Jasbinder Bilan, an award-winning children's author, clinched the prestigious Costa Award for her literary prowess. Her debut novel, "Asha & the Spirit Bird," emerged victorious in the 2017 Times/Chicken House Competition, drawing inspiration from the profound connection Jasbinder shares with her grandmother.
Following a string of successful children's books, Jasbinder's latest creation, ‘Nush and the Stolen Emerald,’ is set to hit the shelves on May 9th. In an interview with Asian Voice, the author discusses her book, the inspiration behind it and exploring the colonial history.
What inspired you to write "Nush and the Stolen Emerald," and what drew you to set the story during the reign of Queen Victoria?
Nush and the Stolen Emerald was inspired by a portrait I happened upon of the eleven-year-old Maharani of Coorg, Victoria Gowramma, commissioned by Queen Victoria and painted by the renowned Dutch artist Franz Xaver Winterhalter. It is in the Royal Collection, kept at Osbourne House. I’d never heard of her before which surprised me since she spent her childhood and youth in Victorian London, much of it at the court of Queen Victoria. So I began as I do when I don’t understand something by doing lots of research into her short and sad life. It made me want to write my first historical story. A story which would be inspired by the portrait but which I would make my own by transforming it into an exciting adventure for 8-12-year-olds.
Can you tell us more about Nush, the protagonist of your story? What aspects of her character do you think readers will find most compelling or relatable?
Whenever I set out to create my protagonists, I ask a lot of them. I want them to be relatable, with admirable personal qualities such as bravery, heroism and a sense of wrong and right. But they also need to have their flaws. So Nush has all these aspects to her character. I also wanted to create a character who would break the stereotypes readers might have of a girl with an Indian background from the 19th Century. In contrast to her twin brother who will naturally inherit the throne from their father, it is Nush who must try harder to impress and also to imagine a life for herself which is one she wants, a ‘life of adventure,’ as she says. Nush knows all about the powerful real queens of India, such as Razia Sultan. She is also clever and has great social skills which means she is the perfect companion to her father on his diplomatic trip to Buckingham Palace. She builds real friendships with the royal children. I think readers will find Nush impressive but also identify with her.
How do you balance the complex themes of colonialism and identity in a children's story, and why is it important for young readers to explore these concepts?
The British Empire and colonialism are important and defining aspects of who we are today. It was a hugely powerful and influential time which is often shied away from and not always taught in schools. When I write, I want to create an authentic story, so I did a lot of research into this period. I discovered so many things that I didn’t know and as I did my research lots of things about the present day began to make sense. It’s important to bring these issues into the light and allow children the opportunity to discuss them. That’s what education is about. Once they know, they can make up their own minds about the rights and wrongs of colonial rule. My challenge with this story was to create an exciting adventure with great characters which wasn’t a history lesson but would allow the reader to become Nush and see things from the very close first person present tense narrative. I also wanted to re-imagine an ending for Victoria Gowramma which would perhaps make her smile.
Could you share a bit about your writing process? How do you weave such intricate historical details into your narrative without making it too drab?
My stories usually begin with a single visual. In this case, it was the portrait of Gowramma. At this early stage, I will pick a beautiful notebook and begin collecting thoughts, images and ideas in a very freely and record them in the book. This early period is one of freedom and musings. I like to visit exhibitions, go for walks and think about who I see in my story. I also like to create a musical playlist and a storyboard which I do on Pinterest. I might also hand-write a few chapters if it feels right.
Nush was a real challenge for me, and I began thinking about it when I was in the middle of writing Xanthe and the Ruby Crown. It was a challenge because I’d never written a historical story before and it’s also a mystery which is something else I’ve never really tried. As a children’s author, the most important aspect of a story is for it to hook the reader, to make history exciting, so you have to use all your skills to see the events from the point of view of your young character.
What message do you hope readers take away from "Nush and the Stolen Emerald"?
The main message I would like readers to take away is one of empathy. I want them to know how it feels to be part of a royal household and the pressures that can bring. I’d also like them to think about the personal stories behind big historical events. I hope I also inspire them to find out more about this period in history by reading some of the great new non-fiction books on the topic.
