Blasted an ex on someone else's wall? Stole an almost unknown hottie's face and got away with a fake life for two years or more? Became popular for being that stolen hottie? Got a mass rejection letter from a callous literary agent and made an FB group to protest, enjoy and/or remember the incident? Deleted a friend and then reinvited her, only to discover you weren't being missed until she confusedly clicked on the friend request from you. (Yeah, you really outdid yourself on this one, didn't you Einstein!) OR you wrote a book?
My pick - wrote a book!
Although, I've been part of all the fabulous events I've listed above and more, the one I actually DID was writing a full fledged two part fantasy novel. On Facebook. And yes, we've deleted all the evidence so please Mark - no asking to share money once we're rich and famous :)
Anyway, if you've skimmed through the website already you may know what I mean by the Facebook Factor. The inboxed one-line story starters and that initial group of girls, which Shami very nicely told me in no way had thirty members. Hmmm...must've been more. And that T-man is NOT a girl.
My bad. I don't always get all my dems correct. And by dems I don't mean blue donkeys.
Anyhow, the point is, as they say, an idle mind is a devil's workshop and when you put a devil to work, out comes Demon. And he is something to crave for too! I wish I could take all the credit for creating as delectable a character as Spruengli's sexy dark trinkets but I can't and I won't.
Aoife & Demon, like all of us, was born of two parents. I am only one of them.
Shamila Ahmad. Some of us know her as Shamila Salim Sardar or Shamila Sardar. All of us know her as Shami. I found her on Humzy's wall. At first I thought she was some model Humzy had gathered from her ad agency days. Then, I learnt that no - they went to college together. I thought oh! of course! She must've taken to the runway or stills after college for her looks seriously would support such a career. I too had known many mini celebs back in college none of whom had ever looked half as stunning as Shami did. But then, I got to know her better.
Shami is a homemaker; a mother with a regular demanding family of two besides herself. She loves music, a good joke, a heated discussion and Apple! I don't think she ever goes to sleep since she is always updating her wall on FB and those rare days when she isn't, I and the rest of her gang make sure we worry to the hilt and look out for any possible internet meltdown in her part of the world. Though, I don't think that would be enough to keep her from getting online.
She has tons - correction - an entire galaxy of friends that jump at you from top, bottom, left, right and center everytime you visit her page. That could be owed to the fact that she may also be one of the most tolerant of people you'll ever come across. Hence, everyone has an open invite to join Shami's circus and have fun :) or you may sulk and cry and she'll be there with a hot towel and some ice cold beverage to soothe your perturbed nerves.
Oh, but don't you dare for one moment think there aren't things that unnerve the unruffable Shamila! You know what ticks her off? Bad grammar and spellings. Oh yeah! It could be Ian Somerhalder (which it never is!) or Beto Malficini (which it was!) - bad grammar is not something Shami will forgive or forget. Lord knows I've had to hear about it while writing dialogues for the book!
"It can't be a 'but' here! It has to be 'and' Humiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii! I know my grammar!"
"Where's the comma?"
"Its 'it's' not its."
"I can already see the spelling mistakes!"
Oh hell yes, she can talk like that. Don't be blown away by that dp there. She has an IQ of 2000 something!
Besides that, her talent for writing and creativity oozes out in AOIFE & DEMON: CURSED BE THE SYHLAIN! Her wit gives the book that bite in every line that will send you into peels of laughter and make you declare you've never read fantasy with such classy humor before. Keep your eyes peeled for the next post. We'll lust after Demon in that one ;)
But for now, let's enjoy one of the things that make Shami go nuts. Here's to you darling and to all those with good taste!