Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with London Shah

London Shah spent her teen years dreaming of what it would be like if humanity lived deep under water. She also yearned to see characters that shared her British-Muslim identity and Afghan heritage in the books she read. Out of these aspirations her debut novel was born. The Light at the Bottom of the World is making its mark in the young adult genre as the first to feature a British-Muslim teen girl as a main character in a science fiction story. It has received industry praise from School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, and Booklist. And it’s sure to be a hit with readers when it releases next Tuesday.

Pop Culturalist chats with London about her debut, her writing process, and the most important lesson she’s learned as an author.

PC: Hi! Welcome to Pop Culturalist, London! To start, tell our readers what your debut novel, The Light at the Bottom of the World, is about.
London: Hi, and thanks for having me—I’m thrilled to be here! So, The Light at the Bottom of the World is a young adult sci-fi, and releases on October 29th from Disney Books. The story is set in a submerged world of the future, when humanity resides a thousand feet below the ocean’s surface. It focuses on sixteen-year-old Leyla McQueen, a British Muslim submersible racer, and her quest to find her missing father who’s been wrongfully arrested and imprisoned. When she’s picked to participate in the prestigious annual London Submersible Marathon, she spies her chance to help him—the prime minister grants the champion their heart’s desire. Except the marathon doesn’t go to plan, and soon Leyla is forced to leave the safety of London and venture out into wilder waters for the first time in her life. As she navigates her own submarine through the unfathomable depths of Britain, battling both the oppressive authorities and the dangers of the deep, she quickly realizes all is not as it seems in her world.

PC: What inspired you to write it?
London: The setting. I have always been fascinated by any image of human beings and buildings underwater, and around the time of my early teens I fell completely in love with the idea of a submerged world. I remember watching the film Splash and how it never left me afterward because it brought that vision to life for me. So, I’ve long fantasized about us living deep below the surface of the oceans. With LIGHT, I wanted to create a submerged world as aesthetically close to our current one as possible, and to try and avoid anything too hard sci-fi. I was also disinterested in an underwater world experienced from the point of view of mermaids. I wanted a submerged world we could imagine ourselves in.

PC: What are three things readers should know about Leyla McQueen?
London: Due to the society she lives in, Leyla is, like most people around her, afraid of the unknown. Leyla is incredibly brave. Leyla will stop at nothing to get to the truth.

PC: What message do you hope is conveyed to readers through The Light at the Bottom of the World?
London: Hopefully the themes give readers pause for thought. There are the stifling consequences of extreme nostalgia, and our fear of change. Nostalgia is exploited to create and drive that fear, as is fear of the other. The narrative also focuses on hope. If the story leaves them feeling that no matter how difficult things might seem, there is always hope, I’d be overjoyed with that.

PC: What did you enjoy most about writing The Light at the Bottom of the World? Was it world building, developing the plot, writing the character arcs, or something else?
London: World building, and creating the characters. Though it’s obviously challenging, I can’t imagine a time when envisioning a new world won’t be an absolute thrill. And then comes the joy of seeing certain characters inhabit the place.

PC: What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned on your journey as a debut author?
London: Good writer friends are priceless, and they can make so much difference.

PC: Is there anything you can tease about the sequel?
London: The twists in book 1 have nothing on what unfolds in LIGHT 2.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Writing session must have (music, food, drink, etc)?
London: Absolute silence, a detailed plan if I’m drafting, a steady flow of food, and countless cups of tea. And sweets—always a tub of sweets to hand.

PC: Audiobooks, physical books, or e-books? Physical books.
London: I’m yet to listen to an audiobook! If I ever do, I’m almost certain I’ll find the voice too intrusive.

PC: Favorite genre to read?
London: Light SFF. No epic or high fantasy, and no hard sci-fi. I love speculative fiction.

PC: Genres other than science fiction you would like to write?
London: Fantasy

PC: Dog or cat person?
London: Neither, I’m afraid…I’m frightened of both. (But I’m otherwise COMPLETELY NORMAL I tell you!)

PC: Favorite social media platform?
London: Hmm, these days I think I’m enjoying Instagram more than any other place. It’s far easier to catch up with, and seeing pictures of friends doing their thing makes me happy. I know it’s something of a highlight reel, but with the state of the world as it currently is I’d be more than happy only witnessing the highs for a while.

Follow London Shah on Twitter, Instagram, or online.

Be sure to check back next week for our review of The Light at the Bottom of the World!