BooksChatter: ℚ♫ Unforgiving: Unforgiving Trilogy [1]

Today we have the pleasure of meeting up with author Adnan Ališić to talk about Unforgiving (13 January 2017, AA Publishing, 578 pages), a Contemporary Young Adult novel, book one of the Unforgiving Trilogy.

"UNFORGIVING is a story about love, vengeance, and broken promises, and those of you who read ARIZONA DREAM would recognize the main character right away.

I always wondered what would happen if he managed to escape. What kind of life would he be living? Would he be able to forget the horror and move forward with his life? UNFORGIVING answers all of those questions." ~ Adnan Ališić

|| Synopsis || Trailer || Teaser: Excerpt || Author Q&A || About the Author || Giveaway & Tour Stops ||

A very warm welcome to Adnan Ališić; thank you for joining us on BooksChatter!

To begin Adnan has shared with us his music playlist for Unforgiving - enjoy!

What was the inspiration for Unforgiving?

"Real-life incident. After witnessing those massacres, I always wondered what would happen to the boy if he managed to escape. What kind of life would he be living? Would he seek revenge? All those thoughts played through my head, and one night erupted into this story."

How much of yourself is reflected in this book, and how?

"Most of the characters in UNFORGIVING have some traits that is related to me. Even bad characters. Mentions of business ventures such as real estate and bitcoins, or legal proceedings are reflected throughout the book because I was actively involved in them."

The first thing that draws me to a book is its cover. Can you tell us about your cover for Unforgiving - why you chose that concept and who the artist is.

"I wanted something simple which would convey the message I wanted to send. So I choose dark background with those red and blue flames which represent the good and evil of a character. I found a graphic designer on fiverr.com and he did a great job designing the cover I had in mind."

Why should we read Unforgiving and what sets it apart from the rest? What makes your book unique?

"Many people will relate to the first part of UNFORGIVING because there are many real-life scenes that that majority of us go through, such as problems in school, bullying, or fighting for a loved one when everyone else is against you. And the second book, MEHO, is a book like no other. It is written from a point of five-year old Meho, and the story is heartbreaking, beautiful, and unforgettable."

Can you tell us something quirky about Unforgiving, its story and characters?

"Even though this story is fictional, the science, war atrocities, and war criminals are rooted in reality. Even some of the characters are based on real people."

Who would you recommend Unforgiving to and what should readers be aware of (any warnings or disclaimers)?

"Anyone who was bullied, who was different, who didn't ride with the trend wave, or their friends and family must read this book. There are always 2 sides of the story, and we usually only hear one before jumping to conclusion. About a disclaimer, this book is raw and many readers will find some scenes quite disturbing."

If you could / wished to turn Unforgiving and the Unforgiving Trilogy series into a movie, who would be your dream team?

"If Justin Bieber was an actor, he would be a perfect candidate for Meho's role. As far as production team goes, anyone serious enough to make this into a movie would be good."

What do you like to write and read about? Do you stick to a particular genre or do you like to explore different ones?

"I love reading contemporary stories. That's why when you read UNFORGIVING, it seems like you're reading today's newspaper headlines. It's more realistic and fun when you mix fiction with real life."

What is your writing process?

"I just write. Sometimes a page. Sometimes two. Or when inspiration strikes 5. I don't have a set amount. The most important thing is to be engaged with your writing. Even if you're not writing, you're thinking about the plot, characters, scenes. So when it seems you're not writing, you actually are."

What is in store next?

"I am currently finishing MEHO, a second part of UNFORGIVING. It is quite unique because it's written from a perspective of a five-year-old Meho. My plan is to publish it before the end of 2017, and the last part by the end of 2018."

And finally quirky thing, to get to know you a little bit better... can you tell us a little bit more about you?

"I never wrote before I got to prison. That's when I started. First I wrote letters... letters that were never sent, then I wrote my story. And then one day, I got inspiration for UNFORGIVING trilogy."