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Do you still talk to the Moon? Did she ever give you the truth of who she was?

Ayah - The Moon has stopped summoning me since my time in the desert. I don't know who She was or what She was. I haven't told anybody about Her voice in my head. I think I will always keep it a secret; I don't think anyone will understand. But deep in my heart, something tells me that She will talk to me soon. And that it was not the Leader of the tribes manipulating me since birth. I don't want it to be. She was first true friend and only because of Her I found so many other friends, including Qamar.

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Does the Moon still give you advice? Do you feel like you aren't heard in a conversation?

Ayah - I feel like I've answered this before but no. Ever since the desert I haven't been talking to the Moon. I miss our coversation. She was the only one I had been able to talk to - well after Asad - and before I met Omar, Aqib and Qamar.

When we used to talk, before, I was simply so thrilled that I could talk to someone without using my voice and that She would reply back. I knew She was vague - or maybe a creation of my mind. But I never thought about not being heard. I was being replied to . . . and my thoughts were clearly transferred to this entity. What else would a mute girl want?

IlikeDisneyalot

What is your favourite habit of Iqra?

Qamar - I think it has to be her generosity. Iqra was always generous. She always took it upon herself to be responsible for the people who didn't fare well in our kingdom. She used her intellect to suggest policies to help these people. She always so driven, so determined, so stubborn . . . it made me mad sometimes, I'll admit, the way one idea in her mind would get stuck and that's all she would talk about. But this was why I fell for her so hard. When I had proposed her - the idea that she didn't want to marry had been stuck in her so bad. I think I have been the only person who has managed to change her mind about some thing. I suppose I am stubborn too, in my own way.

I am talking too much, aren't I?

It is just that . . . I haven't talked about her for so long. No one really asks me about her anymore. It feels weird . . . talking about her as if she is in the past. But she is in the past, isn't he? I need to look forward . . . or at least try to do it.

Do you still have the strong bond with Qamar?

Ayah - Omar says that it was I who saved Qamar but I am not really sure I agree. All I did was listen . . . and he taught me - he taught me so many things. He taught me passion, he taught me love, he taught me that it is okay to hurt and show. It is okay to cry. It is okay to mourn. In the end, he saved me in some ways. I wouldn't be the Ayah I am now if it weren't for him. I suppose he was my Moon. I know I can always go back to him. I can always talk to him. He will understand . . . he always does. So yes, our bond remains the same. I don't think some thing like that can grow weaker in time. It hasn't from my side.

What was your inspiration to write this book?

Me - I don't think something specific inspired me to write this story. There was no one set moment that I can recall. I'll be honest and say that I always wanted to write a character named Ayah, I just didn't have a proper plot for her. And then as I started reading on Wattpad - I realised that I was tired of reading about the typical strong female character in the fantasy genre.

So Talking to the Moon developed in my head, inspired to some extent by the song of the same name by Bruno Mars. I wanted to write a story about a character who may not fierce physically but she was strong. She was not arrogant, but I wouldn't call her submissive either. She was flawed- made mistakes and learnt from them. Or sometimes she didn't. Not every mistake is a valuable lesson.

This story also became something that broke stereotypes. For instance; Omar was a complete soft man. He was not typically the knight in a shining armour. In fact, he was someone in need of saving. Also unrequited love - just because he had feelings for her, didn't mean that he would chase after her or force upon her his feelings. He confessed about it and that was that. If she wanted to be with him, she would have told him.

Qamar was angsty, suffering but he was not toxic. He didn't evoke pain on you, intentionally, just because he was suffering. If he did, it was due to the fact that he was not completely in control of himself.

Also this story had magic - but it really didn't play a massive role in the main plot. It was pushed to be a subplot and I liked that a lot about this story. There was no Chosen One trope. Ayah's decision to help Qamar was based on an assumption and basic trial and error way of decision making. It was simply a desperate measure.

What was your favourite thing to write about this book?

Me - I think the whole process of writing this story was amazing. I learnt so much! And I completely enjoyed. But if I have to point out specifics - I'll say that the scenes with the family was my favourite! The interaction between the parents made me laugh. They were so cute.

And Qamar's backstory- I sobbed when the idea came in my mind. I could visualise Iqra and Yusra's death in my head. And boy, let me tell you, it hurt. I don't even want to imagine what people like Qamar go through.

Zigginz

I can't answer for the Moon mostly because I'd like to keep the mystery around Her. ;)

I can answer the questions as the author of the story!

What did you see in Ayah? Why did you give her advice?

Me - I don't think Ayah, in my opinion, is the only one that the Moon talks to. I have a theory that She talks to kids with certain qualities. I don't know what that is. She'll know it better. And as for giving her advice - it was not that, really. She was basically sharing with Ayah a premonition of sorts.

And then there was also the fact that the Leader of the desert tribes manipulate Ayah's mind and could talk to her. She wanted to push back the power residing in Ayah. So was it the Moon talking to her? Was it the Leader? Or was it her own subconscious? Who knows!

Do you think you(Moon) are Ayah's power?

Me - If the Voice of the Moon is Ayah's subconscious- then yes. It COULD be that the power resides in her subconscious. If it is the Leader- then that is simple manipulation. If it is the Moon - hmmm, then that begs the question - why?

What exactly did you feel for Ayah? Do you still have the feelings?

Omar - Ayah was like a breath of fresh air. It was not like I fell for her at once. It took time. It started with me being curious about her. Her family were interesting. Her bond with them was interesting - it reminded me about my family before the horrid times. And then, my friendship with her grew on me. I realised that I liked to being the reasons behind her smile. I liked to be around her, I liked her attention on me. It were simple things that made me get attracted to her. It was Ayah in her true form. It was Ayah with Ra'ad or Asad or Aqib. It was Ayah with me.

And most importantly- it was Ayah with Qamar. Her patience, her resilience, her generoisity . . . I think she bewitched me as Wali would say. She was lovely. She IS lovely. I suppose such feelings don't die truly.

Do you reckon you will ever take back the throne?

Qamar - Why should I? My family is still in control of the throne - be it me or my brother. I suppose I owe him a debt for exiling him for something that he was not responsible for.

And I am not capable. I am not capable of ruling. Alam deserves a good, just, kind leader and I am not it. I won't ever be. I'm broken, damaged, and I am still learning to be Qamar. I can't do that while being a Monarch.

What is the thing you like about Qamar?

Iqra - That he is like me.

He is stubborn.

If an idea is stuck in his mind, he will go through with it. If it is an idea as insane as marrying me. And he didn't it force it. He was subtle- simple hints thrown here and there. He was patient too.

I mean - I can be very rude.

I never understood why he liked me.

Why did you stay behind? Why didn't you go back to your parents?

Asad - I think in some ways I realised that Alam needed me more than my parents did. Omar was a new leader and always told me that he valued my words. I had been trained under the two most fiercest men in Alam - Aqib and Wali. In some ways, I fit in here better than I ever did back in the village. Deep inside, I always knew that I was made for bigger things - as conceited as that sounds.

I also know that my parents are being taken care of. It is not that I am not in contact. And I do go back from time to time.

Do you think Qamar and Omar as brothers? If so, why?

Aqib - Omar was my brother, crime partner even before my sister married his brother. That sort of bond doesn't break. We had history together. And then Qamar decided to marry Iqra. At first, I will admit, I was weary of him. He seemed too perfect. Everything my father wanted me to be. But then I learnt, that he was not perfect. He was flawed. That made me like him. And want him to be my Monarch . . . and brother.

Do you think people with disabilities get powers? If so, can you get powers by making yourself blind, deaf, etc?

Wali - Where were you when I was explaining this to others? Hmph. I hate repeating myself.

Yes. It is a theory of mine. But yes. People with disabilities seems to posses powers. I am a darn dwarf and I can sense powers in people. It is what lured to me the mute girl. She has some thing in her, all right. I don't know what that is.

And yes again - you were not paying attention, were you? - I told a whole fat story about the leader of the tribes and how she poured acid on her eyes and made herself blind. It is how she got the power of illusions. Ironic, that a natural born dwarf gets stupid sensing power and the fake blind woman gets illusion. See how it is unfair?

HajjorAdam

Do you have strong feelings for Omar?

Ayah - What I have for Omar is not something I understand. Like a lot of things. Do I like him? Yes. I do. But is it romantic? I don't really know what that means. He is a handsome man, no doubt, and he does make me feel strange when I am around him. But is it love? Is it a merely an infatuation? Is it simply me confusing my admiration for him to something more? I don't know. I really don't know.

Author, make Omar propose to Ayah!

Haha, I suppose in the end they will get married. I mean, he is a darn good match for her, isn't he? They are compatible. He does seem to really like her. But honestly, just depends on them.

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Thank you for all the questions. It was fun doing this and going back inside all these characters head. I'm sorry that I am a year late. I am bad with these stuffs I've realised. Hopefully the answers are good enough. If you have more questions, hit me up, I love talking about this story. It makes me all warm and goo-ey. I suppose this is love, yeah?