Mesopotamia. Plenty of great history books covering that period too. Ancient Iraq by Georges Roux was brilliant.
4. I cheered during the British Museum scenes in Fury of the Dragon Goddess and am sure that some people will get hot under the collar at the criticism of the British Imperialism method of collection development. Do you have any suggestions on where people can find out more information about repatriation of museum collections and ethical museums?
I think the key thing is supporting local museums. They don’t need to be in Iraq! This is a HUGE topic, the fallout of colonialism. It won’t be sorted out in our time, but the signs of the shift are already there. The recent unrest in Niger is rooted in its colonial past, and those same pressures created much of the modern Middle East and we’re seeing how native Hawaiians are bringing their stories of American colonialism to the fore with their recent eco-disasters. Our problem us thinking that colonialism is in the past. It isn’t. The old colonial powers still wield great power (most to their advantage) over their former colonies. We are in for a rough time, but we must keep an open mind with regard to whose narrative we are being fed.
5. One of the early quotes in City of the Plague God is one that has stayed with me since I first read it (& it is in the pages that I read whenever I am asked to give book recommendation talks in schools):
Daoud laughed. “Guys like us don’t get to be heroes. You know that.”
“Why? Cause you’re an Arab, or ‘cause you’re a Muslim?”
“Take your pick, cuz. Take your pick.”
Can you recommend any books (for readers of all ages) that have positive representations of Arabs and Muslims?
Pick a book written by a Muslim and/or Arab! I’ll recommend the following authors off the top of my head but there are more: Sufiya Ahmed, SF Said, Irfan Master, Saadia Faruqi.
6. I recall seeing a tweet (RIP twitter) from you a while ago wherein you mentioned that Ash Mistry had been optioned, can you share any details about that?
Ah, it’s with LIGHTHOUSE, a production company. It is a slow, slow process but there’s a young British-born Asian director involved and writing the pilot, so I feel it’s in safe hands.
7. What are you currently reading?
Just finished 1984, which was brilliant. A masterclass in writing Third Person Perspective as well as (almost goes without saying) incredibly powerful about the manipulation of the masses. Always current, always essential reading. Not sure quite what to start next. Got the Three Musketeers ready as my big holiday read.
8. I am aware that you are an avid collector of tabletop role playing games, do you have any plans to create or work on a RPG?
Too lazy to create one of my own, tbh! I just love running games, leaving all the hard design work to better gamers than me. Just wrapped up a 2 and a half year campaign we ran online throughout covid. Really helped me get through the lockdowns having that to look forward to every week. Now running a few short mini-campaigns. Star Trek (TOS), some JUDGE DREDD and now STORMBRINGER, set in the world of Elric of Melnibone. It all, one way or another, feeds into my writing, keeping my story cells refreshed. If you want to become a writer, start running an rpg.
