Ammar Al Naaimi's Blog

Hello! Happy to bring you another video review! Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim was better than Snow White!

Here’s what I thought

Six Crimson Cranes can be summed up with one word: Polished! This is a well written, properly paced, seriously characterized book that ticks all the boxes of modern storytelling. I even liked the romantic subplot. However, when I really think about it, I can’t really point to a single element that blew me away. The book just felt kind of ‘good’.

Below, I will talk about the book’s world, the plot, the magic system, the characters, and the philosophical undertones.

Quick plot summary: Unrily Princess Shiori is cursed by her stepmother to be unrecognizable and mute, and her six brothers are turned to cranes. Can she overturn the curse to save her brothers?

The world: The world is Japanese/Asian in nature, with tons of kimonos, peach blossoms, and fish soup. I adored the subtle vibe, which was quite gentle. I think the cultural intensity was moderated so that this book will appeal to a global audience. Besides, there are dragons in the ocean and demons in the mountain, which is always fun.

The plot: The plot is reaaally well-paced. Surprises take place at the proper points in the story. While this SHOULD make everything seem predictable, it doesn’t. I enjoyed each twist and elevation in stakes.

The magic system: This world’s magic system is soft enough to make anything seem possible, while being hard enough to place proper limitations on Shiori herself. I really enjoyed how this was handled through the curse, and how that served the plot, particularly Shiori’s struggles against the stepmother.

The Characters: Shiori and her betrothed were really solid, as was the dragon boy. I could tell the author struggled to identify each brother from one another given their limited “screen time”, but she really did the best with what she had, so all in all, I liked the characters.

Philosophical Undertones in the Book: I happen to be reading Plato’s Republic while reading this book, and I couldn’t help but identify his concept of “true falsehoods” with this book. True falsehoods are actual thoughts or opinions formed in our minds, which are completely false. Six Crimson cranes, as I see it, hinges on this concept. Shiori has wrong opinions about basically everything: The Step Mother, her fiance, her own curse, and her brothers. If at any time those assumptions had been challenged, the plot would have changed. Therefore, I think we can identify true falsehoods as a main philosophical concept in the book.

All in all, I thought the book was an exemplar, technically stellar book, and deserves 4 stars!

The post Video Review: Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim first appeared on Majlis.

Hello!

I thought it would be nice to share with you Chapter 1 of Mumeet, the 3rd book of the Sarim Series, which is a series of books following the adventures of Mishal, the newest Exorcist at the Public Authority of Anti-Jinn Operations, based in Muscat, Oman. Watch him hunt evil jinn, protect his friends, and uncover the screts of his magic!

If you would like to preorder the book, click here! It will launch in April inshallah

By ordering, you are supporting indie Omani writers.

Chapter One: A Dance With Despair

The boy tugged against the manacles holding him to the cave wall, making them softly chirp. He rolled his neck to work out a kink in it. Two weeks he’d been here. Two weeks of monotone meals of rice with daal, of listening to the guards gossiping about the desperate state of affairs at Sarim, of worrying about how he’d royally, truly, completely messed up.
The good thing about being chained in a cave, reflected sixteen-year old Mishal, is that at least you don’t have to worry about what to do next.
Not that this stopped Mishal from worrying. His heart was a broken compass, spinning wildly until it blurred and all directions looked wrong. Nevermind that for now, he told himself. You need to get out of here and find Asaad.
Mishal put his worries aside in a secret pocket inside his mind and examined the situation. He was in a cell, held in place by magical shackles and a geometric seal painted on the wall that restricted his ruh.
Frustrated, Mishal tugged on the shackles, though he knew that nothing would happen.
“Good afternoon, brother,” a voice said from behind the cell door, apparently having heard the noise Mishal made. A moment later, Mishal saw torchlight slip underneath the door. It opened, revealing the resigned face of one of his jailers.
The man gave Mishal a not unkind smile. This man had tended the jail every day for the past two weeks. By the brown of his fatigues, Mishal identified him as a scout, a type of Sarim employee with minimal magic powers. Scouts did not directly fight jinn. However, their military training made them well-suited to tasks such as guarding prisoners.
Making sure criminals like me can’t hurt anyone. Mishal replayed the moment when Asaad, his Shayib, had appeared from an alternate dimension with a jinni embedded inside his soul. Asaad had looked terrifying, with his eyes a complete monotone black like tar, his face apologetic as he spoke in the tone of Maymun Al Sahabi, an ancient monstrosity.
This cell was only part of Mishal’s punishment. Soon, Mishal would stand trial for his role in all this. Mishal imagined being in the council of Shayibs, where the CEO had always sat, and answering for the crime of allowing the CEO to be killed. The feeling made him sick to his stomach. He gave his life to save Asaad.
Asaad would need to have his own trial, Mishal realized.
Worse still, Asaad could be dead.
Or he could be in the adjacent cell for all I know, Mishal thought to himself even as he nodded to the jailer.
The man walked into Mishal’s cell. He gathered Mishal’s bowl of food and replaced it with a fresh metal plate segmented into two halves, one which contained daal and another which contained rice. However, this time there was something new on top of the rice.
“Did I get an upgrade?” Mishal asked, wincing at the dryness in his throat.
The man smiled. “I thought you’d appreciate a piece of fish. This is gaithar, meaty and filled with protein. Would help keep up your bulk. Mashallah, you’re big. How old are you?”
“16 and a half,” Mishal replied cautiously. In fact, his birthday would be in May, just a few months later.
“Wow. Trust me then, you’ll grow up to be a beast by the time you’re twenty, if you keep up whatever it is you’re doing. Can I call you if I need to move any furniture in my house?” the man joked.
Mishal smiled in spite of himself. However, all this talk of houses reminded him of his own home in Al Khoudh, and his family. A pang of worry went through him, and before he could think, he said, “My parents and sister must be worried sick.”
The man’s grin widened. “Oh, Sarim has ways to get around that. They probably think you’re in a boarding school somewhere, or perhaps Sarim conveniently delivered a clone of you to their doorstep. Don’t worry about it. Your trial will be over before you know it. And then, maybe you’ll be let out and go right back home.”
Mishal remembered the black coin which Sarim’s technical department had given him earlier. One click on the device caused a ruh construct to inflate from within it, creating a poorly-constructed copy of the user. Such a copy parroted phrases, but its voice and features, such as its too-close eyes, made Mishal shudder. Could that copy really fool his family for long? “Why are you so nice to me?” he asked.
The man’s grin faltered. “Ah, well. I heard about what happened, of course. About the battle of Maymun Beach.”
Mishal’s heart dropped. “Is that what they’re calling it now?” He looked deep into the man’s eyes and found swirls of confusion. “I didn’t know that was going to happen,” he swore. He didn’t trust himself to say more. He thought about the small keychain in the shape of a sword, which he had bought for Ahlam, long ago. Was it still in his pocket?
“I believe you,” the man replied. “You were just trying to help your friend, and I can’t fault you for that. I’m sure the higher ups will understand.”
The man pulled a key from his front pocket and inserted it into the metal panel where Mishal’s manacles connected to the wall. With a click, the chain released from Mishal’s wrists. However, his manacles were still on.
Mishal rubbed his hands. The restraint was lifted, but the magical seal on his powers was not. He eyed the guard, wondering if he could take him in a straight fight.
Haraam, I can’t do that after he’d been so nice to me. What if I sneak around him?
Suddenly, Mishal started. The guard’s eyes were elsewhere. He’d been distracted by some sound upstairs, and was looking up in confusion. Mishal felt an urge to sneak around the man, search for Asaad, take him and run away forever.
Focusing on your urges is how you got into this mess.
Months earlier, when Maymun Al Sahabi had first began looking for ways to possess Asaad, Mishal had wholeheartedly believed that Asaad could overcome the ancient jinni. He had helped Asaad train in a different dimension. Unfortunately, Mishal had misjudged the situation, and now Asaad was in an unknown condition.
All because you decided things with your heart. Now, you need to think this through.
Sneak around him now? Or wait until night?
Maybe now was the best moment. Slowly, Mishal inched around the guard. However, at that moment the guard looked back down at him, a growl escaping his lips. “You’d better not, Rambo. You’re only in temporary confinement. Be good and don’t cause any more problems.”
Mishal let out a frustrated breath. Not only had he failed, but the guard was on high alert now. He put out his manacled hands, used to the routine, and the man put out a water bottle out for Mishal to wash his hands. Mishal leaned down and began to eat with his hands, scooping bits of daal into the white rice and then into his mouth. Then he tried the fish. It tasted… good, actually. Not as great as what his mother made, but good.
“How is Asaad doing in the other room?” Mishal asked offhandedly, poking for information. He gestured with his head to the right side.
The man smiled slyly. His eyes followed Mishal’s gesture, but then he glanced to the other side. “What makes you think we put him in the other room?”
Mishal nodded. From the man’s phrasing, he deduced that Asaad must still be alive. More importantly, the man’s glance told him that Asaad must be held deeper inside the jail, to his left. The last he remembered, Asaad had collapsed. Mishal imagined him lying in a coma even now. They should be putting him in a hospital, not a prison.
At least he’s alive.
Suddenly, a loud thump sounded above. Mishal and the man both paused. Dust fluttered slowly down from the ceiling, with two pairs of eyes watching it closely. Mishal and the man looked to one another.
“What was that?” the man asked, looking even more nervous than Mishal felt.
Another thump sounded, louder than the previous one. Then shouts came, followed by a boom so loud that it shook the entire cave, toppling Mishal’s lunch and causing the man to trip and slam his head on the wall.
The man fell to the floor, face staring vacantly up at Mishal.

***

Like what you read? Preorder the book!

The post Chapter 1 of Mumeet first appeared on Majlis.

In 2023, I spoke to a disinterested teenager who opened my eyes to the work we still have to do in encouraging reading across the GCC.

“Books?” he asked me, scoffing. “But that’s not what I’m about at all!” It was hard to hear him over the bustle of the 27th Muscat International Book Fair, where 385,000 people browsed over 500,000 titles. Being a bookseller, I felt unease at his response. However, I asked him what he WAS interested in.

“Hiking and football,” he said.

Well, that’s easy enough. Did he know there are books about the most beautiful hiking trails in the world? And, obviously, he could find the biographies of many a famous footballer. Why, I said, maybe by reading their biographies, he could underatand them better. Maybe he could even be like then.

That got his attention. After chatting for a bit, I sent the teenager on his way, looking for books that might suit his needs. But it ocurred to me, as I waved him goodbye, that reading still had a long way to go.

Oman has made remarkable progress in combating illiteracy, with the rate dropping to 2.5% of the total population amidst peograms like the Ministry of Education’s Educated Village Program. It’s even lower among younger age groups, thanks to our robust teaching curriculum. However,  as illeteracy percentages shrink until they become practically invisible, it is time for us to think about the next level of literacy- promoting  reading as a hobby.

For a time, I had been quite certain that social media would come to the rescue of reading. After all, platform like Instagram, Whatsapp, and Twitter, which are used by over 85% of Oman’s population, involve a lot of reading. However, the quality of this reading is often questionable, so as it turns out, social media wasn’t the magical pill I’d hoped for. And as you might know, the use of social media tends to build stress, break down social competence, and slash the user’s attention span.

No. Now, more than ever, we need to turn to recreational reading.

Events like the Muscat International Book Fair, which attracted 394,172 visitors in 2024, highlight the growing interest in books. This trend is encouraging, especially considering the appearance of over 624,000 titles.

You might ask me why I think reading is so important to us as a society.

The thing is, literacy is more than just the ability to read and write; it is the foundation of critical thinking and informed decision-making. Reading novels enhances empathy and transforms our problem-solving capacities. Non-fiction places entire spheres of technical knowledge under our command. And while social media can complement literacy efforts and impart valuable knowledge, it cannot replace the depth of understanding that comes from reading a book.

So how do we do it? I think the answer is quite simply to give people the books they want.

Reading has a PR problem, which stems from the view that it is boring. However, if we keep in mind that genre is unlimited, we realize this is simply not true. Tell me your interest, no matter how niche, and I will tell you that there is a book for you. Reading can supplement any hobby you can think of. All we need is to provide people with the opportunity to find the right book for them.


The fight for people’s minds continue. We are close to eradicating illeteracy. However, there is a second peak of literacy ahead, looming like a new mountain. This is a peak social media cannot overcome. By fostering a culture that values both digital engagement and deep, reflective reading in various topics, we can expand on the literacy we have developed, sending us towards new horizons.

The post Illiteracy, the Enemy first appeared on Majlis.

We have The Dark Tower, A Wizard of Earthsea, and more!

Hi reader!

I can now officially tell you the Fantasy Majlis is a bookstore now. Our first shipment of books has arrived, and is available for order across the GCC in The Shop.

This is incredibly exciting for me, as it allows me to bring you books which may be difficult to find, and which I personally enjoyed throughout the years.

What we have:

Skullduggery Pleasant 1-3 (An urban fantasy about a magical skeleton detective and his 12-year old sidekick, solving mysteries, kicking faces)

The Gunslinger (Stephen King’s incredible dark fantay where a cowboy hunts evil across a dystopian post-apocalypse world)

The Wheel of Time 1-2 (a beautiful Epic Fantasy where the chosen one is doomed to go insane, and where only women are able to wield magic safely)

A Wizard of Earthsea (Ursula Le Guinn’s 1968 epic fantasy about the world’s most powerful wizard, who seeks atonement after breaking the world)

Witch King (A contender for best fantasy of 2023)

Of course, my own novels Sarim and Hazim, urban fantasies about Omani exorcists using their spiritual powers to protect Muscat, are also available

Check out the books, I hope you enjoy them.

Regards,

Ammar

The post First Book Shipment! first appeared on Majlis.

“Harry Potter is too childish.”
“The Night Circus is too complicated”
“I don’t like Dune because the language is confusing.”

You ever hear something like the above about your favorite books? Yeah, I do too. According to whom you ask, either the books we like are too easy and childish, vacuous, hollow imitations of real literature, or they are snobby shiny set pieces, like a golden bauble placed atop a mountain: Pretty, but of ultimately little substance, and no entertainment value.

I hear it about my own books too, despite Sarim recently clearing 50 reviews on Goodreads with a 4* average rating.  In this article, we talk about why this phenomenon occurs- the big old Literary Fiction Vs. Genre Fiction debate. So, what is this debatw?

For those who don’t know, literary fiction is often the award-winning, critically acclaimed kind of fiction seen as high literature, while genre fiction is fun, easily digestible, and is more likely to be turned into movies. The US book market sold 3 Billion books in 2023, according to the Association of American Publishers. However, I was unable to find out what percentage of this number is considered literary fiction and what percentage is considered genre fiction. The line is like my vision when I spend too long reading: Blurry.

Below, you’ll find out:
– The characteristics of literary vs. Genre fiction
– The need for both
– Some examples of literary and genre fiction

Characteristics of Literary and Genre Fiction:

There are a few main things that seperate genre fiction from literary fiction. The most common things I notice are the below:

Ease of Entry: Genre fiction generally has easier language and stronger plots. In the case of fantasty, it also features stronger magical systems, and more tropes. Because of this, genre fiction tends to be very beginner friendly. Contrast this to Literary Fiction, which excels in the use of prose and succinct language (like the word succinct), as well as experimental writing techniques and rhetorical devices. But because of these very elements, literary fiction is considered higher brow, and more suitable to experienced readers.

Popularity: As a side effect of the above, best sellers tend to be genre fiction books, while critics and award winners tend to be literary fiction books. In fact, I remember reading somewhere that Stephen King and Terry Pratchett being precluded from some competitions because they were considered too low-brow for the critics, way back when.

Purpose of Writing: Because of the high perceived value of literary fiction, there is also a greater pressure for literary fiction books to have a strong message that the author is trying to get across. Meanwhile, genre fiction is fully accepted as a pure medium of entertainment. This doesn’t stop us from putting themes in our books. However, in our case the themes tend to hang out in the background, sipping drinks, hanging out in wait for the right reader to show up and notice us.

Why we need both types of books:
Literary and Genre Fiction books are necessary. Genre fiction, in some cases, lays the ground work for deeper themes appearing in strong literary fiction. It also provides the bulk of most readers’ preferences. Finally, the simple truth is that genre fiction has a wider appeal. On the other hand, literary fiction often includes the trail-blazers, books which introduce new writing techniques that genre fiction writers later adopt. Besides, literary fiction is perfect for true bibliophiles, whose engines run on turns of phrase.

Examples of both:
Like I said above, the line between literary and genre fiction can be quite blurry. However, I’ve cast my eyes online, and within the depths of my memory, to find some examples for you

Literary Fiction:
1984 by Goerge Orwell
Catcher in The Rye by JD Salinger
The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho

Genre Fiction:
The Expanse Series by James SA Corey
The Alchemyst Books by Michael Scott
My books!


Grey Area: Personally, I would put Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus, Frank Herbert’s Dune, and The Midnight Library down as in the grey area.

With that said, I do hope this blog post has helped you understand the difference between Genre Fiction and Literary Fiction. The next time somebody disses your favorite book, go ahead and explain the difference to them, and why your taste is superior to theirs!

The post Literary Vs. Historical Fiction first appeared on Majlis.

There’a nothing quite as bookish as a as a book fair, with thousands of stalls and walls upon walls of stories to check out. Whether you’re a seasoned reader or just starting to explore the world of books, there’s something magical about attending a book fair. As an author, book fairs are my favorite places to be. Here’s why!

1. Discovering New Books and Authors

You think you know books? Well, visit a fair to discover you don’t know NEARLY enough!Countless stalls are spread before your eyes, offering a fantastic way to expand your reading list and literary horizons. Many book fairs also feature debut authors and independent publishers, giving you a chance to find hidden gems and support emerging talent. Like *EHEM* mine!

During Sharjah Book Fair, I was brought face-to-face once more with Caraval. While popular, this series is outside my usual genre. So I picked it up as a challenge!

By the way, here are some tips on how to pick a book

If you’re going to give the books their due respect, I recommend the below:

1- Go in with an open mind: If you wanted to just grab your favorite author, you could have done that online, or visited a local bookshop. Fairs are about the DISCOVERY! Try to read from 1 new genre at least during each visit. You might be surprised.

2- Give yourself ample space to explore:

Too often, readers come by my stall in a rush, wheezing, and look around for less than a minute before moving to the next thing. When you visit a fair, make a day out of it! Go to a workshop, chat with friends, build a group, and get lost! He who swims at his leisure takes in more from the ocean than he who dips into it then runs back to shore.

3- Give yourself a limit:

I realize the dangers of my advice. If you keep an open mind and stay hours at the fair, won’t you overspend?

I say nay. What you should do is give yourself a limit. Mine is simple: No more than 3 books per fair. If you already have a list of books you’re hunting for at the fair, I recommend keeping 3 slots open, to allow for discovery.

So, these are my tips for successful fair visits, from a book-buying perspective. Let’s move on to other aspects!

2. Engaging with readers
Every time I visit a fair, I remember whuy book lovers are the best. This time, I ran into a kid who used up all his money to buy his sister’s favorite book, and had a fun encounter selling Sarim and Hazim to a lady without telling her who I was. She asked if I’d read the books, and what I thought.

“Err, you can say I’d read them,” I replied, “but it’s not fair of me to give me opinion.”

When she finally confirmed that she would like the books, I asked if she wanted an autograph.

“Huh? Is the author here somewhere?” she asked.

I raised a shaky hand. Guys, you should have seen the look on her face!

So yeah, meeting readers is fun. It also tangibly helps me penetrate the different geographic and demographic markets.

3. Learning something new!
Book fairs often host a range of events, including author talks, panel discussions, and book signings. These events provide a unique opportunity to engage with authors and industry experts. You can hear firsthand about the inspiration behind your favorite books, learn about the writing process, and connect with publishers and distributors. For me, this is pure business, since I make it my goal to sign an agreement with a bookshop/distributor in each country I visit while in a book fair.

In conclusion, book fairs are a celebration of literature and a haven for book enthusiasts.

The post Three things I love about Book Fairs first appeared on Majlis.

It’s so tough to choose what to read next, isn’t it??

I remember being around 12 and going to Borders in City Center. Back then, the bookshop sprawled endlessly, and I spent hours upon hours lost in its alleys, trying to choose what to buy.

Sometimes, I would end up reading 50 pages from a book, only to realize that I didn’t want it

Today’s borders ain’t got NOTHING on the old one

Thankfully, my days of agonizing over books has equipped me with some tools which help me to this day, so now: Here are some things to keep in mind while choosing your next book to read:

My tbr (sort of)

1- Favorite genre: Let’s face it- We all have a favorite book, or at least a favorite genre or two. My personal go-tos are epic fantasy, urban fantasy, and philosophy (even though philosophical books are harder to get through).

While it’s tempting to stick to your faves, my advice for you is to branch out a bit. Alternate between reading your favorite genre and new ones. For example, I just finished a history book, and my current read is A Deadly Education, which is a sort of dark academia fantasy which is proving a jet-black delight!

Like dragons? Pick a dragony book!

2- Pieces in a series: Ever start a cozy little standalone novel, then look up to only to face the horrid realization that it’s part 1 of a  towering 13-part bookish Everest, complete with bouldera of lore, valleys of twisting magic systems, and sparse copies left of part 9?

Right, that’s what happened when I tried to pick up Eye of The World. The book was GORGEOUS. But now I’m stuck on book five, stuck halfway up the mountain with nowehre to go. Worse still is – gasp- when you pick up a book, become utterly confused by Chapter one, and realize you have accidentally picked up part FOUR of a series.

(shouts into the abyss)

Pick your mountain wisely. Make sure you google the book and check it out on Goodreads to find out where it is in any given series.

Leave the 12-book series for later

3- Friends: This one is simple. While scouring your bookshelf, remember Einstein’s bookish forumla: E= MC^2

Where M is the number of friends who like the book, and C is your reading speed. The more friends you know who enjoyed the book or are interested in reading it, the quicker you will finish!

The great thing about having shared reading interests is that you might be able to discuss the book, or even read it together. This is invaluable, and will make your experience far better.

(don’t get bored, read with friends)

Conclusion: These were my tips to picking your next read! If you’re still not sure about what to pick next, take a look at MY BOOKS. They are sure to satiafy all three tips

As always, happy reading!

The post How to Pick Your Next Read first appeared on Majlis.

One question that lit up my imagination while reading the Harry Potter series was this: How are they inventing all the spells??

When I looked it up, it turned out that wizards tended to invent magic based on observation. They discovered issues in the world, noted phenomena which could be manipulated through incantation and magical gesture, and made the necessary connection! Magic, it appears, is a blend of necessity and creativity.

Did you know this is actually linked to a philosophical idea?

Whether it’s altering gravity, bending light, or changing the properties of everyday objects, magical invention involves both keen observation and creative thinking. This idea of inventing spells by watching and understanding the natural world can be linked to Aristotle’s theory of knowledge. Aristotle believed that all knowledge begins with sensory experience—seeing, hearing, touching, etc.—which is then processed through induction to form general principles of First Principles, or the four causes below:

  •  Material Cause: The substance that something is made from
  •  Formal Cause: What gives the matter its form
  •  Efficient Cause: The process behind something’s existence
  •  Final Cause: The purpose of the thing

Much like Aristotle’s idea that humans learn by perceiving the world and abstracting universal concepts, wizards in the Harry Potter world learn to manipulate reality by closely observing nature, as well as how their magic can manupulate it. It’s a magical form of Aristotelian empiricism!

I’d love to add some unique spells to the mix, based on my own observations. Here are five spells I’d conjure up, along with their incantations, wand movements, and reasons why they’d be must-haves in any spellbook.

1. “Tidywriggle” – The spellfolding charm
Incantation: “Tidiwrigo!”
Wand Movement: A Z shape, followed by a flip.
Purpose: This spell instantly uncrumples any  fabric.
Reason: For those of us who can’t seem to fold our clothes properly, “Tidywriggle” would be a game-changer. Imagine you’re back from a meeting at the Ministry of Magic, and don’t have the time to fold all your clothes—no worries! A flick of the wand, and that ungodly pile of laundry has turned into a column of perfect shirts. A must-have for neat freaks and procrastinators alike!

**2. “Quibbilify” – The Instant Distraction Jinx
Incantation: “Quibbilus!”
Wand Movement: A ling swirld followed by a point at the target.
Purpose: Causes the target to begin talking incessantly about their favorite subject, distracting them for five minutes.
Reason: Ever found yourself out of subjects two minutes into a conversation? Well, fear not that awkward silence! Quibbilify causes the target to launch into a monologue about their favorite subject, whether it be top-ten cauldron shapes or how much they adore the rain.

**3. “Mufflesis” – The Silent Step Spell
Incantation: “Mufflicus Ambulus!”
Wand Movement: A smooth hopping motion
Purpose: Silences footsteps and eliminates the noise of crunching leaves or creaky floors.
Reason: Oh no! You woke up and need a glass of water, but your friends are all asleep, and your House floors are notoriously creaky! Now you have Mufflesis, the mother of spells for insomniacs snooping around the house. Perfect for sneaking around the Hogwarts library after hours!

Conclusion
Inventing spells is a fascinating exercise in imagination and practical thinking. Much like Aristotle’s belief in learning through experience and induction, creating spells in the Harry Potter universe involves observing the world, identifying a need or desire, and finding creative ways to manipulate it through magic. And while these three spells might not make it into the curriculum at Hogwarts, I hope they add some magic to your life!

The post 3 Spells I’d Invent If I Were in the Harry Potter Universe first appeared on Majlis.

Hi,

I'm happy to announce that I am back to reading regularly! Thank you, The Wheel of Time series.

Expanding your reading horizons is tougher than I thought. However, it's truly rewarding to explore outside my usual genre.

What have you been reading recently? for me, it's The Shadow Rising

When I first started on Unoriginal Tales and Sarim, I enjoying an outpouring of support from the Omani community. Until today, I still get messages from people who say they want to support local authors, inclusing my books. Here are the best ways  you can support your local author, and how to become their favorite reader while doing so.

Ask them about their books

Whether you first encounter the author at an event, or through social media, ask them about their book. This gives them a chance to pitch their book, but it also gives you useful information about things like genre, chracters, and other things such as their writing process. This is the information you need to make an informed decision on whether to pick the book up or not.

Tell other people about the book

Based on what the author tells you, and your personal preferences, you may or may not feel like it’s a good fit for you. However, in all cases, it’s great to let other people know about the book. Take a picture of it. Tag the author. Post on social media. Tell your friends and family at lunch that you met so and so and they write so and so. Doing this helps spread awareness about the author and their work to others who might like the book, especially to people in YOUR social network whom the author cannot otherwise reach.

If the books sounds right for you, buy and enjoy it

Of course, if the book tickles your fancy, give it a buy! Once you buy it, keep in mind when you’re hoping to read it. There’s nothing sadder than books just sitting on shelves unread.

Review and shoutout!

Here is next level support. If you enjoy the book, write a review about in on a platform like Goodreads or Storygraph. Personally, nothing makes me happier than seeing a new review appear. It gives me a glimpse into what people liked and disliked, strengthens my book’s reputation and marketing, and it just plain gives me the drive I need to write more books for you. After all, if you enjoyed it, then I need to give you the next one, right?

Even after you post a review, you can still make additional posts about the characters or magic system, or draw art, or suggest the author’s book to a bookclub. All of these are excellent ways to expose more people to the author’s books, and will help support them towards writing full time.

If you do all the above, then trust me, you will be a star and the author will think about you all the time.

About me

Hi, I’m Ammar Al Naaimi. I write fantasy novels that revolve around freedom in some way or another. My biggest work to date is the Sarim trilogy, which is about jinn hunters living in Muscat, and who use their incredible sprititual powers to protect Oman and Omanis.

You can find out more here. Do check out my books and let me know what you think.

The post Want to support your local author? Here is what to do first appeared on Ammar Al Naaimi Author Site.