Learn all the juicy insights into Pepper Masalah's third adventure, Pepper Masalah and the Giant Bird.

Coming out in November is the third book in Pepper’s series — did you originally intend Pepper Masalah to be a series? How did you come
to the decision?

I originally thought of Pepper Masalah being a series as I could imagine her having lots of adventures on the carpet. I could also imagine young children being excited to collect Pepper’s adventures. I had one idea of writing the stories and putting them together in a book but then I thought it may be too daunting for younger readers to read at once and a story at a time would be something 6-9s can handle. Zam wasn’t in my original planning, but when I told a class that the first story had been rejected, a boy said I needed a person on the carpet too. He said he’d like to do something exciting like that.

How did you originally develop the idea for the Pepper Masalah series?

Librarians and teachers were asking me to write stories involving diversity and culture for younger readers as I have for older age groups. I thought it was a good idea too. I based the series on my own cats: Q, a tuxedo cat who was very clever, Harry, a huge black farm cat who got lost after a storm and hasn’t yet returned and Pepper Masalah, a black British Shorthair who loved carpets and had a purr like a generator. For settings, I mostly used places that I have been to. I haven’t been to Egypt, and I have only seen Afghanistan in the distance from the Pakistani border. I researched those places and even the ones I knew well to make sure I had customs and language as correct as possible.

How do you develop your ideas for a new Pepper adventure?

I develop ideas in an A4 artist’s visual diary. I first began putting notes, ideas and research in there. I do numerous mind maps for the characters to discover who they are. I even did one for the carpet. I collect photographs and images which help me immensely in working out the plot. Once I know what my character wants the most and where it will be set, I can start writing a zero draft. I started to make a cat file for myself so Pepper’s behaviour would be genuine and consistent. Then I realised that readers might like to see that too, so it has been included in the books as well as a news site that follows the disappearance of Pepper, Zamir and the carpet.

What was your inspiration for this new book?

Although we never went to Afghanistan, we met many Afghans who came to Pakistan, when we were there, to escape the war of terror in the 1980s and early 1990s. We made friends with Afghan families in Adelaide when we returned. It helped us to settle better in what was our own culture. I enjoy folklore from different countries, and I like the story of the Simurgh which is part of the Shahnameh, The Persian Book of Kings. The story in Pepper Maslah and the Giant Bird is more like the Afghan version of the tale, without the riddles. Though riddles are a fun cultural game in family or community gatherings in Afghanistan, which is why I included those.

What were the biggest differences in how you approached the writing process for each book and was anything the same?

The biggest difference is the diverse settings in each book. Also, the going back in time only happens in two of them as the carpet is trying to find its original owner and because it is getting used to flying again, it often misjudges its bearings, hence the landing in different countries before it finally finds its owner.

The elements that are the same are that Pepper and Zam have an exciting adventure, experience a different culture each time, and realise people from different cultures make great friends. Plus, they do something kind for someone they visit.

What do you love most about writing the Pepper Masalah series?

I love cats and connect well with them, so it is fun to write one as a character. I like revisiting many of the places I’ve seen through the stories too. Short fiction can be harder for me to write than a full-scale novel, so it has been a good experience for me to make each word count and have enough exciting things happen to keep younger readers engaged.

Were there any personal experiences that contributed to this new book?

Adding to question 4, I did visit a carpet factory in Pakistan where 5–7-year-old boys were making carpets by tying knots and cutting them. They were very creative. This was different from many other carpet factories as the boys went home at night and were paid. They could have a break to kick a soccer ball and they were having some lessons in maths and reading, which helped with the carpet making too. Some little boys are not so ‘fortunate’. I found the situation tricky as I don’t believe in child labour and yet if these little boys hadn’t been chosen, their poverty-stricken families would have suffered more.

What do you hope young readers will take away from this new book?

Apart from enjoying the ride (ha) and having fun, maybe readers will take a leaf out of Pepper and Zam’s book in finding solutions to stressful problems; in being kind and realising that people who come from cultures different from theirs make good friends with the same kindness, hopes and dreams.

What are you most looking forward to about the book’s release in November?

Giving it to my youngest grandson. It is dedicated to him.

There is a lot of historical research that goes into Pepper’s stories — what do and don’t you like about this process?

I love history, and I don’t mind any research where I’m looking up facts etc as I so often get more ideas for the plot from research. It is all part of the process for me like threads woven together in a rug. What I don’t like is when three or more sources will give a different spelling of a cultural word. Then I have to search to find enough incidences of the same spelling. Often people spell words of their language phonetically so I go with the version that younger readers will be able to manage easier.

What was it like to work with an illustrator on this story? Was it similar or different to your other experiences working with illustrators?

It was similar except this time I had more contact with the illustrator through the publisher which was good. Jasmine Berry has brought the series to life with her fantastic artwork. She shows Pepper’s spunk and feistiness well and Zam is adorable too. Once the typesetting was done the illustrations could be moved if out of sequence with the story. Once I added a necklace during the editing stage and when Pepper turned up not wearing it when she received it a few pages before, I asked if she could wear a necklace in that pic. Jasmine fixed it beautifully. It has been a very positive experience working with such a skilled creator as Jasmine Berry.

What’s next for the Pepper Masalah series?

I have just finished writing Book 4 and it is being edited, ready to come out next year. It is called Pepper Masalah and the Disappearing Rope. In this one the carpet goes back to the Moghul Empire searching for its previous owner. They arrive at a time of intrigue and the Empire is in turmoil. So that I don’t give too much away, let’s just say that Pepper manages to save the day.