Enthralling
Fiction Novel Examines How Specific Choices Can
Redirect
the Future
Author Irene
Noor presents a gripping story about life decisions and what it means to be a
stranger in a place that will ultimately be home
WORTHINGTON, Ohio – Author Irene Noor has released her
debut novel, “Yet, Home,” a compelling fiction that tells the story of two
generations: Tayib, a recently retired Egyptian man, and daughters Layla and
Dalia, one of whose stories takes place in Cairo, while the parallel life of
the other is lived out in Australia.
While Tayib is a university student, a seemingly small
incident one morning puts him on a path to marry a woman named Aida and
eventually emigrate to Australia and have their daughter Dalia. However, if the
small incident had not occurred, Tayib would finish his studies in
architecture, marry a woman named Yasmine, and continue to live in Cairo where
they would have their daughter Layla. In both stories, his daughter, like
Tayib, is questioning the path she has chosen.
The story examines the emigration experience for
Egyptians living in a new country and what it means to be a stranger in a new
place, and how, if ever, it becomes home. Through Dalia, Layla, and their
mothers, the story also highlights the decisions women face when balancing a
family and career, what sacrifices they are willing to make, and to what end.
“Yet, Home” is two parallel stories and switches
between the two versions of Tayib’s life as his family’s story takes the reader
from Cairo and Australia to London and even Portugal in search of answers.
About the author
Irene Noor is a
global nomad who has lived primarily in the United States since high school.
Noor was inspired by her own life journey and by other emigration stories to
write “Yet, Home.” This is her debut novel and she is currently working on her
second book, a historical fiction. Noor
enjoys traveling with her family and resides in Worthington, Ohio with her
husband and three children.
To learn more about Irene Noor and her writing,
please visit
Interview
Welcome to my blog Irene. Please tell my readers more about yourself and your book.
Q:
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Tell us about your
latest work—title, genre, etc. — and why you wrote it?
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A:
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My book is titled
“Yet, Home,” and it’s literary fiction. I wrote it because I wanted to
explore why people leave what is familiar and how they create a sense of home
in a strange place. It’s something that people have done all over the world
and for centuries, so I think readers will find it a compelling question, as
I have.
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Q:
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What draws you to
your genre(s)? Why is this type of story compelling to you?
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A:
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As a reader, good literary
fiction is the best. It’s the whole package: well-crafted writing, captivating
plot, thought-provoking themes and multi-faceted characters. So that’s what I
aim for in my writing as well.
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Q:
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What is your writing
process like? Do you map the whole thing out or do you just let it unfold?
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A:
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With “Yet, Home,” it
was definitely a creative process. I started writing the book not knowing how
it would end or what would happen. With my second book, a historical fiction,
I have an outline of dates and events, by virtue of it being based on historical
events, and I’m filling in the unknowns.
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Q:
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What kind of
research was involved?
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A:
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For “Yet, Home,” I
drew heavily on the experiences of 1st generation immigrants I
know (including my own experiences) and on what I have studied about culture
and its effect on how each of us sees the world. I was an anthropology major,
so exploring the question of culture is something I’ve done for…well, more years
than I care to count.
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Q:
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How much of YOU
makes it into your characters?
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A:
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None of the main
characters are based on me or any other real person I know, but some of the
thoughts and experiences Dalia and Layla have had are ones I identify with.
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Q:
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How do you balance
the need to have time to write with the needs of family, society, etc.?
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A:
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It’s tough, and I
have no magic bullet. I’m the type of person who’s always had multiple
commitments going on at any given time. I was fortunate with “Yet, Home,” in
that I had a small window of time when my kids were in school and I wasn’t
working, so I was able to work on the book for several hours a day and get it
finished in a relatively short period (less than 18 months). Nowadays, with
part-time work and a young child, it’s not so easy. On a daily basis,
successful balance happens for me when I can set realistic goals for what
takes priority for the day and stay focused on that. I think the key is to acknowledge
that there is simply not enough time for all the things in the world you love
and would like to give time to. So I’ve had to accept that there are some things I will
never do, and some things I can’t do now, but perhaps will in a later season
of life.
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Q:
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Have there been any
authors in particular, that inspired your writing?
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A:
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Of the contemporary
authors, I think I’d have to say Barbara Kingsolver, Ann Patchett, and Jhumpa
Lahiri are among my absolute favorites, and I aspire to some day write half
as well as they do. Other excellent authors whose books I will read without
hesitation: John Irving, Geraldine Brooks, Carlos Ruiz Zafon, Paula McLain. I
also love the classics: Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, Victor Hugo.
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Q:
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Is there a story you
want to tell behind or about your work(s)?
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A:
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I wrote this book
while our family was staying in Australia. We had temporarily suspended our
“regular” lives in Ohio, and the experience allowed me to imagine these
characters and their lives in a way I don’t think would have been possible,
or at least as easy, surrounded by the familiarity of home.
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Q:
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What other projects
are you currently working on or about to start?
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A:
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I’m currently
working on a historical fiction, based on a shipwreck that happened off the
coast of southern Australia at the end of the 19th century.
Researching for it has been fun (newspapers 120 years ago were written far
differently!).
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Q:
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Could you share some
of your marketing strategies? Which ones are the most effective in your
opinion?
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A:
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Keeping an active
presence online, via a blog or social media, is important. Book giveaways
seem to work well also.
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Q:
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What would be the
top five, (or 3 or 1 or however many) things you would tell aspiring authors?
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A:
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Write without
worrying about how well received your book will be. Write your hardest, do
you best work, and make it something you are proud of. If it resonates with
others, that’s great. But if not, you have something you won’t regret having
done.
|
Again, thanks Irene for
taking the time to share your knowledge with us. We appreciate you and your
work.
“Yet, Home”
By Irene Noor
ISBN: 978-1-365-52241-3
For Review
Copies & General Inquiries Contact:
LAVIDGE – Phoenix
Lauren Dickerson
480-998-2600
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