The Write Way Café welcomes Ammar Habbib, an author whose enthusiasm and passion comes right off the page.When did you first have the thought you'd like to write a book?
First off, thank you so much for the interview!! It was actually in 2nd Grade! My teacher, Ms. Scott, is the one who inspired me to start writing and it was in her class that I developed the love for writing. Soon after starting to write as a child, I received the dream to one day be a New York Times Bestselling author!
What is your newest book about? What type of research did you do?
My latest novel, which is my 5th novel, is Ana Rocha: Shadows of Justice. This work is a police/crime thriller that was released at the end of last February and has received a positive reception so far. The novel is co-authored by a friend of mine who has over 20 years of law enforcement experience, including working several years as an undercover narcotics investigator, Glenda Mendoza.
The novel is set in Houston, which is where I grew up around and where Glenda currently works. The novel follows a young Hispanic woman, Ana Rocha, as she begins her duty as an undercover narcotics officer and soon faces against some of Houston's biggest criminals. Although the book is a work of fiction, it is very much grounded in reality and is based on Glenda's experiences. In fact, the novel's main antagonist is a drug lord who is based on a crime lord Glenda helped take down several years ago.
Where did the idea for your story come from?
I’ve always wanted to write a police novel. Glenda and I became friends in 2013 and she’s a great storyteller who’d always wanted to write a book as well. So it just worked out perfectly for us to partner up and tell this story.
Why did you pick the setting you did?
We picked the setting of Houston because that’s where the both of us live. I’d never written a novel set someplace I actually lived, so it was an interesting experience. But I think it added another level of authenticity to the novel.
Are your main characters completely imaginary or do they have some basis in real people? Do they reflect aspects of yourself?
Whether Ana Rocha or any of my other protagonists, my characters always have some reflection of myself in them. Although Ana’s Type-A personality is very different from mine, a lot of her internal voice and thought process is very similar to my own, as is her sometimes overly ambitious nature.
Did you face any blocks while writing the book, and if so, how did you handle them? If not, what's your secret?
My personal secret to overcoming writing blocks is to take a walk, try writing something else, or take a break. If none of those strategies work, I just bang my head against the keyboard until something comes to mind!!
What have been surprises you've encountered while writing the book and after?
One of my main concerns was how well I’d write a Hispanic female protagonist being that I’m a man. However, a lot of reviews have said that they couldn’t believe how well a man wrote a female’s point-of-view, so seeing those kinds of reviews has really surprised me!
What did you learn? For instance, what did you learn about yourself, your process, the writing world; about narcotics and undercover investigations?
Writing this book, talking to a lot of law enforcement officials, I’ve learned that fact is often stranger than fiction! This was also my first full-length work to write in the first person point-of-view. When I was a child, I used to write everything in first-person, but some negative reactions in my high school creative writing class made me change to always writing in third-person. However, after writing Ana Rocha in first-person, my love for this point-of-view has been restored and I’m excited about writing more works from this perspective.
Tell us about your writing space and how or why it works for you.
Interestingly enough, I don’t really have a designated “writing space”. I often change my setting because I like to have a change in scenery every now and then! So the way my writing space works is just dependent on what’s going on around me. Sometimes I like it quiet. Other times, I am surrounded by people at a coffee shop or out in the park.
However, one thing I love to use is music. Listening to certain kinds of music as I write always helps me get in the mood I am trying to write.
What are some of your favorite books and why?
I honestly don’t know if I have a favorite book. My favorite books have changed as I’ve grown older. However, one book that did wonders for me in my late teenage years is the book As A Man Thinketh. Reading that book really inspired me to chase my dreams and hold steadfast to them no matter the circumstances that life throws at me.
What are you working on now?
Well, I’m one of those authors who has a lot of irons in the fire, so I actually have quite a few projects in different stages of development. Glenda and I are working on a short story featuring Ana Rocha and are also working on the sequel right now. My agent is shopping around a Young Adult novel and is also shopping around a non-fiction project of mine. I also have a graphic novel being read by some publishers. So 2018 and 2019 will be very exciting God-Willing!
Would you like to try your hand at writing a different genre? Which one and why?
I’ve personally written in many genres already. But one market I really want to break in is the nonfiction market, especially the historical narrative nonfiction. I feel like we are losing our sense of history and heritage, and there are so many stories that people need to be told, and I want to play a part in telling those stories.
If you were not a writer, what would your dream job be?
As a major reader of history, I would’ve likely pursued the route to becoming a historian. I’ve always had a passion for learning and reading about past people and past civilizations and events.
What aspect of writing gives you the most trouble?
There isn’t an aspect of writing that gives me the trouble as far as the creative side goes. With enough patience and practice, I’ve been able to overcome just about anything. But the thing that does give me trouble and I’m sure gives other authors trouble as well is getting your work noticed out in the marketplace, whether it be trying to get a publisher’s attention or readers’.
Who is your favorite hero/heroine?
I’ve always been a huge comic book fan growing up, so one of my favorite heroes has always been Wolverine from the X-Men comics! I find myself attracted to the grittier hero, and sometimes antihero, who has a chip on their shoulder and is a loner.
Amazon
Ammar Habib is an award-winning and bestselling author who presently resides in his hometown of Lake Jackson, Texas. Writing has always been a passion of Ammar’s. He enjoys crafting stories that are not only entertaining but also have something useful to say to the reader.
You can find Ammar at:
3 comments:
Thank you for being on our blog. Your work sounds exciting!
Welcome Ammar. I agree with Lynn that your work sounds exciting! Thank you for letting us get to know you!
I enjoyed reading you interview, Ammar. Best wishes with your novel!
Post a Comment