Dear readers,
I hope you’re all keeping safe and well. I first read these words as a student of literature, over forty years ago. They struck a chord with me then, and have remained with me ever since.
“No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main; if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as any manner of thy friends or of thine own were; any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind. And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.”
These words are a powerful reminder of our interconnection and our interdependence. As we express our gratitude to those who work to safeguard all of our lives, and mourn those who have fallen victim to Covid-19, I am reminded of those words, written the metaphysical poet John Donne in 1624. Paradoxically, as we physically distance ourselves from others, we are reminded of our deep connection with the rest of the human race. The survival of every one of us depends on the actions of others.
There seems to be a trend for some authors to produce books based on their personal experience. That has never been my approach, perhaps because I have been blessed with a fairly unremarkable life – apart from certain experiences that will never be revealed… it’s never a good idea to reveal where the bodies are buried… As a writer, I use fiction as a complete break from reality, an escape from life, rather than a means of working through issues arising from my own experience. In some ways, I have more in common with actors who play at being other people, than with some of my fellow authors.
MEET THE AUTHOR
This month I’m thrilled to be chatting with Ausma Zehanat Khan, author of the critically acclaimed Esa Khattak and Rachel Getty mysteries.
If you hadn’t become a writer, what would you like to have been?
I had a previous career practising law, and I would have liked to have worked at the international criminal tribunals.
Other than that, I always wanted to write and direct musicals.
Which of your many achievements are you most proud of? And what do you regret the most in your life?
I’m most grateful to have written my debut crime novel, The Unquiet Dead. It represented the culmination of a decade of work in the field of human rights, and it was a chance to tell a story that centred on the Bosnian genocide—that it was well-received by members of the Bosnian community means more than I can express.
I deeply regret not spending more time with my father asking him for the details of his early life and struggles in India before he was stricken by dementia. I’ll never know that story now.
When you’re not writing, how do you like to spend your time?
I love to read – fiction and nonfiction alike, and I especially love to travel. I spend part of every year in Canada, which is where I’m from (mostly). But I also love to seek out the great capitals of the Muslim world in my travels.
You have achieved great acclaim as a writer. Has this experience changed you as a person?
Thank you for these kind words! I think I’m essentially the same person, though I have gained more confidence in my writing. I have become more determined to tell stories with a human rights focus that can transcend the differences that separate us.
A Deadly Divide was published earlier this year as the fifth in your Esa Khattak and Rachel Getty series. What do you think it is about these two characters that makes them work so well?
Ultimately, I think it comes down to their respect for each other. They’re very different, but that difference doesn’t divide them, it only deepens their empathy. And they’re both damaged, so they’re careful as they learn each other, which I think is a wonderful journey to take with two characters.
You can find the first book in Ausma’s Khattak and Getty series, The Unquiet Dead, from No Exit Press here.
The last thing to mention is that my publishers are running a promotion at the moment where all ebooks (including all of my books) are just £1.99 if you buy direct from their website! So now’s your chance to catch up on any Geraldine Steels you might not yet have, and to have a look at the rest of the great books they publish.
If you prefer to read in print, their promotion to get 50% off all print titles when you enter the code Big50 at check out is also still running. Visit noexit.co.uk to browse the catalogue!
Finally, I would like to send you all sincere good wishes. I hope you and your loved ones stay well.
Best wishes,
