What book are you recommending right now?

'Story' by Robert Mckee (craft), Use of Weapons (fiction)

If your story beast had a form, what would it be?

Scarab beetle in magical armour, forged from steel and sapphires. The scarab's mythological symbolism in Ancient Egypt speaks a lot to me as a storyteller and the storytelling process. Moreover, the roots of this symbolism (rolling piles of shit) also speaks to, I think, how every writer feels about their first drafts. :D

If you could meet one story character, who would it be and why?

Sauron from LOTR. The OG Dark Lord who scarcely appears on page, yet defines the tone of the entire world with the very real threat he represents. Moreover, the character exemplifies 'less is more' when it comes to writing. From just a few scattered tidbits (such as his craving for order, his love of forging, and his fallen angel backstory) a compelling character with multiple dimensions emerges that I would love to sit down with (at a distance) to try and better understand. Essentially: Why does someone with everything need so much more?

Let's talk favorites! Tell us your...favourite book:

Prooooobably The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud. It changes.

...favourite author:

Dammit. Maybe Iain Banks (RIP). It changes.

...favourite trope:

'One-Winged Angel' (when the big bad transforms into a giant abomination of immense power).

...favourite snack right now:

Pumpkin bread.

Where can our listeners find you?

IG: @faisal_binzagr