Today we talk about THE PURSUIT OF BELONGING, a book by Salma Ashtari Shaylor published with our Publishing house Europe Books.
Europe Books had the pleasure of interviewing the author, Salma Ashtari Shaylor, to get to know her better, where and when she found the inspiration that led her to the writing of her autobiographical book THE PURSUIT OF BELONGING, as well as the sensations she felt by reading her life on the pages of her book.
Below you can find our interview. Take a seat and enjoy your reading!!!
- Where and when did you find the inspiration to write your autobiographical book?
In a funny way, I think I’ve been building up to writing this book for the better part of 30 years, especially as I’ve been an avid reader and writer for as long as I can remember. But whether it was age, maturity or opportunity, there never really seemed to be a good time to slow down, take stock and commit the time and mental headspace needed to achieve what I envisioned. But one day in May 2022, while I was travelling for work to the Channel Islands and reading Sally Rooney’s Beautiful World, Where Are You?, the thought occurred to me that perhaps I could take a sabbatical from my “day-job” and finally tackle a project of this caliber. I called my partner Adam and said, “do you think it would be crazy for me to quit my job and write a book?” and without hesitating he replied, “No, I think that would be a very sane thing to do actually!” And just like that, the idea took hold and a week later, I gave notice of my intention to resign from my role and 7 months later, in January of 2023, I started my writing journey, focusing on writing Monday to Friday, come rain or shine. And 6 months later, in late June of 2023, my first draft was fully completed.
- What is the message you want to convey to your readers?
Over the years of my life, as I’ve lived on various continents amongst a range of different cultures, the question of my ancestry and “where I come from” have been ever present, with well-meaning people inquiring after my origins based on my look or temperament and even my “hybrid” accent. And if I aim to be truthful, then my replies are inevitably longwinded and if I aim to be brief, I seem as though I’m dodging the question! But as conversations around ‘belonging” have increased over recent years, I found myself wanting to highlight that not everyone belongs to a specific time and place. Building ancestral roots to a place is increasingly a privilege afforded to a global minority so if my readers take away any one thing from my life detailed in this book then I would hope it’s a true sense of belonging to themselves above all else and the unquantifiable value in that experience. And I hope it inspires them to broaden their own horizons through travelling and immersing themselves with people and cultures that push them beyond their own boundaries because, in my experience, that’s truly the only way we grown closer compassionately as a species.
- What significant life experiences find expression in your book?
Well, the book details the whole of my life, so I guess it’s fair to say all of them! But for the sake of keeping the question, I would say that grief and learning how and when to hold on vs let go, has been a major life lesson for me that I hoped to share with my readers. I have also grown to have deep faith in the will of The Universe that guides us all towards our destined path in one way or another, so long as we learn how and when to listen.
- What sensations did you feel by reading your life on the pages of your book?
Reading the book back was surreal to say the least, especially once it was bound and presented in actual “book” form. And seeing the cover art which was created by one of the most creative and talented artists I know – Andrew Hall – was also thrilling. Above all else I suppose I felt a great sense of fulfilment at finally achieving something I had mentally entertained undertaking for the vast majority of my life. But I think any creative person will tell you, it’s impossible to view your own work without a sense of always trying to improve it so I’ve been practicing acceptance and grace with myself so I can be more forgiving of what my mind deems as “imperfections”; something that certainly doesn’t come naturally to me, I assure you!
- Are you working on a new writing project, you can tell us about?
Beyond autobiographical work, I’ve always enjoyed play and screenwriting so in an ideal world, I would love to adapt this novel into a screenplay for screen adaptation as I’ve been told by many of my readers that this book would lend itself well to that. I also have an idea for a fictional comedic novel which would certainly be a deviation from this first book but I like the idea of challenging myself that way too.
Europe Books thanks the author, Salma Ashtari Shaylor, once again for taking the time and answering our questions. We are really pleased to have walked alongside her on the editorial path that led to the publication of her book THE PURSUIT OF BELONGING. We wish her the best of luck for her future works.
To you, my readers, may this book be a source of inspiration for you and a source of inspiration for new journeys and new explorations that can enrich your life.
So, my dear readers, all I have to say is to enjoy your reading!
Your editor!