Nafiza Azad is a self-identified island girl. She has hurricanes in her blood and dreams of a time she can exist solely on mangoes and pineapple. Born in Lautoka, Fiji, she currently resides in British Columbia, Canada, where she reads too many books, watches too many K-dramas, and writes stories about girls taking over the world. Nafiza is the coeditor of the young adult anthology Writing in Color and author of The Candle and the Flame, which was nominated for the William C. Morris Award, The Wild Ones, and Road of the Lost. Learn more at NafizaAzad.com.
1. Hi Nafiza! Thank you so much for taking the time to answer some questions—we’re so excited to have you! You’ve written multiple young adult fantasy novels featuring dynamic female characters. What do you love most about writing these narratives?
My favourite stage of the novel writing process is right at the beginning when there are infinite possibilities of where the story will go. Like an early stage in a relationship, you get to know the book, the idea, and the world you are going to have to create. You meet the people who will people this world. You learn what makes them them. Drafting is not my favourite stage but I always, contrarily enough, enjoy the story I am writing. Because I am a plantser, (I plan and pants any book I write) I am telling myself the story even as I am writing it. I am as surprised by the turn of events as any reader in the future will be. I will admit, however, every book is a different beast. For The Candle and the Flame, the worldbuilding was a lot of fun, The Wild Ones, research was my favourite part of the writing process, and Road of the Lost, character-building was heaps of fun.
2. Your novel, Road of the Lost, is a faery tale that features a brownie named Croi. Can you tell us a bit about the world-building process? Did you draw on any specific fairy tales/folklore for inspiration?
Rather than to any specific fairy tale or folklore in particular, I would, if I had to, point to books written by Enid Blyton as not so much as an inspiration for Road of the Lost but as what evoked the book. Road of the Lost is a response to the kind of the books I read in my formative years, where the main characters were white, all adventures happened to people not like me, who ate foods I was not familiar with. I first met brownies in an Enid Blyton book. Though I didn’t realize how problematic her books were until I grew up, they did open a vast world completely alien to that little girl who lived in a sugarcane farm in Fiji who had never seen and couldn’t really imagine what a tart was or what it tasted like but very much wanted to find out. I wanted to write a story of the fae that shifted somewhat to include those who don’t fit the usual narrative—this was what was denied to me by the Enid Blyton books.
3. Road of the Lost also happens to be your thesis novel for the UBC MACL program! How did your experience in the program impact your writing career? Do you have any advice for current students, and those who are interested in studying children’s literature?
I can honestly say that I probably wouldn’t have been an author if I hadn’t experienced what I had while in the MACL program. I met amazingly supportive people, both the faculty and the friends I made through the program, who led me to believe in myself and attempt what felt like the impossible—that is writing a book. The wonderful thing about children’s literature is the fluidity—the diversity of it. The MACL program is a multi-disciplinary program which shows the many directions you can approach children’s literature from. Whether you go on to write children’s literature or not, the experience of studying it will teach you the pleasure of stories and how to connect with your readers.
4. What topics or themes have you been drawn to recently?
I love writing food into my stories so I’ve been flirting with the idea of writing a fantasy with food magic at its core. I’m also very interested in steampunk but from an East Asian perspective. I’m also cautiously poking at an idea of writing a fae tale set in Fiji.
5. What MG/YA books or authors do you adore?
Oh goodness, there are so many. Off the top of my head, Cindy Pon, Karuna Riazi, Darcie Little Badger, June Tan, Gail Villanueva, Intisar Khanani, M. O. Yuksel, Elsie Chapman, Alison Croggon, Rena Barron, Sarah Suk, Sabina Khan, Tanya Boteju and so many more.
For extra content, Nafiza chatted with our managing editor about writing advice, inspiration, and more! Be sure to check out the recorded conversation on our YouTube channel!
YOUNG ADULTING 