17 16 Quest to change public perception of desert life Jasmine Brett Stringer A sought-after lifestyle expert book together. I depended mainly on the two. Jasmine Brett Stringer is principal Q: This is the good side of technology, but do you think it will have a negative impact on paper books? A: For now, I do not see that negative effect. When you observe the trends in the book world, you will note that paper books still attract millions of readers. I think the best proof of my opinion is that large number of people attending the Sharjah International Book Fair. of JB Stringer LLC. and founder of the internationally recognized lifestyle brand Carpe Diem with Jasmine. As a nationally recognized and sought-after lifestyle expert, Jasmine has been featured on a variety of media outlets. Jasmine s award winning book Seize Your Life: How to Carpe Diem Every Day was released in January 2016. As a professional speaker Jasmine leverages her experiences from Gozia Van Roszak is a Polish writer and the author of a book titled Through the Sands of Colour. The book is based on narrations and illustrations, which makes it easy on the eyes. Roszak says the book offers an insight into the Saudi Arabian deserts. Our reporter sat down with her for this interview. What influenced the choice for the title of your book? I was driven by the desire to change people s perception of the desert. It is not merely about sand dunes or hot and dry areas. I am sure that Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) visitors who will read this book will arrive at a conclusion that the desert is an exciting place. What was it like writing the book? Yes, when I started writing the book, I embarked on a tour of the deserts of Saudi Arabia and took pictures of their diverse animal life. I did this to make the reader appreciate the desert through my lenses. The different deserts I visited changed my point of view of the word desert. Life there is very special and exhilarating. Q: Did technology play a role in your writing of the book? A: Absolutely, because I availed of a computer and the web to put my Q: When did you start writing? A: That was years before university. I used to write articles, which were published. It was by lucky to I found my talent in writing. Q: What do you think of the Sharjah International Book Fair? A: Actually words can t express my admiration for it. I attended many Book Fairs before, one of which was in Abu Dhabi, so I imagined that the SIBF will be smaller and with few guests, but really I was astonished to see that large number of books, publishers, and exhibitors. It is terrific. working with Fortune 500 Companies and some of the world s biggest brands such as, Kraft Foods, Toyota and the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN TV) to inspire and empower audiences to achieve their personal definition of success and seize their lives. Aladin tale A cocktail of joy and awe are written sociates, a UK theatre production company, is doing a good job in performing that it the kids having enjoying the most during the musical comedy cheers up on the faces of the numerous Sharjah International Book Affair (SIBF) young visitors faces as they keenly one of Arabia s favourite tales as they animatedly sing, clap and dance. The firm s performance at this stage production, the cast later reveal that it is an exhilarating experience performing at SIBF. youngsters follow the storyline of the Anglicised version of the Aladin tale. year s SIBF is line with the designation of UK as the guest of honour. It is always a pleasure performing at SIBF, says Paul Holman, the di- And kudos to them, Paul Holman As- Whereas one would only assume rector of the pantomime.
19 18 How to get Kate Middleton s look on a budget Want to be a newsreader? The LK Bennett nude wedges, the blue blaz- don t wear short skirts, be decorous at all times and understated and modest, were her er by Zara, her $169 J Brand skinnies, and a couple of expensive items will get you closer to your desired princess look without emptying words of advice when asked about what the everyday Josephine could do to look and feel like a princess. Hundreds of children who have ing tremendous response. But what has surprised them most is the tal- ing and reporting, he said. During the first three days, the chan- your bank account, said journalist and British Claudia Joseph is a respected journalist and been aspiring to become news an- ent of the little ones. nel has received over 200 children. royal biographer and author, Claudia Joseph, when a packed audience of Kate Middleton admirers asked her the all-important question about how to dress like a princess. Joseph was in conversation with the London Book Fair Director, Jacks Thomas, at the 36th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF), where the two explored the many facets of a royal s life that is anything but a walk in the park, their public image and perception, and the central role their wardrobes plays in shaping not just the news but their legacies. With her grace, elegance and style, the Duchess of Cambridge has become a fashion icon the world over. A dress or a pair of shoes worn by Kate can sell out within minutes, often crashing websites as women clamour to copy her look, Claudia remarked. Be more modest, and try not to be a ladette, royal writer/commentator and author of William and Kate s Britain, also by Splendid Publications. Her book Kate: The Making of a Princess sold in the UK, US and several other worldwide markets. The talk was organised as part of SIBF 2017 s celebration of the UK as the fair s guest of honour. Elite authors and prominent literary figures from the UK are visiting as part of the programme. More than 1.5 million titles and 1,650 publishing houses from 60 countries are participating at this edition of SIBF. It runs until 11 November at Expo Centre Sharjah, under the theme A World in My Book. SIBF 2017 s calendar of events spans across several programmes, including the Cultural Programme, the Cultural Café, the Intellectual Programme and the Cookery Corner. chors or reporters for TV channels have been thronging the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) as India s major Malayalam language channel, Media One, launched a programme titled You re on Air at its stand in Hall 7 of the Expo Centre Sharjah. The channel has been training young children how to read news for a bulletin and report from the venue and recording their performances for posterity. The talent of children coming forward to face the camera has surprised the team conducting small news bulletin for the youngsters. MCA Nazer, Media One s Editorial Operations Head in Middle East, said that his team has been receiv- We were pleasantly surprised by their abilities, including energy level, presentation skills, screen presence and the fluency with which they read news. They were briefed for twothree minutes and given five minutes to prepare themselves before facing the camera. Within minutes we had a newsreader ready to go on air. The result was amazing, he added. He said that the programme, You re on Air, was launched at the SIBF 2016. The overwhelming response to this programme encouraged them to repeat it this year as well. But this year we have made some changes. We have added news reporting as well. Now children can try their hands at both newsread- Every day two best performers from each category are selected as winners. The participants also get gifts as encouragement. Nazer said that this project was launched just to give children an exposure about immense preparations a news channel has to go through before they watch news on their television screens. But it has helped them spot the talent as well. Many schools have been using this opportunity to train their students. We receive students in groups from various schools. Later, we upload their performances on our channel on Youtube and provide them the link so that they can share with their friends and relatives.
21 20 Best International Publisher a major attraction at SIBF 2017 Writers share tips to lure young readers In the era of technological advancements, with all its challenges to the reading culture, some notable authors shared tips on how to lure young readers. It is not that easy, for example, to channel a teenager into reading about refugees, because they don t care about the subject despite the fact that we grapple with the issue of conflict and refugees in this region, said Noura Al Noman, author of several books. Al Noman has predominantly written kids titles, which include a novel titled Ajwan, one of a handful of science fiction novels in the Arab world. One of the measures I employ is to make a teenager the main character in the storyline. The character, for example, loses everything in a moment: property, parents and close relatives. This kind of line draws young readers and moves them. Al Noman made the comments while appearing on a Cultural Cafe panel titled; Gaining Control Over the Interest of Young Readers at the ongoing Sarah International Book Fair (SIBF) at Sarah Expo Centre. TOUCHING STORYLINE Once the children are touched by the storyline, they easily appreciate other stories of strife happening in far-away countries like Somalia. Also on the panel were other senior authors such as Morgan Catherine Matson, author of Amy & Roger s Epic Detour. Renowned under her pseudonym Katie Finn, she is a best-selling American novelist and recipient of the California Book Award. I draw young readers by stuffing my work with extras that I come across during research trips, said Matson. Peter Lerangis, an American author of over 170 books, which have sold more than six million copies and been translated into thirty-three different languages, said, What I know about kids is that everything to do with them has to be urgent has to be done there and then. Another panelist, Lang Leav, who has written extensively about love, said love is a universal language. Leav, an Australia-based international bestselling author and social media sensation has previously won a Qantas Spirit of Youth Award and coveted Churchill Fellowship. Love comes in many different forms. It is something universal which is looked at in a special way, she said. Her books continue to top bestseller charts in bookstores worldwide and Lullabies, was the 2014 winner of the Goodreads Choice award for poetry. Mathrubhumi Books, the book publishing and trading division of India s leading media conglomerate The Mathrubhumi Printing and Publishing Co Ltd, has become a major attraction at the 36th Sharjah International Book Fair. The publishers made a headline by winning the Best International Publisher Award at the inaugural ceremony of the book fair, where His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Muhammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, presented the award to Joint Managing Director of the Mathrubhumi Group, MV Shreyams Kumar. We are privileged to receive this award from His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Muhammed Al Qasimi, who has high regards for books and wishes to ignite people s mind by spreading the light of knowledge, said MV Shreyams Kumar. What makes this prestigious accolade even more important is the time, as it coincides with the 94th anniversary of the Mathrubhumi Group. It is indeed an honour to all Malayalam readers and writers because Mathrubhumi s journey, down the line, represents the culture, history and literature of Kerala, he added. While, Mathrubhumi Group became the first Indian media house to win this prestigious title, there are reasons aplenty that visitors are heading to its stand located in Hall 7. This year, Mathrubhumi has arranged an excellent collection of both Malayalam and English titles. About fifteen publishers are represented through Mathrubhumi Books. Together, they are displaying more than 3,000 titles at the stand that is spread over eight stalls. PP Sasindran, Middle East Bureau Chief of Mathrubhumi, said, To cater to the needs of the reading population, we have brought thousands of books representing different genres of literature including fiction, non-fiction, self-help, spiritual, cookery, health and a wide range of children s literature. Books from world s renowned authors like Sadh Guru Jaggi Vasudev, Anand Neelakantan, Arun Shourie, Rama Chandra Guha, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam are much in demand, besides popular books from bestselling Malayalam authors.
23 22 SIBF hailed for promoting, preserving languages A Saudi cultural figure has said that one language dies every month and that many Arabic speakers have failed to lay stronger strategies for strengthening the language, considering that it is the language of the Quran and Muslims. Of the globe s 5,500 to 6,000 languages, some spoken by fewer than 50 people, there is a language dying out every month, said Dr Abdullah Al Washmi. It is not true that spoken Arabic is immune to dilution if no stronger dertaken, he said. COMMENDABLE INITIATIVE It is against the background that I would like to applaud the efforts of initiatives such as the Sharjah International Book Fair for the role they play in boosting varied languages longevity. He added that some countries like China and Indonesia have given special attention to Arabic language for commercial, educational and religious purposes. Dr Al Washmi made the remarks while featuring on a panel discus- sha Alajel. Other panelists included Dr Majed Bu Shlaibi, the chief of Sharjah-based Al Muntada Al Islami, and Dr Najm Abdullah Kazem. CONS OF WHATSAPP Dr Al Washmi said the advent of WhatsApp is a cause for concern because it has led to people, especially the teenagers create their own dictionaries. Dr Bu Shlaibi centred his discussion on Sharjah in particular and the region in general in pointing out for silk trade and a meeting point for the Western travellers and administrators, an aspect that enabled the area to import other civilizations as well as export hers. He noted this is as one of the reasons for the existence of an influence of Arabic words in Africa, the Indian subcontinent, the Far East countries like Indonesia and Malaysia as well as in some parts of Europe. There was trade across here in the C17th. Trade and oil exploration led to multi-cultural exposure in strategies are laid in schools and sion themed Culture and Different culture and different faces of civili- this area, which brings positive and establishing institutions, a measure Faces of Civilisation, which was sation. negative aspects to the community. which we have not adequately un- moderated by an Emirati writer, Ai- Sharjah s location made it a route That is part of life, he said.
SIBF daily news Issue 4 Saturday 4 November 2017 SIBF hailed for promoting, preserving languages