Fallen Angel Reviews would like to welcome author Ali Al Saeed who is the author of Bahraini bestseller QuixotiQ.


QuixotiQ is the first book to be published in English by a Bahraini, which is a huge accomplishment. How does it feel to know it was your book?

It feels great! This wasn’t something that I thought of as I began writing. But later on, I realized that I could be the first to write fiction in English. I never heard of, seen, or read any fiction written directly in English by a Bahraini author. So when QuixotiQ was published the reality of it struck me. Sometimes I still get the jitters thinking that I made history with that book!

Not only did you accomplish that you also hit the bestseller list in Bahraini within the first week of sales. These are major accomplishments for an author; do you have any further goals you would like to undertake?

Bahrain is a small country; therefore it has a small publishing market. I understand that if I am to break into the international literary scene I will have to try and break into the International market. That is one of my next goals which I am working towards. As a writer, my ambition is to have my work reach as wide an audience as possible. The more it is read, the happier I get.

For those who are wondering what QuixotiQ is about can you give us a little background on the story itself?

It’s a thriller with a slight paranormal twist. It takes place in a small town that is filled with corruption and decadency. It is about dark secrets, broken dreams, lost love and fading hopes. It is about losing control over your actions, over your mind. Losing the ability to distinguish right from wrong and dreams from reality. The two main characters, Guy and Patrick, are completely different from each other, but strangely find them selves connected by some mystic unfathomable power, their fates, past, present and future, intertwine to reveal a secret that would change their lives forever.

The praise you have gotten on your first novel is tremendous. Congratulations! Do you think there will be more pressure to produce another book as good as your first one?

Not really no. As much as I might sound pompous saying this, I believe that I can produce stronger works than this. QuixotiQ was my first experience in publishing and I’ve learnt a great deal from it. Hopefully, I can hone and develop my writing skills and create better and different books. Frankly, the positive response I’ve received can only encourage me further. You know where the best praise comes from? Not from critics or scholars, but when a complete stranger who you’ve never seen, known or spoken to, comes up to you and tells you: “Man, your book rocks!”

Are you working on any future books? If so, can you tell us about them?

Certainly. I have a collection of short stories being edited for publication, which I am hoping to have published in the near future. This a collection that combines a range of genres, themes and subject matters and which I hope will appeal to a lot people from different backgrounds and age groups. The collection will feature about 25 stories written over the past six years. I am also near completion of my second novel, titled “Buried”, a murder mystery taking place in a quiet English town. There are several other projects on the table as well, including 3 novels, a screenplay and half a dozen short stories. My only problem is I am a bit of a scatterbrain and somewhat of a slow writer! I’ve also just finished adapting one of my short stories into a screenplay. The story, The Red Hand of Ottoman, was a finalist in the 2004 Glimmer Train Press open fiction award.

On top of your accomplishments with your novel, your blog seems to be getting a lot of awards as well. Can you tell us about them?

Thanks to the great publicity my novel got last year and the response from the media and the public, my blog “QuixotiQ Writings” was voted 2004 Best Bahrain Blog at the very first BABAs (Best Arab Blog Awards). This meant a lot to me because the public voted to me and because it meant that people were interested in what I had to say. Speaking of my blog, I have recently move it to a new home, and QuixotiQ Writings now has an all-new look which I hope people will enjoy more. The address is www.QuixotiQ-Writings.blogspot.com.

You have been compared to a several well-established American Authors. Are there any who inspired you to write?

I was surprised at the range of authors I was linked with. I can’t say compared, that’s too strong a word. From Steinbeck, to Dostoyevsky to Stephen King! But that just goes to show you how people perceive things differently from one another and see it from a completely different angle. Nonetheless, I am not complaining, it’s a good ego-booster! When it comes to inspiration though, not just to write but to want to become a writer, is without a doubt Neil Gaiman. He has left a lasting impact on me since I read his Sandman masterpiece. Generally speaking though, I can be inspired by reading anything for any writer on any day.

Do you have any favorite authors? Favorite Books?

Like I said, the one that stands on top of the mountain for me is Gaiman. His work is timelessly enchanting. His books American Gods, Stardust, Neverwhere and the Sandman series, are all favorites. Two other memorable books I read were also Dostoyevsky’s Crime & Punishment and Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks. You know, I still remember the very first book I read. It was my sister’s and she lent it to me. It was “See You Later” by Christopher Pike. That was a looong time ago… Man, don’t even go there!

Tell us a little about Bahrain. If I were to visit, where is the one place I should be sure to see?

A lot of things could be said about this little island. It has a… congested community, if I can use that term. Congested not only in terms of traffic and population but also in terms of people’s backgrounds, ethnicity, religion and culture. It is certainly fascinating, but perhaps in the unusual sense of the word. If you ever happen to come by, be sure to check out Bahrain Fort and Seef District, a contradiction of hundreds of years of history and modern architecture and lifestyle, within the vicinity of a few miles!

If you could do or be anything your heart desired for one day, what would it be?

Nothing. I would want to see how absolute nothingness is like!

Is there anything you would like to add to this interview?

I believe in the power of a good story. We live in strange and dangerous times, and I feel that as people we ought to communicate more with each other through our stories. It is a common language of all human emotions. It doesn’t matter who tells the story, what matter is that we all understand it the same. Literature and culture is a powerful tool that we must use to bridge those massive gaps between us.

Ali Al Saeed, thank you very much for taking the time to interview with us at Fallen Angel Reviews. Your success speaks for itself and we wish you many more accomplishments for what you are doing to bridge the gap between our countries.

For those who would like to find out more about this wonderful author you can visit his website at www.quixotiq.tk.


Interviewed by: JoAnn