Hey guyssss!!!! Welcome to the third Lepisode. I didn't really plan much for the intro but I'm really glad to tell you that we have a very special guest here with us. You must have or haven't heard of her. Whichever. I just want you to know that she is amaze balls shrieks in excitement. She's young, beautiful, smart and intelligent 🤓  without wasting much time let's please welcome _Mariahaneef_  it's a pleasure having you here 🎈

Lipsy: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Maria: I am a 20 year old woman. Studying IT with an undying passion for writing and reading non fiction and fiction. It has been two years of me writing on public platforms like wattpad and Instagram. And soon I will be publishing my own

Lipsy: Mashaa Allah. Are you going publish any of the books you have on wattpad?

Maria: No not the books that I have on Wattpad. That's solely for that platform. I am currently working on a different plot 😁

Lipsy: Okay. I'll be your best friend so that when the book gets published I'll be the first to get a free copy 😅 But seriously, I'm so happy for you in advance 😩

Maria: Hahaha I have so many people in the queue. Cant be partial 😜 Thank you for your support ❤

Lipsy: You're so evil 😩😩😅

Maria: Hahaha I take that as a compliment 😜

Lipsy: I actually like it when people call me evil ☺️

Maria: Yayy I think we can be good friends then 😁

Lipsy: Of course 🤗 Okay next question. What inspires you to write?

Maria: I get asked this a lot about who and what inspires me to write. There's nothing basically. It is just my passion that makes me want to uplift people, to give them knowledge and motivate in a way that's not direct but relatable

Lipsy: Beautiful. How often do you write?

Maria: Thank you 😁 I dont have a specific schedule or a time to write. Mostly my writing prompts happen when I am just about to go to sleep. Sometimes I write too much and sometimes I am badly stuck somewhere. I like to go with the flow basically

Lipsy: I think going with the flow is the best way to write honestly

Maria: Indeed it is

Lipsy: So at this point I can say that we're officially twins😅👊🏽

Maria: 😍

Lipsy: Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?

Maria: HopesPrayersNSmiles on Wattpad. Her books have actually changed my life in a better way. And also Khaled Hosseini's Kite runner is my absolute favorite. I get driven by his style of narration 😍

Lipsy: Haven't really heard of them but as my twin I trust your choice so I will check them out 😌

Maria: Haha I am sure you will love them

Lipsy: Is Khaled Housseini also on wattpad too?

Maria: Nope. Khaled Hosseini is a best selling author. He is very famous for his works as well

Lipsy: I wonder if he's single too🤔

Maria: Hahah he is married and have kids older than both of us 😂

Lipsy: Okay I give up on love 😩😭

Maria: 😂 😂

Lipsy: This is a major heartbreak 💔

Maria: Aww

Lipsy: But I'll be fine. As long as the love of my life is happy with his kids 😴

Maria: That's cute

Lipsy: In your book A Journey, Seeking Forever will Zohra's life end up like Zukroof's?

Maria: No spoilers yet 😜

Lipsy: Whyyyy😩😩😩😩

Maria: Because I like plot twists 🙈😁

Lipsy: Many readers were not happy when Zohra didn't end up with Adil. And when we think of how Adil is in love with her we hope they will end up together.

Maria: Well, you never know when tables can turn 😜

Lipsy: We hope so. This LESSONS I LEARNT FROM LIFE. I haven't read it. What is it about? What inspired it?

Maria: It is my first non fiction book that I have begun to write. It is all about the lessons I learn from day to day life from a hoverboard to an icecream. It is basically something I started to write on the basis of how much I could learn from it and make sure others get my perspective too
What inspired me to write basically is, I wanted to write something non fiction. Something out of the box. That could deliver the same message I try to deliver through fiction

Lipsy: It sounds amazing. I'll check it out In Shaa Allah

Maria: Thank you

Lipsy: Next question. I understand that you're a niqabi. How do you cope? Don't you face challenges? How have you overcome some of these challenges?

Maria: I started wearing Niqab from 2015. It is tough but niqab literally liberates me. It gives me self discipline and living in a muslim country I don't really face any challenges. At first it was hard to face people asking me why I started doing but I had this constant thought in my  mind that I am going to answer Allah alone so yeah thats the bottomline of everything I do and follow

Lipsy: Mashaa Allah. Has your being a niqabi influenced people around you in any way?

Maria: Yesss Alhamdulilah. I have inspired enough number of girls to practise niqab 😁

Lipsy: I'm so proud of you 😭 And in which country do you live?

Maria: Kingdom of Bahrain 🇧🇭

Lipsy: What made you decide to become a niqabi in the first place?

Maria: I used to wear niqab whenever we crossed borders from Bahrain to Saudi and whenever we came back to Bahrain I used to remove it. The reason why I used to wear in Saudi because someone told me that Sheikhs over there catch hold of you if you are a young woman not covering your face so in fear of that I used to wear. In the year 2015, I went to Umrah and this thought came suddenly outta nowhere that I should be fearing Allah in the first place and not them and so I started wearing it in Bahrain as well. Alhamdulilah for guidance tho ☺☺

Lipsy: Very inspirational wallah. I hope one day me and other young girls tell a story like yours 🌻

Maria: In Shaa Allah

Lipsy: A Thing Beyond Forever. The book is very inspirational Ma Shaa Allah, it has helped many readers improve their Deen and all. How did you come up with  such an amazing plot?

Maria: Honestly. Whichever book of mine you read on Wattpad is not preplanned. I write every single chapter whenever I feel like and whatever I feel like. Making plot twists and conflicts on the go. So everything was spontaneous and I am so glad by the love I have received on it. 😍😍

Lipsy: By plot twists you mean being evil😈

Maria: Hahah yeahh

Lipsy: What's your take on early marriages?

Maria: ‎I support early marriages because it is prescribed by prophet Muhammad ﷺ himself and it also necessary for this generation in order to avoid fitna

Lipsy: So when do you plan on getting married?

Maria: Whenever my husband thinks it is the right time to pop on my front door 🤷😂😂

Lipsy: What if your husband is my crush? Will you snatch him?

Maria: Nope I won't

Lipsy: you're so kind 😭

Maria: Hahah he will become my husband after I marry him so if before hand I come to know someone can love him better than me then I will happily let him go

Lipsy: *cries* Have you tried reading a Nigerian book on wattpad? I think you should

Maria: I haven't but I will In sha Allah. Any specific one that you suggest?

Lipsy: Yes. You should try Sultan by Amirah Julde. It's really nice

Maria: I will. I have already so many books pending to be read 😭

Lipsy: Alright. When you're done with those ones let me know so that I will send you the links to some amazing Nigerian books 😭😻

Maria: In Shaa Allah

Lipsy: What's your take on importance of a good cover and title?

Maria: People do really judge a book by it's cover and if not that, the title should definitely make readers curious to know what's inside

Lipsy: Just like me. I love catchy covers 😅😅 and catchy usernames

Maria: Does that mean you found my stories catchy? 😜😂

Lipsy: Yes they're catchy. And the titles too. Have you ever designed your own cover?

Maria: I design all my covers. Because nobody knows it better than me what's inside. So yeah I choose all the covers

Lipsy: Which of your books took you the most time to write?

Maria: I completed A thing beyond forever quickly enough but the most time consuming is Misconceived my deen

Lipsy: So when should your Misconceived my deen readers be expecting an update?

Maria: After my finals In sha Allah

Lipsy: Have you ever taken any help from other writers?

Maria: Not during my writing period on wattpad but when I was working for my manuscript I took some help from HayatKhan on Wattpad

Lipsy: That's nice. What is your view on co-authoring? Would you like to try it someday?

Maria: Umm I am not sure about that. At this moment. I won't prefer that

Lipsy: Okayyy. Are you a member of any writing committees; if yes, define your role?

Maria: I am content writer of the official pages of Mvslim and Thoughtcatalog. On Mvslim I have been added as a content writer to write about travelling and stuff. Whereas on thoughtcatalog. They randomly give me prompts to write an article ☺

Lipsy: Where can I get access to these platforms?

Maria: Umm It is on Instagram and Facebook

Lipsy: I'll check them out in Shaa Allah. Do you see the 'writing germs' in any of your family members?

Maria: Yes. My father used to write in Urdu and my mother had a dream of being able to write. I guess what I have is all hereditary

Lipsy: Well my mom also had that dream 😅😅

Maria: oh nice

Lipsy: If you die today, how would want the world to remember you?

Maria: I want the world to remember me as a person who never gave up on the hope and mercy of Allah. Who was always optimistic and had good expectations from Allah alone. Alhamdulilah

Lipsy: That's a good one

Maria: Thanks

Lipsy: What other genres do you enjoy reading?

Maria: Mystery 🌚🔥

Lipsy: But mysteries are too mysterious 😩

Maria: I knooowww thats what makes it more interesting

Lipsy: I guess you're right 😪 Which of your novels best describes you as a person?

Maria: Novels or character?

Lipsy: Both

Maria: My novels and my characters live within me. All of them have something which I can relate to

Lipsy: If you were given the opportunity to form a book club with your favorite authors of all time, which legends or contemporary writers would you want to become a part of the club?

Maria: From wattpad?

Lipsy: Not necessarily wattpad

Maria: Umm.. Khaled hosseini will be in for sure. Nicholas sparks, paulo coelho and they are many many more

Lipsy: Oh my Khaled😩

Maria: Heheh

Lipsy: If you were to watch your favorite book (which hasn't been turned into a real life motion picture) turn into a movie, which would you choose? Or would you rather keep it stayed as a book?

Maria: Nooooooo noo way. Books are always always better than the movie

Lipsy: I won't even try to argue because it's so true

Maria: yess

Lipsy: What are your views about elaborate synopsis of books at the back of the cover? Do you think they reveal too much?

Maria: I like moderate ones. The ones who keep you guessing by questions. Too much of details at the back itself wont let me read whats inside. One of the best synopsis I have read is of Sad girls, by Lang Leav

Lipsy: Is there a genre you absolutely despise, or are written pieces all pieces of art and demand to be respected equally?

Maria: Despise is not what I can say about any genre. Some are just not my preference. And yes to everyone their own. Every genre deserves respect

Lipsy: Do you read romantic books?

Maria: Yepp

Lipsy: If you could live anywhere in the world, which country would you choose and why?

Maria: Madina 💕 It is just something else. So peaceful

Lipsy: Ikr 😩😩😩If you had to pick one other author to write your biography, who would it be?

Maria: Umm tricky question. For anyone to write my biography they would have to know me, they would have to live my story not just pen in words and I can guess nobody can do that better than my own self. Not mean to brag though. 😂 just saying

Lipsy: So you'll just go with an autobiography

Maria: Yep

Lipsy: And who is that one author you would love to write the biography of?

Maria: Hmm I would love to write about Mark anthony. His poetry is something else and very intriguing

Lipsy: Say something about dating in Islam

Maria: This topic awakens the haram police in me as for me dating before marriage is equal to one word thought: HARAM. 😂

Lipsy: 😂 May Allah guide us all

Maria: Ameen ya rabb

Lipsy: Okay we're about to round up. Any spoilers for Misconceived My Deen?

Maria: Expect the unexpected 🌚😂

Lipsy: Argh 😤😩😩

Maria: Hahaha

Lipsy: What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?

Maria: When Zukroof and Yazan met after two years 😍😍😍It was the point I made my readers believe that if two people are meant to be together no matter how far they wander. They will always find their way back

Lipsy: So Mashaa Allah 😩😩😻Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?

Maria: Writeee. Just writeee. Just pour out whatever you feel like. Just go with the flow. To increase your vocabulary, read books. But once you start writing. Never give up. More importantly. Just write for yourself more than anybody else

Lipsy: Is there anything that you would like to say to your readers and fans?

Maria: I just want to say thanks for showing so much support, love and admiration to what I write. My wattpad readers play a major role in builiding my confidence. So i will be forever grateful to them

Lipsy: Hugs 🤗  Before I let you go..... When do you plan on publishing your book? Is it an Islamic book too?

Maria: Yess it is an islamic book and In sha Allah In sha Allah. It will be out by Aug 2018

Lipsy: Okay I'll set a reminder for that 😼

Maria: 😁

Lipsy: So have you changed your mind now? Will I get a free copy?

Maria: Hahaha if you want to support me you gotta be the first one to buy my book 😜😂

Lipsy: Alright. When it's out let me know

Maria: In Shaa Allah. Or just follow me on instagram for updates

Lipsy: Okay. I will In Shaa Allah. Thank you so much for agreeing to do this interview. I really appreciate 💕💕🤗

Maria: Thank you as well for choosing me for this interview. It was fun and amazing 💕💕💕🙌🙌

Lipsy: You're welcome 😊❤️❤️

Okay guyssss. Third Lepisode downnnn! Your girl has gone international ohh 😁 I really really hope you enjoyed this as much as I did. Keep giving me your support. Keep showing love 😍. Keep being awesome 👏🏽
So see you guys in the next Lepisode hopefully next week ! In Shaa Allah