Interview With Author ZARA JELER
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Zara Jeler. I am a mother of two sons and a warrior writing directly from the front lines of a relentless medical battle. I have faced cancer four times in my life and am currently fighting incurable lung cancer, holding the disease at bay day by day. “Scars and Light” is my very first book.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Scars and Light” is my raw, true life story. What inspired me to write it was the absolute necessity to speak the truth about the powerful connection between suppressed emotional trauma and physical illness. After living for fourteen years in a deeply toxic, manipulative relationship, my cells finally collected the bill, and I was diagnosed with incurable lung cancer. I wrote this book directly from the front lines of my battle to remind the world that cutting out emotional poison is the first step toward true survival. I wanted to prove that even when your body feels like a ticking time bomb, you can still find the fierce, stubborn strength to fight, breathe deeply, and reclaim your self-worth.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have always been deeply fascinated by psychological thrillers. Authors like Frieda McFadden have had a huge influence on me, especially the way they masterfully expose hidden human manipulation, dark secrets, and mind games. Reading these tense stories helped me understand the invisible cages people can get trapped in. When I sat down to write my own book, “Scars and Light,” I wanted to bring that same gripping, intense energy into a true story, showing the raw psychological reality of surviving a toxic relationship.
What are you working on now?
I am currently working on a fast-paced psychological thriller set in a high school. It dives deep into the dark world of teenage secrets, hidden manipulations, and dangerous mind games where no one is who they seem to be. Writing this new fiction book allows me to use my fascination with psychological tension and construct a gripping, suspenseful puzzle that will keep readers guessing until the very last page.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Right now, Awesome Gang is definitely my favorite platform! It is incredibly author-friendly and gives independent writers a powerful, direct voice to reach global readers. Beyond that, I highly value Amazon Author Central, as it allows me to securely manage my international editions and maintain a clean, professional connection with book lovers worldwide.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
My advice to new authors is very simple: never wait for the perfect moment or for a completely clear sky to start writing. Write directly from the front lines of your storm, from your raw truth, and from your deepest pain. Your voice has the power to heal not only you, but someone else out there in the world. Don’t let fear of technical challenges or the judgment of others silence you. You are much stronger than you think. Stand up, breathe deeply, and tell your story—because the world needs your unique light.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I have ever heard is that you cannot control the storms that life throws at you, but you can always choose how you respond to them. You are never a victim of your circumstances unless you choose to surrender your inner power. Cutting out the poison from your past and choosing to fight for your own self-worth, day by day, is the ultimate form of survival. No matter how heavy the diagnosis or how dark the night, your breath belongs solely to you—so use it to fight, to heal, and to live fully.
What are you reading now?
Fride McFadden , The Inmate
What’s next for you as a writer?
As a writer, my journey has only just begun. While “Scars and Light” is making its way to readers around the world, I am fully focused on writing my upcoming high school psychological thriller. I want to continue building tense, gripping puzzles that keep readers on the edge of their seats. No matter what challenges life throws at me, writing has become my sanctuary and my voice. I look forward to creating many more books and proving that a warrior never stops creating.
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 Inmate by Frieda McFadden – because I am currently reading it and her mind games are simply brilliant.
The Housemaid by Frieda McFadden – a masterpiece of dark secrets and twists that you can read over and over again.
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides – one of the greatest psychological thrillers that completely leaves you breathless.
Radical Remission by Kelly A. Turner – a powerful, true book about cancer survivors that reminds me every single day of the fierce, stubborn strength of the human spirit.
Author Websites and Profiles
ZARA JELER’s Social Media Links
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