The Missing Rose by Serdar Ozkan has been published in 44 languages. Today the author is joining me in a Q&A session
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| photo courtesy of the publisher |
Thank you for being my guest today. Please tell us a little about yourself.
I was born in Turkey and attended middle and high school in Istanbul. I completed my university education in the USA where I earned a BA in Business Administration and Psychology at Lehigh University. I began writing fiction fulltime in 2002 when I was 26 years old. Actually it was the story of The Missing Rose which started to take shape within me which prompted me to write fiction fulltime. And I’d go even further and say that it is the story of The Missing Rose which made me a novelist.
Please tell us a little about how you came to write THE MISSING ROSE
The idea came from my own desire to know myself, and from the recognition that we have at least two conflicting selves within us. And the universality of the human being and the forces within the human being. However different we may appear on the outside, differences vanish as we go deeper within ourselves.
The Missing Rose has a story which intertwines different cultures and philosophies with contemporary modern life.
In all of my works, I intend to emphasize our meeting points, rather than our differences. I acknowledge the differences among people coming from various cultures, however, I believe that still our similarities as human beings are far more important than our differences.
Living abroad for four years for my college education in a culture totally different from my own gave birth to these ideas and thus the story of The Missing Rose.
Also, I could say that works of St. Exupery, especially The Little Prince, have been inspiration for my work. That is why I have included The Little Prince in my book; the main character in The Missing Rose leaves her home and embarks on a journey upon rereading The Little Prince after many years.
Such works like The Little Prince, also The Happy Prince by Oscar Wilde, I can say that these incredible stories not only have inspired my work, but perhaps even inspired me to become a writer.
THE MISSING ROSE has been published in 44 languages, congratulations, why do you think this novel appeals to readers worldwide?
Readers are very interested to know what inspired me to write this story. I think regardless of their nationality and culture, every reader finds something from themselves in this story, and something which is significant and meaningful to them. So they are wondering how a story written by an author from another culture can connect with them in such an intimate way.
It excites me each time I receive a mail from a reader who is thousands of miles away geographically, who is from a totally different culture, but whom I could share this story with on such an intimate level. Such mails and comments from readers worldwide confirm my belief that our similarities surpass our differences, and that we all meet at a common place.
What are you working on next?
My second novel, When Life Lights Up, is already written and so far been published in over 20 countries. It is again related to self-discovery but on a different level.
It is a novel about hope, unconditional love and the miracle of life. The story is about a unique little boy; the special friendship he enters into with a dolphin and his experience with the Angel of Death twenty years later.
And currently, I am working on my third book which should remain as a surprise at least until all the foreign editions of my second book is published.
The Missing Rose
Serdar Ozkan
Published by Rider Books on 5th July 2012
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| ISBN-13: 978-1846043413 |
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