Today I am presenting to you a wonderful author, Elsabet Ademe, who I have gotten to know over the last couple of months as we worked together to get her book, "Behind Sunrise" finished. It's not often as an editor and publisher that I encounter someone that under different circumstances I know we would have met and become friends. I was honored with the task of editing this book and believe me when I say it is action-packed and a suspense thriller, it is more than that. It brought out so many emotions in me as I felt by the end I knew the protagonist. That is difficult to do for a first-time author. I hope you enjoy learning about the book and getting to know Elsabet Ademe.
Behind Sunrise: Based on a True
Story Kindle Edition
by Elsabet Ademe (Author), Melissa Caudle (Editor)
“Behind Sunrise,” tells the story of the bright and positive,
yet ferociously determined, Sarah Belay. Sarah is a sixteen-year-old Ethiopian
girl who dreams of traveling to Europe to pursue the arts. She has one problem – her family will not allow it. So when Sarah overhears
the man who drives her to school talking about human smuggling, her ears perk
up. Weeks later, she escapes through her window at 3:00 a.m. to embark on a
journey that dramatically changes her life. With little information from her transporters, Sarah travels the perilous
off-road paths toward Sudan in the care of suspicious and increasingly cruel
men. As they travel, a menagerie of interesting characters enters and exits
Sarah’s life. The desperate circumstances bring out the worst in some, and the
incredibly good in others. A bond forms between a group of travelers, offering
Sarah some semblance of safety – and
family – amidst the treacherous
conditions.. Arriving in Sudan, Sarah
finds work and saves money for what she thought would be the most dangerous leg
of the journey - the long trek through the Sahara Desert and into Libya. The
passage becomes a nightmare, as Sarah and her new friends fall into one
devastating turmoil after another with unbelievable outcomes. Abandoned by
smugglers in the vast barrenness of Al Kufrah, the friends escape and hire a
local Libyan smuggler to get them to Tripoli. Instead, he takes them to the
middle of the desert, and into more danger than they could have ever imagined.
Will Sarah reach her dreams? Will she let her circumstances destroy her? Find
out in this thriller novel, based on a true story.
“This is an amazing story that reads like an action-packed
adventure. You won’t want to put it down.” Dr. Melissa Caudle – Bestselling Author and Media Influence.
Elsabet Ademe
Behind Sunrise, Based on a true story
Goodreads site: Elsabet Ademe
Facebook: Behind Sunrise
Instagram: Behindsunrise
Email: haymielsa@gmail.com
Tell your readers a little about yourself, where you grew
up, where you live now, where you went to school, etc. Let them get to know the
personal you.
Elsabet Ademe, I was born in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, one of the
most beautiful cities, and as a teenager, I embarked on the most dangerous
journey of my life – traveling the treacherous smugglers’ route toward the
West. I traveled as an illegal immigrant. I lived in several countries and
worked in each one to save money. I was working toward a life goal–making it to
the United States to pursue a career in film. I was persistent and made that
dream come true. I lived in United States for the past eleven years. I became a
U.S. citizen, and after graduating from the New York Film Academy, I became an
actor, writer, and producer with an active career in Los Angeles.
What inspired you to author this book?
Behind Sunrise, is based on a true story. I witnessed the
event. I was one of the victims. It took me more than ten years to author this
book. I didn’t have the courage to say all of this unexpected experience. But I
realize how many people I will save and teach. Firs for the people, who wants
to travel illegal to think about twice before they put their foot in dangerous
situations. Second, I want to show people, the grass isn’t always greener on
the other side. Especially in this time a lot of young teenagers, and adults
when I see them giving up from on their dreams. I want to show them, there is
light after a dark event. The most important thing I want to show a lot of immigrants
who were traveling country to country to open their eyes, if they work hard on their
beloved country, they can make their dream come true, instead of putting their
life in danger. Also, especially for a young female, they have to protect their
self before bad things happen to them. Or after they got ruined how they can
get recover from the trauma, forget their past start new life with a positive
energy. I’m not saying it’s easy to forget, but if they live in their past,
they kill their today and their future.
Where did you get the inspiration for your book’s cover?
Finding the right cover page was so hard. I couldn’t find
the visual I have in my mind to bring it out in real world on picture. So I was
looking for the early in the morning, sunrise picture, to show the positive way
of life, because before the sunrise it gets really dark and after a couple of
hours starts the sunrise. That teaches us to be passion, motivation and
determination. So after that I decided to add the mean characters picture to
help the reader to get a visual.
Who has been the most significant influence on you
personally and as a writer?
Tennessee Williams, most of his play is based on a true
story. It has a lot of drama, thrillers, suspense. He is writing methods to
influence my writing. most of his story starts what he knows and what he sawed.
That helped me to open up to author this book!
What were your struggles or obstacles you had to overcome to
get this book written?
For this question I can go on and on, but I want to give the
short version answer. This might help a lot of people, they can do anything on this
planet, if they put their time, determination and if they know what they want.
Because anything is possible.
I started authoring this book 10 years ago in my first language, Amharic. After I wrote 120 pages, I decided not to write it. Then I deleted. However I started writing again 8 years ago, still in Amharic, for about 80 pages, but again I couldn’t do it so I deleted. Then I promised myself not to think about authoring this story.
I started authoring this book 10 years ago in my first language, Amharic. After I wrote 120 pages, I decided not to write it. Then I deleted. However I started writing again 8 years ago, still in Amharic, for about 80 pages, but again I couldn’t do it so I deleted. Then I promised myself not to think about authoring this story.
Four years ago I got a phone call from one of my friends who
traveled in this horrible journey. He told me all of his story about his experience.
After that conversation I started reaching out to people, I know who traveled
illegal, asked their experience. I became more awareness about the story. Since
then I tried my best to reach as many people as I can. So 3 years ago I took a
vacation by myself to lesson myself. What do I need to author this book? Why
I’m scared to author this story? What’s stopped me not to tell the world? That self-absorbs
helped me to get the answer for all my questions.
So, after I turned from my vacation, I started authoring this book the next day. I even started writing in English language. The journey it was difficult especially with the language because English is my second language. But with a help of a lot of wonderful people, I did it.
Tell your readers about your book.
“Behind Sunrise” tells the story of the bright and positive,
yet ferociously determined, Sarah Belay. Sarah is a sixteen-year-old Ethiopian
girl who dreams of traveling to Europe to pursue the arts. She has one problem
– her family will not allow it. So when Sarah overhears her father’s driver
talking about human smuggling, her ears perk up. Weeks later, she escapes
through her window at 3:00 a.m. to embark on a journey that dramatically
changes her life.
With little information from her transporters, Sarah travels the perilous off-road paths toward Sudan in the care of suspicious and increasingly cruel men. As they travel, a menagerie of interesting characters enters and exits Sarah’s life. The desperate circumstances bring out the worst in some, and the incredibly good in others. A bond forms between a group of travelers, offering Sarah some semblance of safety – and family – amidst the treacherous conditions.
Arriving in Sudan, Sarah finds work and saves money for what she thought would be the most dangerous leg of the journey - the long trek through the Sahara Desert and into Libya. The passage becomes a nightmare, as Sarah and her new friends fall into one devastating turmoil after another with unbelievable outcomes. Abandoned by smugglers in the vast barrenness of Al Kufrah, the friends escape and hire a local Libyan smuggler to get them to Tripoli. Instead, he takes them to the middle of the desert, and into more danger than they could have ever imagined.
Will Sarah reach her dreams? Will she let her circumstances destroy her? Find out in this thriller novel, based on a true story.
With little information from her transporters, Sarah travels the perilous off-road paths toward Sudan in the care of suspicious and increasingly cruel men. As they travel, a menagerie of interesting characters enters and exits Sarah’s life. The desperate circumstances bring out the worst in some, and the incredibly good in others. A bond forms between a group of travelers, offering Sarah some semblance of safety – and family – amidst the treacherous conditions.
Arriving in Sudan, Sarah finds work and saves money for what she thought would be the most dangerous leg of the journey - the long trek through the Sahara Desert and into Libya. The passage becomes a nightmare, as Sarah and her new friends fall into one devastating turmoil after another with unbelievable outcomes. Abandoned by smugglers in the vast barrenness of Al Kufrah, the friends escape and hire a local Libyan smuggler to get them to Tripoli. Instead, he takes them to the middle of the desert, and into more danger than they could have ever imagined.
Will Sarah reach her dreams? Will she let her circumstances destroy her? Find out in this thriller novel, based on a true story.
Who is your target audience, and why?
The most target audience is women and men from the age
18-65, any people from all over the world! The story has a worldwide impact.
Also, the people above 65. they will be interested because the book has adventure
and a lot of courage to pursue the dream it doesn’t matter how hard it looks
like. It will help them to be positive and determined.
What do you consider your greatest success in life?
The experience I received from this journey made me wiser.
success for me is knowing yourself. I believe that if we know ourselves, we can
achieve anything.
What one unique thing sets you apart from other writers in
your genre?
My hero is a girl and African immigrants. It’s a true , but it
looks like fiction. The book is full of surprises, suspense, thriller.
