Bibi And Sofia Haq Interview Published on: 04, Jul 2024
What inspired you to start writing children's books at such a young age?
One day after school,I drew a cartoonish picture. My dad loved it and told me that it could be a book’s character. From that day,I decided I will write a children’s book. The inspiration to write an animal theme came after a visit to the zoo.There was an exhibition where items like snake’s belt,snake’s bag,snake’s shoes, crocodile skin and bear rug on display. They were items seized by border control sold by poachers to collectors.
Can you tell us about the journey of creating your first book, "Jungle Trouble, Rory’s Rescue Plan"?Writing the book was the easy part.Finding an illustrator and a publisher was a bit challenging.
How do your hobbies, like reading, drawing, and solving puzzles, influence your writing process?My hobbies help me to have a creative mind.
Could you share some of the themes or messages you try to convey through your stories?Through my stories, I want to inspire other kids to write their own stories in the future. There are some strong messages, like be kind to animals, teamwork, problem solving, nature and conservation of wildlife.
What motivated you to start your own YouTube channel, Sofia's Space?I have started the YouTube channel to share my hobbies and places I visited to my family and friends especially to my grandparents in Mauritius.
How do you choose the content for your YouTube channel, and what do you enjoy most about creating videos?I do not have any specific niche for my contents. I made videos for fun and for my families in Mauritius.
Can you share a memorable experience or moment from your YouTube journey so far?I love my cave exploration experience at Botany Bay and Cheddar George.
What draws you to anime, and do you find any inspiration for your creative work in anime?I love anime because I like the stories with lots of imagination.Anime does inspire me in my creative work.
How have the movies from the 80s and 90s influenced your storytelling or creative style?The imagination and the storytelling were great in these 80 and 90’s movies like Back to the future, Goonies and Ghostbusters. It made me think about possibilities and what will I do in their situation?
As an animal lover, do your pets play a role in your stories or inspire any characters?No,I choose jungle animals.
What advice would you give to other young, aspiring writers who want to pursue their passion?If you have a dream, follow it.It is better to give a try so that in the future, you don’t regret for not taking a chance.
How do you balance your schoolwork with your writing and other creative pursuits?I do most of my creative works and YouTube videos mainly week end and school holidays.
Are there any authors or creators who have had a significant impact on your work or inspired you?I have been greatly inspired by J K Rowling.
Can you share any upcoming projects or plans you have for your writing or YouTube channel?I am currently working on my 2nd book.
When did you join AllAuthor? What do you think of the experience so far? Do you have any feedback?I have joined Allauthor since 12 July 2023.
I had great experience and like the exposure of the book to the right audience.
