With the fourth instalment of the Pepper Masalah series now released, Rosanne Hawke shares her creative process and personal experiences from Pepper and Zam's latest adventure.

The fourth book in the Pepper Masalah series has just been released. What are you most excited about for this instalment of the series?

I’m excited about book 4 as it will show Zam in a dire situation and yet shows his resilience. Also, Pepper has to make a heart-rending choice between her own desire and her love for Zam. The carpet’s skills at flying grow remarkably in this book, for a special reason. I also think it’s a good adventure.

How did you develop your ideas for Pepper Masalah and the Disappearing Rope?

I develop ideas around what I know the characters want to do in the story. The carpet wants to do 3 things: 1 to learn to fly properly like it used to hundreds of years ago. 2 To go to Kashmir where it originated. And 3, to find its previous owner/master so it can be given to another owner and so continue to fly. So, I knew it had to go back in time again to find this person. Zam wants to go home, but he also wants to make friends and be kind wherever he is. Pepper wants the carpet.

How did the writing process of this book compare to your previous books in the series and/or your other works?

This story was one of the easiest Peppers to write. I still did mind maps in my journal for the plot points and the things that Pepper, Zam and the carpet needed to do. Once I realised it would be set in Mughal India, the setting was easy to choose. I chose a setting I had visited in the present: Lahore. All the books, except numbers 2 and 3, have a setting where I have either lived or visited.

Were there any ways that writing this story shaped or changed you as an author?

I was always of the opinion that chapter books are much harder to write than novels. Usually, I write novels which have a much bigger canvas to move in. In a chapter book, every word has to count, and you need to keep the younger reader engaged. But this book came together easier than I thought it would so maybe I am getting used to writing chapter books.

Did any personal experiences contribute to this book?

Yes, when I lived in Pakistan, I visited Lahore and saw the Lahore Fort, which is now part of Pakistan. I have seen India briefly, and from the air above Mumbai, I could see the cooking fires of people who didn’t have houses to live in. That inspired some of the first chapter of this book.

What do you hope young readers will take away from Pepper Masalah and the Disappearing Rope?

That friendship means thinking of others’ needs as well as our own. Mainly, I hope readers see that people from cultures different from their own can be great friends. Naz and Noori in this adventure are kind and respectful to Pepper, Zam and the carpet. Friendship crosses all borders if we let it. We are all loved by God.

There is another instalment of the Pepper Masalah series coming out at the end of the year. What do you think readers will enjoy about this story?

Readers will enjoy the adventure again in Pepper Masalah and the Kashmiri Princess. They’ll also love the great illustrations from Jasmine Berry who has done a brilliant job in bringing Pepper Masalah’s character alive. In this book, Pepper gets into a dangerous predicament and because of this, the carpet has a chapter of its own. Its flying skills have reached their full potential. There is also a fact revealed about Zam that even he doesn’t know. That’s fun.

Do you have any other projects in the works?

Yes. I am working on a short chapter book trio that will have books of 2000 words each and be suitable for 6-8 years old. I personally think the Pepper series is good for all ages but it is easier for 7-9 years to read for themselves. This new series will be mysteries, with a tuxedo cat who helps Luke and Bree solve them. This cat, though clever, is more ordinary than Pepper. The first one is a rewrite of one I wrote ages ago and may be called The Mystery of the Disappearing Birds. I’m still thinking up ideas for the next two. Of course, Pepper Masalah and Zam are still in my head, taking the carpet for rides when no one is looking. So, I’m open to writing a different series of those if fans or Wombat Books ask for them.