Notes from the Shelf

Today’s Featured Author:
O. A. Bhatti

I first met O. A. Bhatti through our library book club, and it didn’t take long to see how passionate he is about both reading and storytelling. Beyond being a fellow book lover, he’s an indie author of sci-fi/fantasy and horror whose debut novel, The Unlinked Prince, came out in 2024. His latest book, the horror novel Veilrender, released just this August. I was thrilled when he agreed to do this written Q&A, sharing more about his writing journey, inspirations, and advice for aspiring authors.

Meet O. A. Bhatti

O. A. Bhatti is an indie author of sci-fi/fantasy and horror. He’s a lifelong metalhead and nerd with a ridiculous number of interests that tend to creep into his work. Born and raised in Chicagoland, his work is often informed by his Pakistani/South Asian heritage. He also fancies himself a social critic, interweaving topical critiques into the non-euclidian toothy shells he calls stories. When not working on his various projects, he’s a full-time educator and father, doing most of his writing in between work, chores, and other “doodies.”

The Unlinked Prince is his debut sci-fi/fantasy novel released in 2024. Also, his new horror book, Veilrender, is out now! Find where to purchase them on his linktree.

Q&A

What inspired you to start writing in general?

I’ve kind of been writing my whole life, having first started making up stories as a little, as many do. In first and second grade we had projects to write and illustrate our own picture books, which I remember taking more seriously than my classmates. I actually still have both, which are… interesting to say the least (ya boy’s got a brand, apparently). I worked on a fantasy universe/storyline throughout my childhood and adolescence, some of which was written down, some of which only ever lived in my head, percolating. But throughout all of this brainstorming and on-and-off, I never really considered creative work to be a serious thing.

I was raised in a fairly non-creative space. Both of my parents consider themselves practical people, so the expectations were 1) Get good grades. 2) Get a real job like being a doctor or a lawyer. That isn’t to say that I wasn’t allowed to be creative, but that no matter what creative work I did, even up to the point of being an adult taking part in writing workshops in college, I never thought I’d actually write fiction to be read by other people outside of structured academic settings. But looking back, I clearly always wanted to, I just didn’t realize I could just do it.

In 2021, after years of psyching myself out, and eventually up, I just sat down and started writing a horror novel based on an idea that had been swirling around in my head for some time. I’d been listening to a lot of true crime (actually I’ve always consumed a lot of true crime), and realized that there was a “flavor” of fiction/horror that I wasn’t seeing. Years after I “completed” that manuscript (this became Veilrender), I was inspired to do something similar with sci-fi/fantasy. That became The Unlinked Prince, my first published novel, and the foundation for a fictional universe I’m chomping at the bit to keep writing in. Really, what inspired me to write in general was my love for exploring ideas through story.

What inspires you to continue writing?

It sounds hokey, but I just love it. The problem is that when I create characters, I immediately start imagining what they’d do in different situations, so I’ve got like two ideas for books that I’m itching to get to now that Veilrender was released.

When did you know you wanted to publish a book?

When I realized how much I loved writing and how much I had to say. I also got a confidence boost from my spouse, who very helpfully let me know that my work was actually worth reading. Never underestimate the power of a good boost from someone you care about.

How did you first get published?

I originally tried traditional publishing through small presses. My big problem is that I don’t have a lot of time to devote to my writing. I work full time, and I’m a parent, which keeps me busy 24/7. So when I completed my first manuscript, I decided to just try submitting it, rather than trying to meet or coordinate with an agent, which is its own can of worms.

But even small presses have their own guidelines and submission rules, so it takes time to put stuff together for them (for context, I’m using my one hour of writing to do this interview instead of working on my manuscript today). So after a couple of rejections, I decided to focus just on the writing, and then when my second manuscript was done, I decided to self-publish.

Even with some very helpful guides on the internet, it was a process to figure out what was going to work for me. Ultimately, with the help of my spouse, who designed the cover, I was able to put out my first book, The Unlinked Prince, written just for the love of it! (Though money would be nice too. Someday…)

What is your writing routine?

I try to be fairly disciplined with my process. I take about an hour a day to work on one main project. Usually I don’t have a full hour available, so I take time here and there (i.e. for half of my lunch break at work, and after I put the toddler to bed). Having a consistent process is good, particularly if you don’t have consistent time, because you can just pick up where you left off.

So, right now I’m doing a final revision of my first manuscript, and I’m going chapter-by-chapter. If I get ideas for another project, I create a new project file and just jot it down before going back to the main project. I use Scrivener, which is SO GOOD if you want a program that can kind of do it all. Another helpful tool provided to me by my lovely spouse. Effectively, even though I’m not getting paid much for writing, I treat it as a job (that I happen to adore).

How do you develop an idea from initial spark to finished manuscript?

I have a very active imagination, so for me, I tend to think about an idea a LOT before starting any writing. I tend to imagine scenes, with characters, dialogue, or maybe just atmosphere. Eventually, after mulling things over so much that they become really fleshed out, I basically have no choice but to write it down.

Once I get going, I usually have to stop myself at some point, maybe in the middle of a work, maybe the end, to actually outline where I want the story to go before writing more. This outline is usually rudimentary, but is invaluable in helping me stay organized. Things may not end up actually matching the outline all that much, but having some structure makes things easier because you have something to work from. Also, having fleshed-out characters really helps with finishing a manuscript, because I can just follow them as they do their thing.

Have you dealt with writer’s block and how do you handle it?

I’ve never dealt with the kind of persistent writer’s block where I’ve been paralyzed, but I have had moments where I had trouble articulating something. This happens sometimes in dialogue-heavy scenes, particularly involving philosophy, world-building, or heavy emotions. For me, I find it helpful to come back to a particularly tricky bit the next day to see it with fresh eyes. This might mean I actually move forward and write more that ends up needing revision, but for me, action is a better way of moving through a block than staying on a piece that’s giving me trouble.

That said, while writing itself tends not to block me up, marketing/promotion does. It’s a lot of extra work that my brain has a hard time navigating, especially since I have social anxiety in general. So figuring out what quippy thing to say on my BookSky, for example, takes longer than I imagine it takes for most people. It’s something I’m trying to work on when I have the time (doing this interview is great practice!).

What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever received?

I wish I could remember the name of the adjunct professor/TA who said this, but the best advice I ever received was roughly, “The first draft is going to be shit. Just put it to paper, you’ll fix it later.” No one is going to read something that only exists in your head, so even if it’s not perfect, having something written down is better than not. Everyone revises, no one’s first draft is their last, and as you repeat the process of writing/revising, your work will get better.

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

Besides repeating the above advice? If you’ve got an idea and want to write, just sit down and start. A lot of big authors this past decade started as fanfic writers. By just sitting down and writing as a hobby, they developed their skills and bodies of work to great success. If you want to write, it will only help you to start.

Which books or authors have most influenced your writing?

The big ones are Stephen King’s Dark Tower series and Frank Herbert’s Dune. I have a lot of other influences for specific works, but those books permanently changed my brain chemistry.

What book(s) are you currently reading?

I’m currently reading The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow (SO freaking good), and I’m about to start The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett (which I’m excited for).

What’s something readers might be surprised to learn about you?

People seem to find my range of interests to be eclectic, but one of my more understated obsessions is bags and organization. I spend way more time than people might expect on packing, repacking, and reorganizing the things I carry every day.

What are you currently writing? Anything coming out soon?

I’m currently working on ACTUALLY releasing my first unpublished novel (Veilrender, which was released after this interview was conducted). I was planning on releasing it quickly, like early this year, but when I started what I thought was going to be a cursory revision pass, I ended up wanting to rewrite a bunch of it (also, apparently I improved as a writer since I’d originally “finished” it). I’m excited to release it, as it’ll free me up to write the sequel(s?) I’ve been planning for a while. I’ve also been mulling over ideas for follow-ups to The Unlinked Prince that’ll get written… someday.

Current Books

The Unlinked Prince is available digitally through Amazon/Kindle and Kobo. There is a free 7-chapter excerpt available, if anyone’s looking for a fun sci-fantasy time but aren’t sure they want to commit to a 400-page novel by an unknown self-published author (first taste’s free, hehe…). Anyone interested can access that free excerpt through the first link on my linktree or through the “Downloadable Works” section on my website.

Veilrender was released on August 31, 2025 and is available on Amazon/Kindle, Kobo and Angus & Robertson.

The Kobo version is actually DRM free, which means you can read it on just about any device (though I’m not sure you can side-load EPUBs onto Kindles anymore). I’ll add physical releases someday, but for right now, publishing ebooks means I can keep writing without adding another wrinkle I don’t quite have time for yet.

Connect with O. A. Bhatti

You can find O. A. Bhatti’s socials and books through his linktree as well as on his website https://oabhatti.com (where he posts book reviews when he can, usually of other indie authors). He’s also active on bluesky.

Wrapping Up

A big thank you to O. A. Bhatti for taking the time to do this Q&A and share such thoughtful answers. His reminder to just start the thing if you’ve got an idea and that action is a better way of moving through a block than staying on a piece that’s giving you trouble really gave me food for thought while I work on my own book. I hope his words inspire you as much as they inspired me.

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