Hello, folks! Say hello to our fourth awesome AAPI writer, Keila (the-reticent-seer), the author of the fantasy retelling, The Jewel of Zecaj!
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Believed to be created by the founder of Zecaj, the Jewel of Opulence is said to curse whoever possesses it with endless riches beyond their wildest dreams.
Desperate to get his hands on more fortune to aid a brewing war, Sultan Shahrayar, the kingdom's cunning ruler, calls his people far and wide with a declaration: the one who presents him with the mythical artifact shall be rewarded with a tower of gold.
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In the lowly province of Klalasha, Badriya bint As-Sahra is sick of piling up camel dung and picking people's pockets for a living. But she can't do anything else unless she wants to rot in the streets and die. When she hears the sultan's decree, she jumps at the chance to become rich in the easiest way possible. And perhaps get a title for herself to prove that women are more than just slaves and child-bearers.
But, as Badriya would learn the hard way, searching for an object that may not exist is proving harder than it should be. With other, more resourceful competition and a handsome stranger distracting her, she will have to use her wits and skills to achieve her goal or risk losing something even greater than herself.
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AUTHOR BIO: Dubbing herself the Reticent Seer, her online persona, Akeila Agramunn is a biology student by day and an aspiring writer by night. She writes about empowered female protagonists, snarky side characters, action- and fantasy-packed scenarios, and magical objects of power. She is currently part of Wattpad's Creators Program and was a Wattpad Content Ambassador for a brief time. When not writing, Akeila can be found enjoying other fantasy books, taking naps, satisfying her sweet tooth and cramming for exams.
1. Hi Keila! We're delighted to have you here today. Let's start. Can you tell us something surprising about yourself?
This is nothing too surprising or amazing, but I'm kinda proud that I'm able to understand and (mostly) speak in five languages, which probably makes me a multilingual. Even if that's the case, my strongest language is English. I'm confident in my speaking and writing abilities using that language, hence my works in Wattpad are so far written in English.
2. How do you identify within the Asian American and Pacific Islander community and how has your heritage shaped the person you are today?
I'm not American, contrary to popular belief, but FIlipino to be exact. I was born in the Philippines and lived most of my life there, but sometimes, I think I'm not "Filipino enough". I don't understand deep Filipino words, I haven't tasted many popular Filipino dishes because of me being a picky eater, and I don't relate to current Filipino trends.
I think it's got something to do with the time my family and I lived abroad for almost half of my life. Middle Eastern culture mingled with my Filipino one and the result is this weird combo that is me. Since then, there's a part of me that wants to go back to the Middle East but then it knows that I can never truly fit in there. That's the same case when I'm in the Philippines.
I'm torn between two countries that I've both called home, but nevertheless, I'm proud to call myself a Filipino. I'm from the Philippines, and my parents are from there too. I had more memories in there than what I had in the Middle East. That's where my life started, and since I'm now back there for good, that's where it's probably gonna end.
3. How did you come up with the idea for your story? And what are your inspirations for the world you have created?
I've got the Open Novella Contest last 2022 to mainly thank for giving me motivation to start The Jewel of Zecaj. I already started making some of its basic world building and plot around the end of 2021 since I had plans to join ONC during that time. Plus, I've been toying around with the idea of writing a story set in the Middle East because of my amazing experience living there for a bit. Then I thought of Aladdin and this amazing story I've read, which is We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal. I just had to borrow the elements that brought those stories alive, and that's how The Jewel of Zecaj was born!
4. If you could be a character in your story, who would it be and why?
I definitely want to be Badriya! Aside from being one of the protagonists of the story, she's this badass, assertive character who doesn't let anyone or anything stand in her way. Even when she's poor and alone at times, she makes do with her cunning and her trusty dagger to get the job done. She might get too far and hurt people in the process, which is certainly not fun, but she's not afraid to make hard choices for the sake of her own wellbeing. She sounds selfish that way, but you can't blame her for wanting to stand for herself.
5. Does your family have any traditions that are important to you? Feel free to share your at least one experience here!
My family and I are Muslim, and we celebrate our religion's main holidays, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, which we celebrated just a few weeks ago, and Eid al-Adha, which lies at the end of Hajj, the holy pilgrimage to Mecca. In both occasions, we dress up in our bestest clothes before going to the mosque (masjid) where we listen to eye-opening and thought-provoking sermons and reflect on our actions. After that, the fun stuff begins. We prepare and eat delicious food, exchange gifts, and celebrate with relatives. Eid is all about having fun with family while thanking Allah for his blessings.
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!
Definitely the food! There's a lot of Filipino foods that are nothing short of delicious and divine, and I hope to be brave enough to taste them all in the future. But so far, my favorite one is adobo, which is this dish with chicken (or any other meat) that's marinated in soy sauce, vinegar and other spices. It's very savory and a good comfort food. As for desserts, I'm all down for some leche flan, halo-halo, cassava cake, polvoron, and maybe some puto. Kakanin, or treats made with sticky rice, are also amazing.
7. What are your favorite books? Both on and outside Wattpad?
'The Jotun Chronicles' by ELatimer, 'Cupid's Match' by Lauren Palphreyman, 'Titan Academy of Special Abilities' and 'Charm Academy School of Magic' by april_avery remain some of the most notables reads I've encountered in Wattpad. Outside Wattpad though... it depends on the mood. I've got a lot of favorites, but for now, I'm in love with 'These Violent Delights' by Chloe Gong, 'Babel' by R. F. Kuang, 'The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue' by V. E. Schwab, and 'The Forbidden Wish' by Jessica Khoury. Of course, 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians' by Rick Riordan is my comfort read and the one that inspired me to write in the first place.
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Thank you very much for joining with us today, Keila. And all of you reading, we hope you found that inspirational! Give her stories some love!
