Sarwat Chadda is the author of the new middle grade novel Storm Singer. His other books include the Spiritstone Saga. He lives in London.
Q: What inspired you to write Storm Singer, and how did you create your characters Nargis and Mistral?
A: Play around with opposites! I started with a rough idea of Nargis, a peasant girl living in a parched desert, a bit lonely, with a secret she has to keep hidden, her spirit singing power. Then came Mistral, the opposite! Proud, son of a maharajah, with everything he could possibly want, and filled with confidence that bordered on arrogance.
The fun was watching the sparks fly, despite that they were both destined to be heroes, but in very different ways. That they had nothing in common, but depending on each other, and learnt off each other.
What inspired me to write Storm Singer is a little more complicated. All my books grow out of some real world injustice. You have something to say, and for me it comes out through my writing.
I started it during Covid, and saw how polarized our society was getting, and how the rich and powerful were totally reliant on the poor and powerless, yet never acknowledged that dependency.
So it is with the garudas in Storm Singer. They are totally reliant on the peasants (the Earthbound as it were) yet are not willing to share power. Something has to change.
Q: Did you know how the story would end before you started writing it, or did you make many changes along the way?
A: Constantly changing! I do have a sense of an ending, but only in a broad way, that there’s an arc and the hero at the end has to change in some significant way, be transformed from what they were at the beginning, and that is often about facing a deep-rooted fear.
What matters most in the character leading it, by their discussions, by how they deal with the challenges that are thrown in their way, and what they learn from the relationships they form. It’s all evolution on the page.
But what’s important is that the best is saved till last. The reader must get off the ride with a huge sigh, with their hearts pumping, minds buzzing, having had an experience. The worst thing you want is them closing the book with a “meh”!
Q: The Kirkus Review of the book said, “Snappy dialogue, fabulous beasts, moments of tenderness, and nonstop action make this a page-turning delight, especially for readers interested in Indian culture and history.” What do you think of that description?
A: Frankly, what more could you want in a story? Job done! I’ve had some excellent reviews from the likes of Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist. What’s great is seeing how they get the point of the story, and the tone I was after has successfully come across.
A story needs to cover a wide range of characters, events and emotions, it’s a delicate balancing act. That Kirkus believes I’ve got that balance right is very satisfying from a crafting point of view.
Q: What do you hope readers take away from the story?
A: That they’ve had an experience and, maybe, found some new friends in Nargis and Mistral. I also hope they’ll get a taste for new mythologies, perhaps for something they haven’t previously come across before. And most of all, a story they want to tell their friends about!
Q: What are you working on now?
A: Another Eastern-inspired fantasy that’s due out in 2026. It’s YA, but very cool! Announcement soon!
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: Sequel The Crow’s Revenge is out next year! I’ll be setting up a newsletter on my website, so do sign up. Planning a few cool giveaways as the time draws closer.
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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