Northern Highlight - Burhana Islam
Northern Highlight
Burhana Islam
Where do you live, and how would
you sum up the place in three words?
I live on the outskirts of Manchester in a sleepy town
by the name of Ashton-under-Lyne. We’re settled nicely between the valleys of
the Peak District and the hustle and bustle of the city centre. I’d sum it up
as quiet, slow-paced and wet. It’s always raining here.
What is special to you about
creating children’s books, and what is your favourite part of the process?
There’s something really special about writing something that could mean the world to someone else. I’ve always known that words are incredibly powerful, especially to children. It’s surreal when you find a reader who truly and sincerely connects with the story you’ve told. That’s my favourite part: the moment when someone tells me that my words reminded them of home - that I’ve taken a photograph of their life and shared it with the world. I don’t think I’ll ever forget that.
Tell us about your upcoming/most
recent book.
The Big Breakout is the final book in the My
Laugh-Out-Loud Life series. It follows 10 year old Yusuf Ali Khan after the
antics of Mayhem Mission and The Dastardly Duo, and here he is fool enough to
believe that he finally has life figured out. After earning his badges of
‘Man-of-the-House’ and 'Form Captain', Yusuf is on a roll. However, things take a
turn for the worse when his sister announces that she’s going to have a baby
and that his next mission is to step up and become ‘Uncle-Material’. With the school’s
chameleon on the loose, a runaway Nanu wreaking havoc, and the ultimate
school-prison break attempt, Yusuf gets into bigger trouble than ever before.
It’s not long before he has to face both his fate and his feelings.
If you could be transported to
anywhere in the North/Scotland right now, where would it be?
Galloway Forest Park in Newton Stewart, Scotland. We
were meant to go visit the international dark sky park there, but Covid kept us
at bay. We haven’t managed to go since and it’s always been on the list.
What literary/kid lit events
have you attended or been involved with recently (in the
North/Scotland)?
I did the Rochdale Literature Festival a little while
ago and it was a breath of fresh air. There were so many fantastic authors and
entertainers. It was a celebration of children’s stories and it was so much
fun. The kids there were so excited and the love for literature was visceral.
Name your favourite children’s
book in the North/Scotland.
David Almond’s Skellig. I grew up near where it was set
and read it in school. I also happened to have dinner with the author with the
rest of the English department in our staffroom when he came for a school visit
almost 15 years later. He told us where in Heaton the garage was where Skellig
was discovered and I found that absolutely fascinating.
What advice would you give to
aspiring writers in the North/Scotland?
Just because you’re not in the heart of London, it
doesn’t mean you won’t make it. The barriers of the industry being so
South-centric, of course, makes it incredibly difficult, but things are
changing (albeit slowly) - so take advantage of that. Organisations like this
one, New Writing North and publishers like Hachette, as well as schemes such as
Penguin Random House’s WriteNow programme amongst others are attempting to make
way for Northern creatives. Covid has also opened up the online landscape more
than ever before. Keep an eye on Creative Access and browse Twitter for
opportunities that would otherwise go amiss.
What would you like to see from
children's publishing in the North/Scotland?
I’d like to see a shift towards the North. There are so
many undiscovered, authentic voices that are restricted simply by geography.
There needs to be more virtual mentoring opportunities, more writing
communities established and more competitions that open up the floor for the
North. If the Big Five sincerely lead the way in this, things will change.
Who for you are the great
Northern/Scottish children’s writers/illustrators?
I have fallen a little in love with Eilidh Muldoon’s work lately. There’s just something incredibly warm about her work.
What’s next on your TBR pile by a Northern/Scottish creative?
I’m going to be really cheeky and say my sister’s debut
Not Now, Noor! She’s a Northerner born and bred and has got some really
exciting projects lined up. When I say her work is on my TBR pile, I mean that
very sincerely…
Instagram: @burhanawrites
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