About the Author: Isabella Kamal
What would you like readers to know about you?
I was born and raised in the Middle East and have loved writing for as long as I can remember! I started journaling in the first grade, a habit I still have to this day. By the time third grade rolled around, I was happily ripping through any and all creative writing assignments that were thrown my way. I started writing fanfiction as a teenager and continued to dabble in that space on and off through college and grad school. I honestly don't think there's been a time in my life where I haven't been writing something. When I'm not typing away, I'm reading novels (mostly romance!), playing video games, and singing. I also have a very dry, tongue-in-cheek sense of humor that a lot of people don't expect.
What music do you listen to (if any) when you write?
As boring as this sounds, I work in dead silence. I've never been able to focus on much of anything while music is playing!
What books or authors inspired you to become a writer?
So many books and authors can be credited with giving me the writing bug. I'm a big Shakespeare nut and reading all his plays definitely made me want to try my hand at character work. There are also so many romance authors that inspire me—Tessa Dare, Amalie Howard, Anne Mallory, Eloisa James, Meredth Duran, Lisa Kleypas, Sherry Thomas, Beverly Jenkins...I could honestly go on and on! I've always been lucky to be able to find inspiration everywhere. As long as I'm enjoying what I'm reading, you can bet there's a part of me that's getting inspired by it.
About the Book: The Temple of Persephone
What is your book about for those who haven’t read it?
The Temple of Persephone is a Regency romance with a dash of Greek mythology. Our heroine, Persephone Honeyfield, is witty, bookish, and too curious for her own good. She lives in sparsely populated Oxbury with her sister and father. Persephone’s life is one punctuated by loneliness and loss, and she struggles to fit in with the villagers and, at times, even with her own family. What was supposed to be a quick trip to the abandoned Barrington estate to search for a long-lost book turns her life upside down and she suddenly finds herself engaged to a man she just met.
That man is Aidon Barrington, who has spent the last ten years running his family’s funeral furnishing business. A former rake, Aidon is now something of a recluse, having drifted apart from his rambunctious social circle after the death of his father. Years ago, you might have read about his antics in the popular scandal sheet,Treacle & Tea. Now, however, he features as London’s very own Lord of the Dead, a mysterious figure who will do just about anything—to your enemies, and even to your own kin—in exchange for a pretty penny.
Persephone is no gossip, though. She knows from personal experience how terrible it is to be misunderstood, and how easy it is for people to spin sordid tales. Besides, the Lord of the Dead is just a myth, isn’t he?
What has been your inspiration for writing it?
When I was a kid, my mom bought my sister and I a copy of The Greek Gods by Bernard Evslin, Dorothy Evslin, and Ned Hoopes. That book really got me into Greek mythology. Like a lot of other people, I instantly gravitated toward the myth of Hades and Persephone. There's just so much about it that is universally appealing! Every time I made an attempt at a novel, there was always a little bit of Greek mythology mixed in so it's really no surprise that my debut ended up being a retelling of my favorite myth!
Mythology aside, I've also always been inspired by loneliness. I am a self-proclaimed lonely person—and I say that as someone who has plenty of friends. One of the very first stories I wrote as a child was about loneliness, so I really do think I was born with it. It's not a pleasant feeling by any means, but I think there is some value in sitting with and exploring it. Some of us are just lonely people, and I think that's totally OK! I wish I could explain it, but it has always inspired creativity in me, and I'm very grateful for that.
What was your favorite scene or part of your book to write?
This will be a very broad answer, but I really love writing dialogue. I love writing arguments in particular—there's something satisfying about them!
Where can your book be purchased?
At any indie bookstore! Even if it's not available on shelves, bookstores are happy to put special orders in. Bookshop.org is another great way to support local independent stores. It's also available at all major online retailers like Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and Target.
To the Future Writer:
What advice would you give to aspiring authors who want to write a book?
As annoying as this advice is, you really just have to do it. A lot of writing is about discipline—resolve to get those words on the page no matter how you feel about them. That aside, write what you want to. Don't spend time worrying about what other people want to read or what they'll think about your work. Write for yourself first and foremost. I promise you'll find your audience.
What’s next for you? Any events, upcoming pubs, etc.
I have a handful of events coming up! Nothing has been formally announced yet, so please keep an eye on my Instagram for updates.
Where can we find you:
Instagram- @isabellakamalauthor
Website- isabellakamal.com
What’s on your TBR list?
My TBR is neverending. Right now, I'm gearing up to read Unboundby Christy Healy,Self-Made Boys by Anna-Marie McLemore, andThe Serpent Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt.