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Sonali Sharma
@authorsonali · 1:18
In conversation with Hazel Sonawala 📚Ft. The world full of fantasy and imagination!
I am sonali back with the second episode of let's Brew books where we will be having onboard Miss Hazel Sunavila, the author of Focus Ancestral Secrets. This is a fantasy fictional book and you will be getting to know the story of Kathleen who is the main protagonist of the entire novel. What did she faced? How did she faced? And how did she overcome all the odds in life with the blend of fantasy? So, are you excited?
Sonali Sharma
@authorsonali · 1:13
Hazel started writing in 2020, and she specializes in crafting thrilling mysteries and fantasies. She regularly performs four onstage musical dramas, and she has recently participated in Dreams Works Madagascar. When she is not writing, she enjoys pop and country music mixed with her love for Victorian and gothic architecture. Without a further ado, let's welcome Hazel on Today's. Well, hello, Hazel. Please feel free to introduce yourself to our audience
Hazel Sonawala
@HazelSonawala · 0:38
You. Hello all. I'm Hazel Sonawala, the author of The Ancestral Secret and I am absolutely delighted to be here today. I appreciate the opportunity to answer all questions regarding the book now finale. As you mentioned, I was born and raised in Mumbai. I study at the prestigious cathedral and John Conan school. My writing journey start early on in the fifth grade. I've always been someone who loved to learn and express my ideas
Sonali Sharma
@authorsonali · 0:57
Hi, Hazel. This is so impressive to know that you started writing since such an early age. I mean, in fifth standard, many students don't even know that. Why are they studying these particular subjects? And you started writing since that age? That's commendable. So yes, I am pretty much excited to talk few questions about your book and what made you write fiction and especially fantasy
Hazel Sonawala
@HazelSonawala · 0:32
Ah, that's that's an interesting question, sonali. So, you know, throughout my childhood, I was hooked onto fantasy content like the Harry Potter books and movies. It made me wonder about life in the fantasy world. Reading fantasy books is like escaping from reality and being part of an adventure. I've always liked any things related to myths, magic, and legends, and that's why I normally choose fantasy as a genre
Sonali Sharma
@authorsonali · 0:57
Oh, yes. Who can ever forget Harry Potter? I mean, dumbledore, serious black were my favorite characters. Apart from Harry Potter, of course. What were your favorite characters? Because I feel, you know, Harry Potter has has the roots somewhere in our childhood. So, like, as you stated, you know, fantasy and magic appear yield to you very much. So, like, how did you decide to come up with this title? Focus ancestral secrets
reader 75063
@reader75063 · 1:28
What do you feel is the craziest fantasy you have ever thought of or you have ever seen? Anything is fine. Either something you have read or something that you sell yourself has written. The craziest fantasy, it doesn't have to be a story, just a small aspect. Like, for example, like in Harry Potter, they can apparate, right? Since we're talking about Harry Potter, they can operate
Also, a book is also considered a novel. So these are my two questions and again, I congratulate you. I wish you all the best and lots of success. To you, Hazel
Prajwal D P
@its_prajwaldp · 0:33
Hello, ma'am. Your swells are quite interesting. So I didn't go through the book called as Ancestral Secret. Still after this well, I felt like this is quite interesting. Surely I'll go through the book and I'll share my opinion on the book soon. Can you share some more experience on your book and some of your author experience so that we get inspired and we get focused? Thank you
Hazel Sonawala
@HazelSonawala · 0:59
Anyways, coming back to the focus ancestral Secrets be honest, I had shortlisted many titles for this book. But I thought that this title was apt for my book since I have explored familial ties and ancestry as the center point of this book. This book gives you a sense of identity and connects the characters deeply with their past. The characters discover their actual relatives, origins and history
Sonali Sharma
@authorsonali · 1:12
Okay, so coming back to your novel, The Ancestral Secret, it is quite interesting to know the story behind building up the title. And yes, you are absolutely right. As writers, as authors, we jot down so many different titles for the book, and finally we pick up one which is close to her heart, which is close to the story that is resembled in the novel. So this, I feel, is the most interesting questions, and even the audience might love it
Hazel Sonawala
@HazelSonawala · 0:20
Hi. See, your question really intrigued me. So the main protagonist in the ancestral secret has the power to compel someone. Now, I've always been very intrigued by this kind of magic because you can force someone to do what you want to do. So that would be my answer to your question
Hazel Sonawala
@HazelSonawala · 0:33
That's a nice question. Finale. I can see the reference to the blurb. Now, Catherine is a character with various shades of emotion. She is caring yet secure. She's emotional but resilient. She places a lot of importance on relationships, but at the same time, she goes out of her way to uncover her past. Hence, you feel you understand Catherine, but there is a lot about her feeling and her ancestry which remains unsolved
Sonali Sharma
@authorsonali · 1:11
Okay, so you mentioned that you read books, right? So I have one question for you Hazel, that what is your favorite book? Or what is the most loved book that you have been reading while growing up? Like is it some series or are they standalones? And if you have reader quite a multiple books, you can recommend your top three favorite books to our audience so that even they might enjoy reading them
Sakshi Jain
@Aahana_Aayu · 2:01
Being a social helper, I know how to read the books and I also teach my students how to recite the beautiful poetries in a very concerned and in a very formal way. Books are the best friends of all the human beings. Hence proved. Thank you and have a nice day
Hazel Sonawala
@HazelSonawala · 1:08
I have always felt a deep connection to my characters, but I have never written about my personal feelings or emotions. I don't normally write horror fiction, so I cannot relate to that. I'm really sorry. But to answer your second question, an ideal novel would probably be to like 100,000 words. 80,000 to 100,000 words. That's what a publisher is looking for. Your novel can also be about 50,000 words, too. That's perfectly fine
Hazel Sonawala
@HazelSonawala · 0:20
Yes, of course I read books. My favorite books would probably be Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling mallory Towers by Enid Blighton, and Gangster Granny by David Williams. And these books are definitely must reads. You all will thoroughly enjoy these books
Sonali Sharma
@authorsonali · 1:08
I wish you all the very best for the future interviews and great success to focus ancestral secrets. But before leaving, there is one last question for you. And the question goes as what advice do you have to the young writers or the beginner writers who are starting out in their writing journey or who look forward to perceive writing as their career? So, like, what were the obstacles you faced? What did you learn through your writing journey?
Hazel Sonawala
@HazelSonawala · 1:03
I write to express my opinions, jot down my experiences, and pass it down to the next generation. Moreover, my writing should be something I am proud of a passage to genuine expression. This is what I would tell maybe my younger self or younger storytellers. And I just want to say before I leave that please do follow me on Instagram. My handle goes as. Hazel Sonawala. Thank you so much for tuning in
Hazel Sonawala
@HazelSonawala · 0:34
Hi. To answer your question, I would say that writing is both a gift and a skill. A gift that some people are born with and a skill that anyone could acquire. If you put hard work into it, writing will inspire you. I mean, when you're feeling down or lonely or you're just bubbling with anxiety, it try writing. And don't worry about being perfect, because no one is. Just pour your heart on paper and let your words flow
Prabha Iyer
@PSPV · 1:51
Is it because that people will at least relax for some time in their busy schedules, other tensions and pandemoniums and all, you know, other being perturbed or something? Or is it that you love fantasy and you are behind it and that is the reason you chose the topic for fantasy in your story. So I just wanted to know a little curious about it because many people prefer to write emotional stories or poetries which has an emotional touch, maybe tragedy or comedy, since you have chosen the fantasy path
And I have a question that you mentioned that you share your opinions through your characters and stories, not your experiences. In a way, it meant that you don't mix up your own emotions with those of your characters. So I think that's what it meant. So this is something that I struggle with sometimes. What happens is that my own emotions get mixed up. They get intervened with emotions of my characters, and I'm fine with it
Hazel Sonawala
@HazelSonawala · 0:40
You. Hi. This is a lovely question. So, yes, I do know that many people write tragedy and comedy and have an emotional touch to their stories. Well, I chose to write fantasy because during my childhood I have grown up reading fantasy books and watching fantasy films. That's why it just felt necessary to pour out my feelings by writing a fantasy book, by using the ideas that had formed in my head since such a long time and create a story out of it
Hazel Sonawala
@HazelSonawala · 2:04
Hi. It's really lovely to know that so many people are intrigued and even write fictional stories. So I do realize that many people write characters that are inspired by their own personality to make the character more relatable. But I do the same thing, except my characters are inspired by another person's personality, someone who I am inspired by, someone who I am deeply connected to. But then again, of course, all characters must have his or her own flaws, because then the character becomes unrelatable