Exclusive interview with New York Times bestselling author, Taran Matharu, during Seychelles holiday |18 October 2019
Taran Matharu proudly displays his catches during his fly fishing excursion on Alphonse
‘I love the way Seychelles is accepting of all colours, cultures and creeds’
“The tropical environment, the wildlife, the plight of the coral reefs and how Seychelles is leading the charge in their preservation will all likely make their way into my books.”
Find out what most inspired New York Times bestselling author Taran Matharu’s writing during his recent trip to our islands, in his exclusive interview below with Seychelles NATION.
Matharu is the author of the SUMMONER series, which has been translated into 15 languages and has sold over a million copies in English (TM).
The series is an epic fantasy story about Fletcher, a blacksmith’s apprentice who discovers that he has the rare ability to summon demons from another world (MP).
Born in London in 1990, Matharu began to write the SUMMONER series in November 2013 at the age of 22, taking part in ‘National Novel Writing Month 2013’ and sharing his work on Wattpad.com. The shared sample of the story went viral, reaching over 3 million reads in less than six months (TM).
Seychelles NATION: What was the purpose of your trip to Seychelles?
Taran Matharu: I came to go fly fishing on Alphonse Island with my family. It was an absolutely beautiful place and is perhaps the best place in the world for this type of fishing. I hope to return next year.
Seychelles NATION: You had a book signing at Eden Plaza; tell us more about this.
Taran Matharu: I walked into a local bookstore called Giraffe on Eden Island, Mahé. I was delighted to find two copies of my books on sale – though I am internationally published, I was not sure if my publishers distributed there. I signed both copies and took a picture with the store manager, who was wonderfully welcoming.
Seychelles NATION: Having met the people, understood our culture a bit, what about your books would the locals enjoy?
Taran Matharu: I love the way the Seychelles is accepting of all colours, cultures and creeds. I think they would appreciate books that highlight the things that humanity share.
Seychelles NATION: Did you spend any time writing while you were here? Was there anything in particular that inspired you?
Taran Matharu: I did spend some time writing – the lack of internet on Alphonse was both a blessing and a curse – much harder to research, but far fewer of the usual online distractions!
I found the tropical environment, the wildlife and indeed the plight of the coral reefs and how the Seychelles is leading the charge in their preservation will all likely make their way into my books.
Seychelles NATION: What would you look forward to doing if you return to Seychelles in the future?
Taran Matharu: I would love to spend more time exploring the smaller islands of the Seychelles, and perhaps even doing some sailing and scuba diving. The natural beauty of the Seychelles cannot all be explored in just one trip!
Seychelles NATION: What are your plans for the future?
Taran Matharu: I will keep travelling, and I intend to write more books – perhaps one set in a tropical, idyllic environment.
To purchase Taran Matharu’s books, visit Giraffe Bookstore, Eden Plaza. For further information:
- Website: www.authortaranmatharu.com
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TaranMatharu1
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/summonerbook
- Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/authortaranmatharu
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7979840
References: Taran Matharu (TM); Macmillan Publishers (MP)
Photo sources: Taran Matharu
