Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Usually when people tell me to introduce myself, I would remain silent for a few moments because I don’t know what to say and I don’t know where to start. Most people that know me will say that I’m very secretive and that I’m hard to read as my action is most of the time regarded as totally unpredictable. I think most people that had known me for a long time would say that I’m a very tolerant person and that I’m sometimes too shy. As of now, I had written three books but the first one is just a short story so the ‘actual’ number is two.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest book is Alexia Died in the End. It’s actually the first book of the series, ‘A Revengeful Life’. It is a story of someone named, Mark who is seeking revenge towards the person who killed his parents. When he realised that his quest for revenge is a tough ride, he decided to consult his old friend, Alexia who had taken care of him since he was young. Together, they planned the perfect plan that was supposed to be foolproof but obviously it isn’t. I wrote the book as a dare that I imposed to myself after someone commented on my blog, asking me when I’m going to self-publish my new book. It was initially going to be the sequel to my second book but as I was writing my manuscript, I had a dream where someone had a road accident. That kind of bothered me so, I decided to make it a part the book thus, it created the ‘A Revengeful Life’ series.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have an unusual writing habit that some would regard as bizarre but for me, it is completely normal. Sometimes when I’m angry with someone, I would write a short story where I would kill them. I’m not talking about, “I stab the person in the abdomen,”, no. I would literally torture them first before finally ending their life. Of course I had never publish these stories anywhere as I don’t want to get into trouble. In fact, as soon as I end the stories, I would delete them. To be honest, it is actually an effective form of ‘therapy’.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
The one author that had influenced me the most is Jeffrey Archer. I just love the way he writes his books as it is a very genuine way to write something. There are several books that influence and inspire me to write such as, The Hunger Games, The Clifton Chronicles, and multiple other horror books. I don’t know what it is about horror books but they are lovely.
What are you working on now?
I’m currently planning the outline of my fourth book which would be a ‘paraquel’ to the series. Which means that there are events that took place before the events of the first book and there are other events that took place after the events of the first book. It would be centred around the antagonist of the first book of the series which is the villain.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
When it comes to promote my books, I would do it on Twitter, Reddit and on my blog. I would also use websites that are similar to awesomegang.com that provide authors, especially indie authors like me for a chance to promote my book for free.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write like it’s the end of the world and always remember to be truthful in your writings even when it is provocative. When someone started to complain that your book is too controversial, that means you are doing a great job.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Someone told me once, “Don’t give a damn whenever someone told you to stop writing or that if writing is useless,”. This advice is perfect as writing is the best thing that had happened in the history of the human race.
What are you reading now?
I am currently reading the classical literature books such as Oliver Twist and Great Expectations.
What’s next for you as a writer?
What’s next for me is to make a change in my society. I will fight for social and economical equality for everyone as I realise that it is a part of my responsibility as an independent author.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The first book would be Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens simply because it’s a life-changing amazing book. The second would be Under the Dome by Stephen King and the third one would be Nightmare by Stephen Leather because I need a dose of horror once in a while to get me going in life especially on a stranded desert island.
Author Websites and Profiles
Muhammad Nasrul Haziq Zainal Abidin Website
Muhammad Nasrul Haziq Zainal Abidin Amazon Profile
Muhammad Nasrul Haziq Zainal Abidin’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account