SIX MINUTES WITH A.T. RAYDAN:

Today A. T. Raydan joins LitPick for Six Minutes with an Author! Ms. Raydan is the author of Chopstix which was launched in the spring at the 2015 London Book Fair.  For British author A.T. Raydan (Alisha), writing Chopstix was about creating a new breed of female superhero: one that can stand tall and not play second fiddle to anyone. Now living in Birmingham with her husband and two sons, Alisha is a firm believer in empowering young adults through literature.

How did you get started writing?

When I was a teenager, growing up in a house full of boys, I was obsessed with Wonder Woman – but in fairness, there weren’t that many other female superheroes for a young girl to choose from.

I’ve always loved superheroes and YA fiction, but it wasn’t until I was expecting our first son (and so got to take a really long time off work) that I decided I wanted to create my own superhero, one that didn’t fit in to the usual “female-superhero molds” like Wonder Woman or Cat Woman. The lead character in Chopstix, Wendy Wu, is a Chinese girl who has grown up in the west.

In my free time (when I wasn’t feeding or changing or just generally getting to grips with our new baby!), I started to jot down a few ideas and then, when I built up the confidence, I shared these with my friends and family, and to my amazement, rather than laugh, they encouraged me to develop the ideas further and see where my creativity would take me.

I would sit for hours at my computer tapping away, writing draft after draft; it was a long time until I actually had the first tangible chapter of Chopstix. Part of the reason it took me so long was because I wanted to create a whole-new fantastic world and a brand-new story full of unique characters, hidden magic, which is no small task, but most of all I really wanted the plot to capture the essence of true human feelings, and evoke my reader’s emotions.

I also am a firm believer that literature can empower people, whether young or old, and YA literature has a great potential to do this. So with the book, from the very beginning I wanted it to incorporate sensitive issues that readers could connect with, like bullying and loss, which both play big parts in the narrative of the story, for example when I wanted to inspire readers to be true to themselves in a fun way, and also be kind to others.

And so with all this in mind, Chopstix was born, a superhero born in New Valliant City, as simple Wendy Wu, who loses her parents in a heart-breaking fire and discovers a world of myth and magic that she has been ancestrally bound to from birth.

Who influenced you?

I was on maternity leave during the birth of my eldest son. It was the first time that I had taken a career break from the moment I graduated and started my career. 

It was the first opportunity to step back and think about my life. I had always dreamt of being a mother, and this dream was coming true with so many emotions. It also made me think of my own mother and how much she has achieved being a mother to four children, whilst continuing to work and complete her higher education. Her passion and energy for her family has always been more than 100% and that’s why I always think of her as 'supermum’.

I then reflected more on my own childhood and my main super hero (female) was Wonder Woman. It was all we really had!

In my spare time, I started to jot down a few ideas. I shared these with my husband, who runs an independent children’s publishing house, and to my amazement, rather than laugh, he encouraged me to develop the ideas further and see where my creativity would take me.

Whilst watching children's television I realised that there were still very few lead female characters and this inspired me to bring Chopstix to life.

My superheroine, Chopstix, doesn’t wear tight spandex but a coat; it’s cold in New Valliant City, after all. She doesn’t use her femininity to seduce her enemies, but her quick wittedness and physical strength to defeat them. And she doesn’t play second fiddle to anyone, female or male. I hope this makes a small dent into the status quo. One thing is for sure, if Hollywood insists on revisiting outdated female models, it will take us authors to keep culture looking forward, not back.

Do you have a favorite book/subject/character/setting?

During my childhood, I was an avid Enid Blyton fan and enjoyed reading the Famous Five and Secret Seven series. These left a lasting impression.

Someone else that left a lasting impression was Wonder Woman; after all, she was the only female superhero around that could stand tall and not play second fiddle to anyone!

I generally enjoy books that are full of adventure, mystery, action and thrills; hence I tried to incorporate all of these ingredients into Chopstix, a modern superhero with many of twists to come.

What advice do you have for someone who wants to be an author?

Believe in yourself and write for pleasure. Write the book you would most like to read. But don't get discouraged if no one wants to publish it straight away.

Keep persevering, attend book fairs and speak to publishers and agents. 

It’s a long hard journey from your first written words to seeing your book published, but it’s a rewarding one.

Where is your favorite place to write?

In bed. In the kitchen. On a plane. To be honest, I enjoy writing, and whenever I get the chance to do so, I put pen to paper. It’s hard juggling it around my hectic lifestyle, so I make the pen and paper work for me. Preferred drink is definitely a cold can of Irn Bru or a hot chocolate!

What else would you like to tell us?

In terms of Wendy’s character, that is meant to be a light-hearted and honest story. It may revoke memories from readers' own lives. It’s full of strong family values. But deep inside, there is a notion that we all have a limit, an alter ego and a destiny.

I wanted to create a new world, a new story full of characters, each with a unique personality. I wanted to try and capture the essence of universal human feelings and emotions, to the point where the story could make you cry and also deliver a feel good factor.

I wanted it to incorporate sensitive issues that readers could connect with. I wanted to inspire readers to be true to themselves in a cool way, and also be kind to others.

Above all, I wanted to have fun and for readers to join me on a new adventure that I am about to embark on, an adventure that follows the adventures of Chopstix.

Alisha, thank you for joining LitPick for six minutes! Congratulations on your first YA novel!