It is with great excitement that I announce the Absolute Author Publishing House's winner of our 2020 YOUNG AUTHOR AWARD. Sohan Chundura wrote a fabulous book called "Ni Hao, China." I can't wait for you to learn about Sohan and his book in today's author interview. And, of course, a huge congratulations to Sohan for being AAPH winner!!! Please show your support to this young author and purchase a copy of his book today!
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.
I was born in Mountain View and lived in the San Francisco
Bay Area until I was 12 years old. I am now 16 years old and live with my
parents and sister. I was born with partial hearing loss and a
speech impairment, for which I attended rigorous speech therapy until I was
eight years old. I am lucky to have the unflinching support of my family that
has allowed me to overcome my speech impairment. I am a student at La Jolla
Country Day School, which has provided a nurturing and supportive environment
since I joined four years ago.
What inspired you to author your book?
I was bullied in elementary school for my
disability, and I found solace in creating worlds of my own and learning more
about different cultures when I traveled with my family. I decided to use
lyrical rhyme schemes to make cultural awareness fun, educational, and engaging
for children of all ages.
Where did you get the inspiration for
your book’s cover?
When I was around 5 or 6 years old, I imagined
flying a little red plane to faraway lands with my sister. The memory is so
vivid and brings so much joy that I decided to use it for my book cover.
Who has been the most significant
influence on you personally and as a writer?
My older sister has been the most significant influence in my life. From
the minute I was born, she has always been my ally, advocate, and best friend –
always looking out for me and having my best interests at heart. As an
introvert, I’m always inspired by how my sister lives her life. She has such a
warm and kind personality that people are naturally drawn to her. I admire her
determination and amazing work ethic and can say that without a doubt, she has
been a significant influence on me personally. I give my sister credit for
being my cheerleader and encouraging me to publish my book.
What were your struggles or obstacles
you had to overcome to get this book written?
The biggest challenge in getting this book written
was finding the time to write it. But I found that setting daily goals and
deciding in advance when I would write helped me stay on track.
Tell your readers about your book.
This is a book about siblings Gigi and Geoff, who
set off on an adventure to China. As they travel through the country, they
introduce their readers to China’s customs, culture, festivals, food, and landmarks
through engaging rhymes and colorful illustrations.
Who is your target audience, and why?
The target audience is children aged 5 to 9 years
old. I want to introduce young children to the spirit of China that makes this
country and its people special.
If you were going to give one reason for
anyone looking at your book to read, why should they buy it?
We are living in a world filled with division, bias, and prejudice.
Through my book, I want to build compassion and tolerance by teaching children
to appreciate other cultures and diversity.
What do you consider your greatest
success in life?
While speaking comes naturally to most people, it
took me a long time to start speaking and many grueling hours of speech therapy
to start speaking correctly so that people could understand what I was saying.
So although speaking may not seem like the greatest success in life to many
people, it feels like a pretty big accomplishment to me.
What one unique thing sets you apart
from other writers in your genre?
My writing uses rhymes to educate children about
China in a fun and engaging way.
How do you overcome writer’s block?
If I feel like I cannot write, I
give myself a break from writing. Usually, going for a walk, cooking my
favorite food, or taking a nap, does the trick for me.
What one piece of advice do you have for
new authors.
Always persist. Don’t ever give up your belief that you have a great story to tell. If I had trusted all the naysayers, I would never have become a published author. So keep writing, and eventually, you will be a published author too.
Tell your readers anything else you want
to share.
I won my first Young Author writing contest when I
was in kindergarten. I was so excited that I promised myself that I would never
stop writing. I hope to always keep that promise.
NEVER STOP WRITING SOHAN!!!
.
