Saara El-Arifi
{{Short description|British author}}
{{Infobox person
| image = saara el arifi 2023 3.jpg
| caption = El-Arifi at the British Library in 2023
| birth_name =
| birth_date =
| birth_place = Abu Dhabi, UAE
| alma_mater = {{Plainlist|
- University of Kent {{small|(BA)}}
- SOAS University of London {{small|(MA)}}
}}
| occupation =
| years_active = 2022–present
| website = {{URL|https://www.saaraelarifi.com/}}
}}
Saara El-Arifi is a British fantasy author of Sudanese and Ghanaian descent. Her debut novel, The Final Strife, was published in 2022 by Del Rey Books in the United States and HarperVoyager in the United Kingdom.Cowdrey, Katherine. "[https://www.thebookseller.com/news/double-six-figure-deals-african-inspired-epic-fantasy-debut-1210309 Double six-figure deals for African-inspired epic fantasy debut]" The Bookseller, 8 July 2020 It is the first in the Ending Fire trilogy, which draws inspiration from West African and Arabian mythology, and was selected as one of Amazon's best books of 2022.{{Cite web |last=Fiorillo |first=Katherine |title=The 20 best books of 2022 so far, according to Amazon editors |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/learning/amazon-best-books-2022 |access-date=2024-04-30 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}}
Life and career
El-Arifi was raised in Abu Dhabi before relocating to Sheffield with her family.{{Cite web |last=Wright |first=Jonathan |date=2024-01-24 |title=Reimagining fantasy: meet one of the brightest new stars of the genre |url=https://www.pressreader.com/uk/sfx/20240124/282737706690360 |access-date=2024-05-08 |website=SFX}} Her father was Muslim and her mother was raised Christian.{{Cite web |date=2022-05-20 |title=Saara El-Arifi on the Inspiration Behind The Final Strife |url=https://www.waterstones.com/blog/saara-el-arifi-on-the-inspiration-behind-the-final-strife |website=Waterstones.com}}
Her career as an author began in 2022 with the publication of The Final Strife, represented by Juliet Mushens of Mushens Entertainment.{{Cite web |title=Saara El-Arifi's Signs 2 Six-Figure Deals for Her Debut Novel The Final Strife |url=https://brittlepaper.com/2020/07/saara-el-arifis-signs-2-six-figure-deals-for-her-debut-novel-the-final-strife/ |access-date=2024-05-10 |website=brittlepaper.com}} Faebound, the first in a new romantasy trilogy,{{Cite web |title=BBC Radio 4 – Open Book, Madeleine Grey |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001w73w |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |date=2024-04-09 |title=The best fantasy novels to read |url=https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/lifestyle/editors-choice-book-reviews/a45735775/best-fantasy-novels/ |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=Good Housekeeping |language=en-GB}} was published in 2024 and became an instant #1 Sunday Times bestseller.{{Cite news |last=Hackett |first=Laura |date=2024-04-29 |title=Why young women love book boxes — the craze shaking up publishing |url=https://www.thetimes.com/culture/books/article/book-subscription-boxes-new-literary-queenmakers-5lkpzxtrw |access-date=2024-04-29 |newspaper=The Times |language=en |issn=0140-0460}} The novel was also longlisted for the TikTok Awards UK & Ireland 2024.{{Cite web |last=Wood |first=Heloise |date=2024-05-09 |title=TikTok unveils new partnership with National Literacy Trust |url=https://www.thebookseller.com/news/tiktok-unveils-new-partnership-with-national-literacy-trust |access-date=2024-07-10 |website=The Bookseller |language=En}} In 2023, rights to El-Arifi's next two projects, Cleopatra and The Queen of Sheba, were acquired by the Borough Press.Bayley, Sian. "[https://www.thebookseller.com/rights/borough-press-pre-empts-two-literary-historical-novels-by-el-arifi Borough Press pre-empts two literary historical novels by El-Arifi]" The Bookseller, 16 October 2023 Cleopatra will tell the story of Cleopatra VII, opening at the moment she discovers she is Pharaoh of Egypt.
El-Arifi holds a BA (Hons) in Theatre Studies from the University of Kent{{Cite web |last=Shukla |first=Nils |date=2022-07-19 |title=Interview with Saara El-Arifi (The Final Strife) |url=https://fantasy-hive.co.uk/2022/07/interview-with-saara-el-arifi-the-final-strife/ |access-date=2024-05-08 |website=The Fantasy Hive |language=en}} and an MA in African Studies from the SOAS University of London.{{Cite web |title=Saara El-Arifi {{!}} Penguin Random House |url=https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/2244445/saara-el-arifi |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=PenguinRandomhouse.com |language=en-US}}
Bibliography
= The Ending Fire series =
- The Final Strife (2022)
- The Battle Drum (2023)
- The Ending Fire (2024)
= The Faebound series =
References
{{reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
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Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:Alumni of SOAS University of London
Category:Alumni of the University of Kent
Category:Black British women writers
Category:British fantasy writers
Category:British women novelists
Category:British women science fiction and fantasy writers
Category:British people of Ghanaian descent
Category:British people of Sudanese descent