Hello, folks! It's the Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month. In honor of that, we are here to introduce you to some awesome AAPI writers who have created wonderful worlds for you to escape to! Let's say hello to our very first writer, Zian Dutt (ZianDutt), the author of the high fantasy novel, Poison Among Shadows!
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With poison running through her veins, she has to defeat the shadows that await her.
Zehreen Vaika has always lived in a country plagued by a foreign rule. Member of a rebel syndicate and niece to a ruthless queen, she is quick on her feet to eliminate any threats that loom over her motherland.
Until her aunt betrays her. When Zehreen's syndicate is ripped away from her by her own blood, she is pushed into a journey of tribulations. With enemies drawing closer to a queendom that has resisted their imperialism for decades, Zehreen has no choice but to warn its queen of the danger. But as she trudges further into the maneuverings of the tyrannical rulers, she faces more foes than she is prepared for.
A murderess spy. A former soldier. An abdicated queen. A vengeful fugitive.
Fire in their eyes and fury in their heart, to save their nation from its impending doom, all of them must stick together against all odds.
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AUTHOR BIO: Hi! I'm Zian, or at least that's what my pen name is. I'm a nerdy university student currently living in Toronto, Canada. I'm ethnically Indian and I've been reading stories ever since I can remember, though I only got around to crafting mine a couple years ago. The infusion of elements from my culture with my stories only struck me a few years ago when I realized there was little market for Indian fantasy books and then I started writing Poison Among Shadows! Despite it having been on a bit of a break these past few months, I've thoroughly enjoyed writing my culture into it.
1. Hi Zian! We're delighted to have you here today. Let's start. Can you tell us something surprising about yourself?
I'm in general a very boring person, but something that might take you a bit by surprise is that I started writing full-length novels at the age of eleven! Granted the stories would make my toes curl if I read them now, they were definitely worth the time they took me to complete them. They were a stepping stone for me and what got me into writing. They'd probably never be read by anyone or... even see the light of another day, but knowing you wrote something substantial at a young age is a comforting feeling to have.
2. How do you identify within the Asian American and Pacific Islander community and how has your heritage shaped the person you are today?
As an Indian person who is living in Canada, identity has always been one of the biggest parts of my life--coming to terms with the fact I'm a minority in a country that is full of European-Americans was a hard pill to swallow at first. When you see the lacklustre representation of Asians in a market so dominated by white North Americans, you really start to wonder if there's a place for you. But I promise there is. I'm a product of what my identity is at the end of the day--the parts of me that are Canadian are as valuable as the parts of me that are Indian and I cherish them to bits. I'd probably identify with my Indian self more than I can ever with my Canadian, simply because I was brought up Indian and in India. With racism and discrimination running rife in every sphere of practically everything there is, I'm glad to have hope that people of color are now able to come forward and make their voices known.
3. How did you come up with the idea for your story? And what are your inspirations for the world you have created?
Poison Among Shadows had always been something at the back of my mind--it was like a mist of an idea that finally took concrete form once I read RF Kuang's The Poppy War. The book's highlight was its theme of colonialism and discrimination on the basis of race. It really gave it a fresh spin and eventually inspired me to create something like that. From there I took inspiration from various Indian freedom fighters who fought against the British rule and made it possible for India to be an autonomous country to create a main character. The principal historical figure I took most inspiration from for my main character would probably be Maharani Laxmibai. She was one of the few women warriors of her time and learning about her got my creative juices running. Other than that, Indian mythology is full of deities, colorful and dark myths as well as interesting magic systems, so there was plenty of substance for me to base my story on.
4. If you could be a character in your story, who would it be and why?
If there is one character in my book that I'd love to be, it would be Queen Bhumija. For context, she's my main character, Zehreen's, love interest and rules a queendom. It is her tenacity and willingness to inherit the throne at a ripe age of sixteen that takes me by awe. Her mother died when she was young and so all the responsibility got passed down to her. She may not always know her way around things, but she still manages to hold her own and that's one quality that I find myself lacking in, seeing as I have a penchant for panicking and giving up. Bhumija is not afraid to be vulnerable, but she's calculative and rational at the same time. All this is a direct contrast to who I am and fascinates me, so it's intriguing to imagine what it would be like to be in her shoes.
5. Does your family have any traditions that are important to you? Feel free to share your at least one experience here!
There are plenty of traditions that are important to my family, but I would like to mention respecting elders as one of the biggest ones of them. Indian culture in general puts a heavy emphasis on respecting people who're older and my family is no different. Being obedient to your elders--especially older siblings and parents--is part and parcel of Indian society and that's one tradition that I was brought up with. I might not always agree with it, but its importance in my family definitely makes it worth mentioning here.
6. If you could introduce something from your culture to someone else, what would it be and why? It can be a tradition/custom, food, music, or anything else that comes to mind!
Indian food and music are famous and ubiquitous all over the world already, so that's something that even though I'd be keen on introducing people to, would not be my priority. One thing that I feel like is not well-known from my culture, however, is the way marriages are held. Weddings are an essential part of where I come from, but most international people I've met have not been aware how they're held. So, whenever I make an international friend now, I make sure I tell them the customs and traditions of Indian weddings and if possible also escort them to one!
7. What are your favorite books? Both on and outside Wattpad?
The question's a semi-tough one because I've a lot of them, but a few worth mentioning, all outside Wattpad are: An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir, The Seven Husbandsof Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid and The Poppy War by RF Kuang! There's a lot more than just three, I promise, but the ones mentioned seem to have a special place in my heart.
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Thank you very much for joining with us today, Zian. And all of you reading, we hope you found that inspirational! Give his stories some love!
