Today we'll sit down to chat with Shoba Sadler, author of
the contemporary title Child of Dust. Shoba will take us behind the
scenes of her unique new novel and give us a glimpse into her
writing.
Shoba, why did you choose to write this type of novel?
Social status and cultural barriers makes for great conflict. Child
of Dust is like a modern-day classic of Romeo and Juliet only instead of
opposing families, these lovers, Kim and Bryan have cultural and social
barriers to contend with.
Kim, the rich and spoilt socialite who loses her money is taken under
the wing of her reluctant chauffeur, Bryan, who has his own struggles to
deal with. They find love under the most unexpected circumstances.
Can you tell us why you started with an Asian setting for your first
two novels?
I was founder of Agape Christian magazine in Malaysia. I also freelanced
for the leading English, secular newspaper in Malaysia, The Star. My
feature stories forThe Star were several page write-ups with gorgeous
photos. Many of my stories were selected by the features editor to be
cover stories as well.
As I interviewed people all over the world for Agape, I saw God moving
powerfully in Asia and yet there were so few stories coming from there
especially in the Christian romance genre.
In Asia, Christianity is seen very much as a Western culture. Yet so
many Asians have had powerful encounters with Jesus Christ. Then there
is the struggle to validate their faith in the midst of culture,
tradition, loss of identity, social stigma and so on.
There alone you have so much material for backdrop, tension, drama,
conflict and final resolution.
An example of what I mean can be seen in my short story Finding
Enlightenmentthat was awarded second place at
faithwriters.com. It can be read
here:
http://www.faithwriters.com/wc-article-level3-previous.php?id=54362
Talk a little about your unique setting.
When I read novels I am drawn to the backdrop and setting. A great
description of the setting subtly woven into the story is what makes the
difference between being a narrator who takes a person on a journey
through his "telling" and a facilitator who steps out of the way
altogether to allow the reader to explore the journey on his own. The
writer should aim to be the facilitator and not the narrator.
There is nothing like a great setting to make the reader feel like they
are there with the characters. It is like the difference between
watching a 2D and 3D movie.
Unfortunately, many formulaic romance novels that are churned out in
quick production-line succession fails to capture this allure of setting
because it takes research and time. It is also not easy to write setting
discreetly in the background and that is the only way to write it.
Otherwise it will seem like reading lecture notes instead of a story.
I read one review of a multi-cultural romance set in an Asian country
where the reviewer said she felt like she was reading a tour company's
brochure and that is the wrong emotion to invoke.
So another reason I wrote Child of Dust was to give romance readers a
chance to explore unique settings and backdrops not normally experienced
by a reader in the current trend of romance novels available out
there.
We'd love to hear a little about the historical background for your
novel. Will you talk about that?
The main character, Bryan, Kim's chauffeur has been deeply affected by
the Vietnam war in the sense that he is the illegitimate child of an
American GI and a Vietnamese woman. This historical background sets a
different dimension to the story and adds intrigue and authenticity.
Who would you say is the audience for this novel?
Child of Dust is an appealing read for anyone. As I have also
written for the secular press, I am able to write in a manner that
appeals to all walks of life both Christian and non-Christian. I have
had non-Christians tell me they were so engrossed in the story that they
didn't not notice the message of the gospel woven into the story. Yet
that message is undoubtedly there.
I am an inspirational writer and everyone loves a good inspirational
story just as they love watching a Hallmark movie.
What readers have to say about the novel:
"Make sure when getting ready to read Child of Dust that you don't have
anything else planned for the day, you won't be able to put this book
down. I could go on and on about this book. Highly and strongly
recommend it. Is it possible to give a book 10 stars?" --- Debra Dunson,
reviewer at The Edgier Christian Fiction Fan
"I found the writing of this story to be close to excellent.... I found
this book to be one of the most enjoyable books I have read in a long
time. It was interesting, the story kept moving along, and I learned a
lot as I read this story. I found myself intrigued with the constant
difficulties faced by the protagonists – and their stories were
presented so much more like real life stories than any other book I have
read in a long, long time." --- Marina, Community Writer, California
"This novel has a consistent rhythm, adding surprise after surprise,
twisting our emotions at each new difficulty Kim faces. I couldn't put
this book down, waiting to see if any or all the ends would be tired up.
I would actually like to see the novel transcend into a movie. An
amazing read." --- Brices Mice Christian Book Reviews
About Child of Dust:
Beautiful but spoilt Vietnamese
socialite, Cao Kim Lye, learns of her parents shocking death from the
dashing Amerasian family chauffeur, Bryan Nguyen.
Kim steps out of a world of crystal
and chandelier to enter the dust and chaos of working-class Hanoi. She
finds herself living under the roof of a shop cum living quarters with
Bryan and his adoptive family.
Ever
conscious of the privileged class, Kim struggles against the emotional
ties she forms towards Bryan, the reluctant saviour, who considers her
an unnecessary hitch to his already complicated life.
He still bears the scars of
abandonment by his mother and his American GI father when U.S. troops
pulled out of Vietnam.
Eventually Bryan and Kim's powerful attraction to each other
begins to break down the wall between them.
About the author:
Shoba Sadler has been a journalist
for 20 years and founder of Agape magazine in Malaysia. She is a
versatile inspirational author that likes to write in multiple genres.
She has pioneered a new genre in Christian multi-cultural writing with
her novel Child of Dust and her many award-winning short stories can be
read here http://shobasadler.com/?page_id=250
Her passion for writing is matched only by
her passion for cooking with farm fresh produce. She lives a healthy
lifestyle on a farm with her husband, Kevin, a talented musician, who
also loves to surf and ski. They grow their own vegetables and fruits
and share their home with a multitude of animals and wildlife. They are
passionate about buying directly from local farmers who practice organic
farming.
Kimberley Payne is the author of Fit for Faith – a 7-week program to improve spiritual and
