British debut novelist cites Bollywood as inspiration

A lovely little write-up from the lovely people at Urban Asian website. Thanks!

British Asian freelance writer, Amber Tesia, has published her debut novel, “Screaming Snowflakes” for the Kindle! The book has already gained acclaim. In fact, it was chosen to be part of the ‘Best of Bolton’ event and was also showcased at The Octagon Theatre in Bolton last week.

At the heart of the book is a passionate boy meets girl love story that deftly touches on a few genres – drama, mystery and romance, with a subtle hint of Bollywood. It has something for everyone!

Amber considers the book to be a Gothic romance with a supernatural twist. It is a coming of age novel, which focuses on forbidden love and the exploration of the relationship between good and evil. Although the book has been written for young adults, it includes mature themes such as philosophy and religion, which will attract people of all ages.

Amber Tesia commented,

“I am thrilled to present my book, which has been a labor of love for me. To see the final product after months of burning the midnight oil is deliciously gratifying. I grew up watching Bollywood and the first chapter was inspired by the legendary Yash Chopra (who I also mention in my acknowledgments in the book). His vision of a heroine clad in white dancing in the rain is iconic! If you like young adult fiction, do check out the book! I hope that readers enjoy its iconoclastic narrative.”

Staying true to her northern roots, the author gives a nod to northern life and the Manchester City Football team. Although the book started life in London, Amber finished writing it in Bolton and Manchester and she now splits her time between these places.

Amber says that she has always enjoyed reading and writing. Graduating with an English Literature and Creative Writing degree, she is a self-confessed bibliophile and cites J.K. Rowling, Charles Dickens and Agatha Christie as three of her favorite authors.

Currently adapting the novel into a screenplay, Amber commented,

“I’m a very visual writer. I imagine scenes being fluidly played out in my head and I thought how fantastic it would be if I could let others see what I see. The Octagon gig was a wonderful event. Apart from seeing other talented writers, it was really cool to see professional actors deliver pitch perfect scenes which you wrote. I’ve had numerous positive comments since then and seeing the performance only bolstered my belief that my screenplay can be an enjoyable film! The Octagon provides a brilliant platform for new writers and I only wish there were more initiatives like this around.”

Amber Tesia has already begun work on the sequel (there are 3 books in the Screaming Snowflakes saga), is currently writing six novella, working on a screenplay adaptation, in addition to a myriad other writing duties. She also has a talk lined up at The Bolton College, where she will speak to students of a writing group about her publishing journey.