Shaheen Kazi is an Indian Author; being from Mumbai. She settled in Gulf (Saudi Arabia) for more than two decades. After perusing IATA, she focused on her passion for writing. Her achievements include six books, three anthologies, and many forthcoming projects. She is a versatile author. She also writes short articles for The Literature Times. Sometimes for a change, she works as a Reviewer at MouthShut.com. Her readers of all different ages always pick her books from any Bookfairs.
Akhila Saroha: Its great to see you coming up with one unique book after the other. How did you come up with the idea of writing “Sizzling with… She 2 She”?
Shaheen Kazi: Thank you, Akhila. When I was writing my Vol 1, i.e. Sizzling With Next, I wrote in an erotic style; so after Vol 1, I wanted to write Vol 2. Since my Vol 1 was the stories about wives, my Vol 2, I thought, why not write a unique storyline? In this way, readers reading these trilogies in each volume will come across different moods and amazing stories.
Akhila Saroha: Although the subject discussed in “Sizzling with… She 2 She” is still not openly discussed in society at present, were you skeptical about its reception by the readers?
Shaheen Kazi: No, I wasn’t sceptical of the lesbian theme. I have a reason behind that: in this day and age, everyone has OTT. They are much more familiar with many things. It’s only about society’s mindset. ‘Sizzling With She 2 She’ This book is specifically for modern readers.
Akhila Saroha: How do you see yourself as a writer in the coming years since you have been experimenting extensively even before “Sizzling with… She 2 She”?
Shaheen Kazi: Akhila, you’ve known me since from my first novel, ‘Age Was Just A Number’, and I haven’t stopped since. I had always tried to come up with something unique for the readers with every book. Every reader has their preferences for what they like to read. As an author, I am always a writer for everyone. In the coming years, I can only see myself in each reader’s heart.
Akhila Saroha: What was your inspiration for the women you have created in “Sizzling with… She 2 She”? Have you met any in real life or they were just from your imagination?
Shaheen Kazi: Any author is incomplete without their imagination. Thus, character study also includes a portion of the research. I had travelled to many Western countries and had drawn on their characters. So when writing the stories, I used inspiration and analysis to paint every surface.
Akhila Saroha: In this time, when LGBTQ rights are still a matter of debate, where do you place “Sizzling with… She 2 She” in their debate or support?
Shaheen Kazi: I am not on the debate side or in support. ‘Sizzling With She 2 She’ is about lesbians, but it is for society. I think I only have two words, ACCEPTANCE & RESPECT, which they need from the society. Being lesbian or gay is their preference, but not treating them on humanitarian grounds is insane.
Akhila Saroha: Since you have began writing with “Age… Was Just a Number,” how do you see your journey as a writer, and how has it helped you grow as a person?
Shaheen Kazi: With every book, I became a more mature and creative thinker. In addition, my writing has taught me to be patient and to use my time in the correct direction.
Akhila Saroha: As per you, would there be a particular age group above which readers should read “Sizzling with… She 2 She”?
Shaheen Kazi: Yes, as I had mentioned in my book clearly on the first page, 18+
I have written this book for modern readers so that they can understand and expand their mindset concerning LGBTQ communities.
Akhila Saroha: Do you know any writers writing in the LGBTQ category? Which works by them did you like?
Shaheen Kazi: Many international writers have written about LGBTQ. But, of course, if you read any regular romantic novel by any international author, between chapters, you can find some intimate natural scenes. But, being an Indian woman, I had taken bold steps to write about erotica, especially lesbians. So, I believe that these international writers should read my work. Don’t you think so?
Akhila Saroha: Since you have good experience as a writer, how much time does it take to write one book? How many revisions did you have to do initially and now?
Shaheen Kazi: Thank you again, Akhila, for describing me as an experienced writer. But let me tell you, there’s plenty more to learn about writing. I am not a full-time writer, nor do I have a massive team behind my work. So, from research to storyboarding, I need a few months, depending on my genre. Finishing my book alone takes me about 8-10 months, sometimes over a year, including many re-written versions. Revisions never end; my editing work grows after completing the manuscript until it comes out for publication. And at every edit, my job gets better. I never took any of my books lightly; I worked on each book the way I started. And amazingly, each book has made me a little better.
Akhila Saroha: I am a bit excited to see what comes from your pen next. Do you have anything lined up next?
Shaheen Kazi: Currently,there are many cats in my bag Akhila. I’m too excited to take every single cat off. But yes, my Vol 3 is perfectly ready. Once my Publisher approves it, my Trilogy in the erotic genre will be complete!
Akhila Saroha: What is the story behind the title, “Sizzling with… She 2 She”? Could there be any other title that would explain your idea better?
Shaheen Kazi: You’ll be surprised that ‘Sizzling with She 2 She’ was not the title. I was with SEX WITH SHE 2 SHE. When my Vol 1 got released with the tile SEX WITH NEXT, Amazon had created too many problems for the entire publishing house, and because of that, in place of ‘Sex’, I came up with the idea of Sizzling. I’m referring to my trilogy, so these books should have the same initial name.
So if you see Sizzling with She 2 She, that number ‘2’ is a narration; that’s Vol 2.
Akhila Saroha: Do you think “Sizzling with… She 2 She” could have been written as a full fledged novel too? What are your thoughts about that?
Shaheen Kazi: ‘SIZZLING WITH SHE 2 SHE’ is a book that explores a range of emotions, consequences, and rise or fall in relationships. The book features a diverse cast of chartacters with varying ages and backgrounds. To convey this book’s diverse emotions and moods, I wrote ten different stories since it was not feasible to do so within the framework of a novel. At every level, readers can engage with the characters and their perspectives.
Akhila Saroha: I wish you luck for your next ventures. Please keep writing!
Shaheen Kazi: Thank you, Akhila. Yes, my pen is overflowing with too much ink, so let’s not dry it. And it’s always a pleasure to have this conversation, and thank you for taking the time to read my work.
