How a Unitarian from Jersey Writes About a Muslim Superhero - Pavarti K. Tyler - Giveaway

How a Unitarian from Jersey Writes About a Muslim Superhero
Guest post by Pavarti K. Tyler

Have you ever gotten that feeling in the back of your head that there's something not quite right about the way you think? I've always daydreamed about things others have considered impossible or ridiculous. I'm the loon who decided statistically charting various vampires' awesomeness was a good idea.

So when the suggestion was made that someone needed to write about a Middle Eastern superhero my imagination went into overdrive. Of course we need a Middle Eastern superhero! Others have tackled this topic to great success, like Dr. Naif of the99.org, what’s different here is that I am not from the Middle East.

I sat down and started writing and a character named Recai Osman appeared on the pages before me. With green eyes and red beard, Recai stood in the middle of a windblown desert, daring me to take the challenge.

And cue the theme to Beyond Thunderdome.

A problem soon presented itself. It's impossible to discuss the Middle East in any meaningful way without bringing religion into the conversation, and while I've studied Islam, I am not a Muslim. I'm not Jewish either. In fact, I'm about as far from the religious spectrum of the Middle East as you could get. I'm a Unitarian Universalist.

UUism is based on the idea that we all have the right to our own path to Truth. For some that Truth is God, for some it's not. What connects us within the UU church is the belief that the search is valuable and that there is benefit to having a supportive and respectful community with whom to share that search. (You can read more about our principles here: Our Unitarian Universalist Principles)

For me, the importance of an individual’s expression of faith within a community is huge. I believe in God. Because of this, I often find myself listening to the fundamentalist rhetoric of all religions with a frustrated sigh. Why does someone have to be wrong in order for another to be right?

It was with this in mind that I thought about Recai. What makes a good man? What makes a good Muslim? And in a society in which religion is such a prominent part of day-to-day life, what would be the shape of evil?

Recai is a faithful man; he's erred and he's sinned, but his belief in Allah and in humanity is solid. Underneath his layers of confusion and self-doubt is a good man. His day-to-day life has been isolated from the city he lives in: Elih, Turkey (Google it for a good giggle). What would happen if a flawed man was forced to confront real evil, real sin? Could he rise to the occasion?

Islam and Judaism run throughout Shadow on the Wall. Some of the phrases and cultural idioms may be unfamiliar to Western readers, but I hope that you will see a little of yourself in the characters. The issues they face are written at high stakes, but the questions posed are ones we must all answer. Who am I? What do I stand for? Although Shadow on the Wall has supernatural elements, I like to think heroes exist in life, and I like to think that religion can fuel the good in people. Perhaps we're all capable of great things.

About the Author

Pavarti K Tyler is an artist, wife, mother and number cruncher. She graduated Smith College in 1999 with a degree in Theatre. After graduation, she moved to New York, where she worked as a Dramaturge, Assistant Director and Production Manager on productions both on and off Broadway.

Later, Pavarti went to work in the finance industry several international law firms. She now operates her own accounting firm in the Washington DC area, where she lives with her husband, two daughters and two terrible dogs. When not preparing taxes, she is busy working as the Director of Marketing at Novel Publicity or penning her next novel.

Find out more at FightingMonkeyPress.com.

Synopsis:

Recai Osman: Muslim, philosopher, billionaire and Superhero?

Controversial and daring, Shadow on the Wall details the transformation of Recai Osman from complicated man to Superhero. Forced to witness the cruelty of the Morality Police in his home city of Elih, Turkey, Recai is called upon by the power of the desert to be the vehicle of change. Does he have the strength to answer Allah’s call or will his dark past and self doubt stand in his way?

Pulling on his faith in Allah, the friendship of a Jewish father-figure and a deeply held belief that his people deserve better, Recai Osman must become The SandStorm.

In the tradition of books by Margaret Atwood and Salman Rushdie, Shadow on the Wall tackles issues of religion, gender, corruption and the basic human condition. Beautiful and challenging, this is not a book to miss.

• Winner of the General Fiction/Novel Category of the 2012 Next Generation Indie Book Awards
• Winner in the Fiction: Multicultural category for The 2012 USA Best Book Awards!
• Honorable Mention in the Mainstream/Literary Fiction category of the 20th Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards

Buy on Amazon for Kindle or in Print.  

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I'm Holding Out for a Hero by Pavarti K. Tyler, Author of Shadow on the Wall

He rides in like a phoenix from the fire, black coat fanned out behind him. He’s a good man with a dark past, perhaps a penchant for violence, but it stems from passion not cruelty. He’s a lover standing in the rain, bleeding and victorious, come to find the one who makes him whole.

A hero.

The archetypical lover of women and role-model of men. We all know who he is, the outline of his shape branded on our psyche. From Achilles to Clark Kent, from James Bond to John McClane, he is a flawed and deeply driven man.

What is it about the larger-than-life icon of “Hero” that draws readers in?  Is it the psychological need to believe in someone who can do exceptional things?  I think maybe it has something to do with the idea that one person can make a real and concrete change in the world.  Heroes are often imbued with supernatural abilities or extraordinary qualities, but it’s not necessary for the hero to be from Krypton to pull us in to their plight.  In fact, it’s not the supernatural of Superman that makes him a hero, but the goodness of Clark Kent.

The idea of the “everyman” rising above the rest of us and accomplishing the impossible is seductive.  The mild mannered alter-ego reflects our lives back to us.  Work, bills, family and all the things that sometimes feel so average.  Our internal conflicts of who we are, what do we believe, what do we stand for, are all pushed to the side in the interest of paying the mortgage and getting to work on time. 

It’s so easy amidst the sea of chaos in which we find ourselves to feel that nothing we do has any real impact.  Apathy reigns supreme and in our busy lives the important things like life, liberty and justice have to wait until after our taxes are done.  But a hero, someone with a single-minded focus, acting for good, can make a real difference.

The hero character inspires us, makes us want to take up Jujitsu and hunt down our nemesis, thereby freeing the city. Real life isn’t so easy, not so black and white, and it makes these iconic stories so enticing.

Standing atop a high building or speeding off to the next emergency, the superhero has a clarity of purpose which I find desperately appealing. In Shadow on the Wall Recai Osman is a man adrift.  He is removed from his culture, his religion, and his legacy.  But when faced with the existence of real evil he is compelled to act. 

In Shadow Recai must grapple with his own insecurities and complicated past.  He is burdened by the same questions of substance as the rest of us. This is the story of him coming to terms with who he is and what he believes so he can heed Allah’s call to become The SandStorm.

Shadow on the Wall
by Pavarti K. Tyler

Recai Osman: Muslim, philosopher, billionaire and Superhero?  

Controversial and daring, Shadow on the Wall details the transformation of Recai Osman from complicated man to Superhero. Forced to witness the cruelty of the Morality Police in his home city of Elih, Turkey, Recai is called upon by the power of the desert to be the vehicle of change. Does he have the strength to answer Allah's call or will his dark past and self doubt stand in his way?

About the author:

Pavarti K Tyler is an artist, wife, mother and number cruncher. She graduated Smith College in 1999 with a degree in Theatre. After graduation, she moved to New York, where she worked as a Dramaturge, Assistant Director and Production Manager on productions both on and off Broadway.

Later, Pavarti went to work in the finance industry as a freelance accountant for several international law firms. She now operates her own accounting firm in the Washington DC area, where she lives with her husband, two daughters and two terrible dogs. When not preparing taxes, she is busy working at Novel Publicity and penning her next novel.

You can find out more about Pavarti on her website.

Pavarti's Blog Tour celebrating the release of Shadow will last the entire month of May. Check out her Blog Tour Page for a list of all the stops, including giveaways, interviews, reviews, guest posts and other exciting events! 

Autism Awareness Giveaway Hop: Shadow on the Wall by Pavarti K. Tyler

This giveaway is part of the Autism Awareness Giveaway Hop hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer, Page Turners, Fire & Ice, and Just Another Book Addict. There are a lot of great blogs participating in this hop. After you enter here, hop over and enter their giveaways too.

While you are here, please check out my other giveaways. They can be located in the right sidebar.

The causes and treatments of autism can sometimes bring controversy. This giveaway hop is simply to raise awareness about autism.

My Giveaway:

One winner will receive an eBook copy of Shadow on the Wall by Pavarti K. Tyler.

Pavarti is sponsoring this giveaway because she has a child on the autism spectrum. Please see her guest post about The Big Bad Autism Monster.

Shadow on the Wall

Expected publication: May 1, 2012

Recai Osman: Muslim, philosopher, billionaire and Superhero?

Controversial and daring, Shadow on the Wall details the transformation of Recai Osman from complicated man to Superhero. Forced to witness the cruelty of the Morality Police in his home city of Elih, Turkey, Recai is called upon by the power of the desert to be the vehicle of change. Does he have the strength to answer Allah's call or will his dark past and self doubt stand in his way?

Pulling on his faith in Allah, the friendship of a Jewish father-figure and a deeply held belief that his people deserve better, Recai Osman must become The SandStorm.

In the tradition of books by Margaret Atwood and Salman Rushdie, Shadow on the Wall tackles issues of religion, gender, corruption and the basic human condition. Beautiful and challenging, this is not a book to miss.

How to Enter:

Simply be a follower of Krazy Book Lady in any way you choose. Then fill out the form below.

Additional optional entry:

+1 Follow Pavarti K. Tyler on Twitter or like on Facebook.

Giveaway details:

Giveaway is open internationally. This giveaway will run until midnight EST on April 17. Must be 13 or older to enter. Winner will be chosen using Random.org. Winner will be emailed and this blog post will be updated to include the name of the winner. Winner has 3 days to contact me or a new winner will be selected.

Sorry! This giveaway is now over.

Winner: Zoey