In this interview, I chat with Saara El-Arifi about Cleopatra, researching Cleopatra and the time period, how daunting it was to write about Cleopatra and wanting to give her her dignity and her voice back, the stunning cover and her requests for it, deciding what to include and what to leave out, and much more.
Saara's recommended read is The Immortal Heart by Jennifer Saint.
Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page Winter Reading Guide here for a tip of your choice or for a set price here via credit card with over 40 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this winter and spring - a number of books you will not see on other guides. I also include mystery series recommendations, backlist picks, and fiction and nonfiction pairings.
Purchase Kelly and my Shelf Ceremony here. We discuss tons more great read from 2025.
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Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2026? Check out our fifth Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead, and we color-code by genre in this one!
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Author
SAARA EL-ARIFI is an internationally bestselling author of fantasy and historical fiction. El-Arifi knew she was a storyteller from the moment she told her first lie.
After a decade of working in marketing and communications, she returned to academia to complete a master's degree in African studies specialising in Cleopatra's myth and her impact on Black women.
She currently resides in London as a full-time procrastinator.
