Book Reader Magazine

Featured Interview With Lailo Lema

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in Nashville, TN but I currently reside in Florida. I’ll admit, I am more of a northern girlie in terms of places I’ve enjoyed living. I used to live in Denver, CO and it was one of my favorites. I’m getting weary of the heat. I don’t have any pets but I would love to have a bunny nursery one day.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I was fascinated with books from kindergarten. The school librarian was so sweet, she would read us Froggy books and her narrations where so animated and fun. I started writing after creating audio stories a few years back. I really wanted my stories to be perfected so I put them onto paper to make them better.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I’m a big fan of Devin McCamey and Jasper L’Estrange. A bit different from the stories I write but I find their woek to be very comforting and I appreciate their use of art and narration to create a cinematic storytelling experience. My favorite genres are extreme horror, gothic fairytales, dark romance, and cosmic or folk horror.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Latest story I have written is ‘Off’ a story following a woman who is sick and desperate for her lover’s reassurance. Her partner will stop at nothing to prove to her that he cares, even if it means sacrificing himself. It is a short horror story about love, madness, and needing someone way too much.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Lailo Lema’s Website

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Featured Interview With Haala Humayun

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in Lahore, a city that hums with energy, chaos, and color, but my heart has always belonged to Islamabad. It is in Islamabad that I was raised, and it is there that my childhood truly unfolded. I think of Islamabad as my first home — the city that shaped my earliest memories, the streets where I walked with wide-eyed wonder, the parks where I would sit quietly and let my imagination take flight. It is a city of gentle mornings and endless skies, where the air feels softer and life moves at a pace that allows the mind to dream. Even now, though I live in Lahore as fate would have it, my heart always returns to Islamabad, to the calm hills, the whispering trees, and the quiet corners where I once spent hours reading, thinking, and creating worlds of my own.
Islamabad gave me my first lessons in observation and imagination. Its serene avenues, the green spread of Margalla Hills, the sunsets that painted the sky in colors I could hardly name — all of it seeped into my mind and soul. The city’s calm allowed me to notice the small miracles of everyday life: the way birds dart through the trees, the scent of the first rain, the gentle sway of leaves in the evening breeze. These are the moments that quietly inspired my writing, teaching me that magic does not always roar; sometimes, it whispers.
As for companions in life, yes — I am blessed with a small, furry family that has added so much joy, laughter, and a touch of chaos to my days. It began with a single cat, a curious little creature who decided to make our home theirs. But life, as it always does, had bigger plans, and soon our cat surprised us with a litter of kittens. And just like that, our household expanded into a full-fledged feline family: a wise, gentle father cat, a nurturing, affectionate mother cat, and a handful of playful, mischievous little grown-up cats, mashaAllah, who tumble, pounce, and explore every corner of our home as if it were their own magical kingdom.
They are far more than pets; they are a part of our family in every sense of the word, and they even make appearances in my work. In fact, I have mentioned them in the dedication pages of my novels, because their presence in my life has shaped so many moments of inspiration and delight. Watching them interact — the quiet moments when they curl up beside me as I write, the bursts of energy as the cats chase shadows, the small but significant gestures of affection from the parents — reminds me of the simple joys that make life rich and textured.
Living with them is a delicate balance of peace and playful chaos. One moment, you are enveloped in quiet companionship, the next you are laughing at a cat leaping from the sofa or chasing a stray feather across the room. They have taught me patience, observation, empathy, and even the subtler art of storytelling — because when you watch them, you begin to notice how every creature has its own story, its own motivations, its own mysteries.
And in a way, these cats — our little family of hearts and paws — reflect the worlds I build in my novels. They are full of wonder, mischief, love, and the unexpected. They remind me that family can take many forms, that inspiration can come from the quietest corners of life, and that sometimes, the smallest creatures leave the biggest mark on your heart. Living here, with my pen in one hand and a cat sprawled across the papers in the other, I am constantly reminded that magic exists all around us — in cities, in people, in the gentle purr of a cat at your feet — and that storytelling is simply the art of noticing it and sharing it with others.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I think my fascination with books began the very moment I learned to read — perhaps even before that, when I only knew how to listen. As a child, I was endlessly curious. Stories, for me, were not just words printed on paper; they were worlds — living, breathing, glittering realms waiting to be discovered. I still remember the very first storybook I ever owned — it was about Tom and Kate, a small children’s tale with bright pictures and gentle lessons. I was in kindergarten then, and I remember how I read it again and again as if the words would open a secret door each time.

By the age of eight, I read my first full novel — Oliver Twist. That book changed everything. I didn’t just read it; I lived it. I wandered through the foggy streets of Dickens’s London, feeling the ache of orphaned hearts and the quiet triumph of hope. It was in that moment that I realized reading wasn’t just something I loved — it was something that defined me. Before that, I had devoured countless fairy tales and fables, always drawn to fantasy, magic, and the moral undercurrents that run deep beneath them.

By eleven, I was already reading Shakespeare — not fully understanding everything at the time, perhaps, but still completely mesmerized by the rhythm, the emotions, and the grandeur of his words. During my IGCSE years, I found myself surrounded by novels from every genre and every era — each one opening a new window in my mind. Then came my A Levels, when I practically lived inside the library. I spent my free periods lost among books — reading everything I could get my hands on. I think, by then, it was impossible for me to exist without stories.

When I began my LLB Honours with the University of London, something shifted. My relationship with words began to evolve — from reading to writing. It started quietly, with small poems scribbled during study breaks, short musings that carried more feeling than structure. Soon, I began contributing to blogs and articles — some academic, some creative — and that was when I truly discovered the joy of shaping thoughts into sentences, of translating emotion into expression. Writing became my sanctuary, my rebellion, my form of prayer.

If I had to pinpoint a single realization, I’d say this — I didn’t decide to love books or to write; both happened as naturally as breathing. Books raised me as much as people did. They were my teachers, my friends, and at times, my refuge. And writing? Writing became my way of speaking to the world — not always loudly, but always truthfully.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I have always been drawn to authors who weave emotion, depth, and life into every page, and among them, Nimra Ahmad and Umera Ahmed hold a special place in my heart. Their stories carry a rare magic — a way of capturing human emotions, struggles, faith, and love with a delicacy that stays with you long after the last page is turned. Reading their novels is like stepping into a world that feels at once familiar and extraordinary, a world where hearts are tested, souls are moved, and life’s lessons are hidden in every chapter.

When it comes to genres, I read everything. Truly, I let the story find me. From the quiet wisdom of contemporary fiction to the vast, boundless realms of fantasy; from historical tales to mysteries that make the heart race; from poetry to philosophical musings — I welcome them all. Every genre has its own magic, its own rhythm, and its own way of teaching the reader about life, human nature, and the hidden truths that shape our existence.

As for inspiration, I do not look far. My writing is guided primarily by my own heart — its curiosity, its dreams, its questions, and its longing for stories that connect, move, and illuminate. I watch the world, I listen to the rhythm of life, and I let the characters that live in my mind speak freely. Sometimes inspiration comes from the quiet moments of daily life — a glance, a gesture, a thought that lingers longer than it should. Sometimes it is drawn from the worlds I’ve read about and loved. But ultimately, it is my own heart that guides me, shaping the stories I tell and the magic I hope to share with my readers.

Reading and writing, for me, are inseparable — one fuels the other. The stories I love reading shape the emotions and depth of my own narratives, while the act of writing allows me to explore the infinite possibilities of imagination, emotion, and faith. It is a conversation between the heart, the mind, and the world, and in that space, I find endless inspiration.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My latest book is The Legend of Tilsim Hoshruba: Book 3 – The Rebel Queens of Tilsim, Part II: The Fallen Crown, the second part of Book 3 in the Tilsim series. This novel picks up the threads of mystery, magic, and intrigue that began in the first part, The Gathering Storm, and takes readers deeper into the hidden motives, secret alliances, and the complex hearts of every character.

In this installment, the questions that haunted readers in Part I are finally explored: Why did each character act as they did? What forces shaped their choices? And how does fate weave through the lives of heroes, queens, and tricksters alike? The answers unfold with suspense, emotion, and revelations that are as unexpected as they are inevitable.

What makes this book particularly special to me is the way I have blended three elements that are rarely combined in fantasy novels: magic, science, and religion. Magic remains wondrous and cinematic, yet it follows a logic that connects to the natural world. Science is woven into the story through nature, character choices, and cause-and-effect, without ever breaking the spell of fantasy. And religion is threaded subtly into the soul of the story, guiding actions, shaping moral choices, and illuminating the inner lives of characters — all without overshadowing the adventure, romance, or battles.

Beyond the mysteries and magic, this book also delves into human emotions and relationships: love in its many forms — selfless, selfish, forbidden, and pure — as well as betrayal, sacrifice, and family ties. Battles rage on both in the physical world and in the hearts of the characters. And yet, even at the end, the story leaves a whisper of mystery, as life rarely reveals everything at once.

In writing this book, I drew on both my lawyer’s mind — for weaving mysteries and understanding human psychology — and my heart, to ensure that every choice, every revelation, and every magical element serves the story’s larger tapestry. It is, in many ways, a continuation of a journey I began years ago: a story of wonder, courage, and the unseen forces that shape our destiny.

Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles

Haala Humayun’s Website

Haala Humayun Facebook Page