Lessons from the library
UAE author Maitha Al-Khayat chats to Yalla – Abu Dhabi Life on what inspires her to write
While many of the glorious ideas that pleases our eyes when curled up in a ball with a hot drink and a book come from the wonderful adventurers of authors, inspiration can be found within the four walls of our homes. For Emirati author, Maitha Al-Khayat, her children proved the source to unlocking her creative side and picking up the pen.
“When I wrote the first book, I Love My Dad’s Long Beard, it was something inspired by my kids. The things that I wrote were always inspired by what my kids would do or say. I was basing all my stories around all the naughtiness or funny things children do. But then afterwards, I noticed I was also instilling some cultural elements in them in a subtle way.”
On her hunt for books, Maitha found that it was nigh on impossible to find a picture book telling the story of the lives and culture of Emiratis and combining the experience of being a mother, which led her to penning her first book, the aforementioned I Love My Dad’s Long Beard.
“When I started a family, I rediscovered the picture books I enjoyed as a little girl like Roald Dahl, Dr. Seuss and the Brothers Grimm. I relived my childhood with my children and then this is when I found out there weren’t enough Arabic and Emirati picture books. I thought I’m Emirati; I should be writing about our culture and writing for our children.”
The self-proclaimed bookworm says her love of books began as little girl with her father telling bedtime stories before discovering a real affection for novels with illustrations thanks to extra time being spent in the library to improve her English.
“My dad was studying in the USA and then he moved to the UK and that was when I really fell love with picture books because I had to learn English. I had some problems adjusting at the schools so I always was sent to the library. So, because I love stories and I was sent to the library, everything clicked together and I was hooked on picture books.”
Publishing more than 170 books since 2008, all the more remarkable as her background is in business administration, Maitha’s advice to anyone looking to pursue a new career or life-long dream is simple; just do it.
“Never be afraid of yourself. When I started writing I was a mum, I had three kids and was pregnant with my fourth child and I just thought I should do this and I really ran for it.
“It’s listening to that voice that tells you that you can’t do it that will prevent you from following your dreams so go for it. You’ll never know unless you dive into it and once I did, I just couldn’t stop.”
The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you’ll go
Dr. Seuss