Every Friday, we meet a member of the BFS and peer deep into their soul (or, at least, a form they filled out). Want to be featured? Email us: online@britishfantasysociety.org
Name:
Sophia Vahdati (she/her)
Which region are you based in?
South West UK—Somerset (near Bristol)
If you write, which genre:
Sci-fi and fantasy
Are you drawn to any specific SFFH sub-genres?
I have a soft spot in my heart for dystopian and cyberpunk stories. That said, I’m a big fan of fantasy across the spectrum—and I’m a sucker for a good romance subplot.
Your influences
Tell us about the book/film/thing that got you into SFFH: What was it? How old were you? What impact did it have on you?
I can trace back my enjoy of all things SFFH adjacent to my earliest conscious years. I was a big Disney movie fan; Mulan, Hercules and Aladdin featured among my favourites. Then I graduated to Dragon Ball Z and some of the scarier Cartoon Network kids shows like Courage the Cowardly Dog. Aside from TV, I also consumed all things Darren Shan and Garth Nix.
There really wasn’t a single thing that got me into the genre, but I can credit my enormous crush on Keanu Reeves in The Matrix (and Constantine) as one of the drivers for keeping me obsessed with SFFH.
How does that early influence show up for you (in life/writing/agenting/publishing/editing/reading) now?
I still read and write (and watch) a huge variety of SFFH content—and I’m always partial to crossovers between magic and tech.
Where do you draw your creative inspiration from?
Poetry and song lyrics form a cornerstone for my inspiration. Sometimes a single phrase or verse can open up an entire world or plot for me. Aside from that, I often draw upon my own life experiences and realisations.
Who do you look to as a genre hero? Why?
Margaret Atwood, Ursula K. Le Guin and Octavia E. Butler (pictured) are legends of the genre space. I think all writers aspire for their work to gain a sort of ‘timeless’ quality, as well as reflecting back a key moment in human history. These authors have certainly done that, writing immersive, evocative stories that truly wrestle with what it means to be a part of human society.
Your Work
You’re stuck in an elevator for 60 seconds with that hero, and they want you to describe your work. Give us the pitch.
Using eye colour as a vehicle to explore how humans create structures of power and difference, my story follows three people in a world with eye colour segregation and hierarchy: a working class man whose family depend on him providing, and who sees no other choice than to resort to crime and rebellion; a mixed race teenager with illegal dual heritage; and the undercover agent who is after them both.
What are you working on right now?
I’m working on dev edits for the as-of-yet untitled sequel (and conclusion) to The Girl with the Fierce Eyes as well as ruminating on my next projects: an epic fantasy gender-swapped retelling of the Persian legend of Rostam and Sohrab, and a Skins meets Severance corporate dystopian that’s aimed at burnt-out millennials who are too tired for revolution.
Thinking about all the stories/work you’ve done, what sticks out most in your mind? Why?
I’m a baby author in almost every aspect. The Girl with the Fierce Eyes was my first ever complete manuscript and, aside from a pile of mostly unpublished short stories, it really is my first work of prose. I used to write a lot of poetry before trying my hand at novels. Annoyingly, I’ve found that as I become more content with my life, my poetry gets increasingly worse.
Where and when do you create/are you at your most creative?
Impossible question to answer. I am the Queen of Inconsistency. Some days I write best at home, other days I can’t get anything done so I leave and go to a café. And at university, I spent my final year writing essays in pubs because going to the library felt too depressing and I had to remember that ‘real life’ still existed out of the academic bubble.
What’s the best advice you’ve received about creativity?
If, like me, you’ve spent most of your adult and teenage life constantly setting yourself goals and learning to be task-oriented, it can be incredibly hard to accept that creativity (and human beings) are not tools or robots that can be ‘switched on’ whenever you want. For this reason, the advice to carve out time to ‘fill my creative well’ by partaking in other activities was the best advice I’ve ever received. Taking a walk, dancing to my favourite music, playing the piano, cooking—all these things help to restore and refuel my creativity.
What’s your writing soundtrack?
I usually make a different playlist for each project, but Kate Bush is almost always part of them.
The Quick-Fire Round
Sci-fi, fantasy or horror?
Fantasy
Quiet or loud?
Quiet
Dark or light?
Light
Strict lines or genre blend?
Genre blend
Awards or bestseller?
Bestseller—a girl’s gotta eat.
Fiction or non-fiction?
Fiction—always.
Poetry or prose?
Poetry
Plotter or pantser?
Plantser
Reading or listening?
Reading
Notebook or computer?
Computer
Favourite SFFH book of all time?
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
Last book you read?
The Reaper by Jackson P. Brown
Any SFFH author on auto-buy?
Stephen Aryan!
Favourite podcast?
The Publishing Rodeo by Sunyi Dean and Scott Drakeford.
The Home Stretch
What’s the best thing about being part of the SFFH community?
I am continuously overwhelmed (in a good way) by how supportive, creative, talented and inclusive the community can be. Every conference I’ve been to has been so fascinating and enlightening. Of course, I’m biased, but I think the SFFH community is filled with the most wonderful people with the widest range of diverse interests. The two highlights for me so far have been getting asked to contribute to an anthology of world mythology stories after meeting some lovely authors at FantasyCon, and learning how to do self-defence with a mop at BristolCon!
Time to plug your stuff! Where can we find you and your work? What have you got coming up? Consider this your advertising space.
Hello! My name is Sophia Vahdati, I’m a Persian British author who writes for people who are still searching for magic. You can hear more about my writing journey, track the current level of cat chaos in my life and get all the latest news about my work by following me @sophiavahdati on Instagram and TikTok and checking out my website.
My indie-bestselling debut upper YA dystopian fantasy, The Girl with the Fierce Eyes, is available from all online retailers in e-book, audiobook and paperback form. The story is set in the Empire of Shariza, a world where eye colour determines wealth, status and access to magic. We follow a multiracial 17-year-old girl as she grapples with the fact her dual heritage is illegal by uncovering family secrets, joyriding on hoverbikes—and almost breaking the world. Some places you can find it:
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