----------Interview by Renee Roberson
WOW: Congratulations, Zarah, and welcome! “Cereal, Love” employs a clever use of wording that results in a chilling end. How did you get the idea for this story?
Zarah: I had been watching something about a serial killer a while back, and there had been a throwaway comment about how the family hadn't suspected anything. It conjured up a whole scene in my head (I usually visualise my stories as films/tv shows before writing) of a child processing that moment their life changed forever. Initially, I saw this as a novel - a child reckoning with their father's crimes and how the family of the serial killer are just as much victims but without any of the sympathy. I had thought about how they would exist in a world post exposure and how they would navigate losing someone they never really knew. I wanted to write it through a child's eyes because trauma presents so differently as you age, especially when it has occurred in childhood. That perspective really fascinated me, and the cereal/serial conversation came to me quite quickly thinking about how a child would muddle up the words, and what clues might stick out on later reflection that may have seen innocuous - if strange - at the time. Initially, this was going to be the first chapter of said novel, but as I have a million ideas every year, it got filed away for "expanding at a later date". This year, I have really enjoyed honing my skill with micro, flash, and short story comps and I realised that this would make a perfect flash with a bit of a tweaking.
WOW: You have had success writing Christmas Romance, as stated in your bio. What are some of the most prominent hallmarks of this genre and what has drawn you into writing it?
Zarah: I don't like to be pigeon holed, and especially when it comes to creating. I am a firm believer that even if you have a preferred genre(s) - mine are dystopian, speculative fiction and fantasy - you should always practice writing across genres. It's so fun to go places where you normally wouldn't when creating, and you never know what else it will inspire. My first dabble in Christmas Romance was in the 2021 PMJ Christmas Love Story competition. I saw the competition the day before it closed and I had just binged "It's A Sin" and the idea of an elderly gay married couple reliving their love story came to me in a flash. It was such a joy to be shortlisted because I had just left a role in contract law after hitting burnout in the pandemic and everything was up in the air. These little wins as writers can really give you a boost when needed to show that you are on the right path and that you do have talent. Writing is such a solitary process and I love creating community wherever I can. I set up a group for all the shortlisted participants (we called ourselves the penguins) to wait together in the months it took for the winner to be announced. The winner - Talia Samuels - was in our group and let us know as she got the win. From there, a few of us decided to keep the momentum going and in a few shorts months had written, edited and self-published under the name The Christmas Collective "More than Mistletoe", which was a collection of short stories with a Christmas Romance theme. The following year we did the same with "The Mistletoe Mixtape" and we have started work on our third in the series to be released Autumn 2025. Some of our authors have been traditionally published since and it's been really heart warming to see their progress. Writing is such a competitive field but among authors there is also a huge comradery and level of support that can help you along the way. Even though Christmas Romance isn't my niche, I love all things Christmas and I am a romantic, so it isn't difficult for me to indulge that when writing and I am so grateful top have a set space to do that with my anthology pals.
WOW: As a busy mom, how do you organize your days to prioritize your writing projects?
Zarah: This year has been unique in that I have set up several online writing groups to aid in keeping myself and others accountable in our writing. As a recently diagnosed ADHD-er and single parent to a disabled child, organising my creativity alongside all the non-dopamine inducing tasks I have to do has been super difficult. I really thrive on having external deadlines, so this year I have been entering competitions left, right and centre to keep my writing consistent. They say it takes 6 weeks to form a habit but when you are neurodivergent it is a constant effort. I do not rely on motivation to do anything because motivation (that wily minx) shows up at the most awkward times - when I am driving or when I am supposed to go to sleep. I also grapple with imposter syndrome, writer's block and rejection sensitivity - the perfect cocktail for procrastination. So this year, setting up writing groups and working with feedback partners has been invaluable. Not only has it progressed all of the separate projects I am working on, it has also given me and many others a sense of community. I host the sessions which means I stick to them because I don't want to let anyone down, but it allows others to dip in and out whenever they can without any pressure and always knowing there is a space for them to write. Sometimes, these sessions (4x a week) are the only time I will sit down and write, but because of that dedicated time, I am more productive. Finding your routine as a writer is probably one of the most difficult hurdles you will overcome, but when you do, it is so satisfying.
WOW: What sorts of topics do you discuss in your weekly online writing group and how has it been beneficial to you personally?
Zarah: We always start with a five minute random word exercise which one of the members suggested in our first meeting. A different person each week will choose five random words and we have 5 minutes to write whatever comes to mind. We share these in our whatsapp chat after and it's always so fun to see the different perspectives when writing even when the same words have been used. From there, we have 45 minutes to focus on our solo projects and that we have a period of time to discuss what we have been working on. In this time we offer resources to each other that we think people may find helpful, talk out sticking points in people's projects, discuss writing devises and suggest books we are reading, articles, podcasts or anything else that can help us along on our journey. For me, these groups have been invaluable - I am not able to attend night classes anywhere and because of my daily obligations it can be hard finding a community to engage in. So, ever the proactive person, I decided to create them myself! Next year, I would like to add a group specifically for carers and disabled adults who find it difficult to attend classes because of their responsibilities - we all deserve community and carving out time for yourself, even if you don't leave the house - can be a huge lifeline to many. I really want to break down the barriers for people and these free, low-commitment spaces are vital for people who are not able to keep regular schedules through no fault of their own.
WOW: Is there any advice you would give to other writers on where to find the best places to submit their work?
Zarah: The Penguin site has a very comprehensive list of authentic competitions which you can scroll through and decide which ones to enter. I tend to do a lot of Googling and look for the competitions that have been verified through external means like Reedsy. Recently, I have entered the Globe Soup community and they have a wonderful online community and do regular competitions where you can meet other authors online and exchange feedback.
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