Today we are very excited to share an interview with author Olivia Abtahi!
Read on to learn more about the author, the book, and a giveaway!
Meet the Author: Olivia Abtahi
Born to an Iranian father and Argentine mother, Olivia Abtahi is a melting pot of distinct cultures. She is a graduate of NYU Film School and VCU Brandcenter, from which she holds a BFA and MaSC. Her debut novel, Perfectly Parvin, was published in 2021, receiving the SCBWI Golden Kite Honor, YALSA Odyssey Honor, and numerous starred reviews. She currently lives in Denver, Colorado, with her husband and children. When she isn’t writing, you can find her hiding behind a sewing machine. Find her online at www.oliviaabtahi.com.
About the Book: Twin Flames
On estranged twins Leila and Bianca’s eighteenth birthday, Leila suddenly gains a djinn’s superpowers, and the twins realize that their town can only survive the djinns’ secret plans if they learn to work together as sisters. An action-packed YA fantasy!
Twins Bianca and Leila could not be more different from each other. Being both Argentinian and Iranian in a small town has always been hard, but with Leila shunning her heritage and Bianca embracing it, the two walk very different paths. They run in different circles of friends, and barely talk anymore. Leila’s a homebody who loves to craft and plans on marrying her high school sweetheart. Bianca’s more anti-establishment and plans to get out of Dodge as soon as humanly possible.
But on their eighteenth birthday, the neighbor’s barn mysteriously burns down. When Leila encounters a monster–a djinn–arising from the fire, suddenly she gains strange powers and can no longer touch iron.
What do these djinn want with Leila–or other people in town, for that matter? Can the twins learn to rely on each other–and their cultures–to banish them? It’ll take a sisterly reconciliation for the girls to find out and to save their hometown in this New Visions Award-winning fantasy adventure.
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~Author Chat~
YABC: What gave you the inspiration to write this book?
TWIN FLAMES was inspired by my Iranian-Argentinian upbringing. It was incredibly isolating at times, and I wanted to explore that by sticking twins Leila and Bianca in a small town similar to the ones I was familiar with after growing up in Virginia.
YABC: Who is your favorite character in the book?
Bianca, hands down. She has all the best lines, witty comebacks, and the killer outfits. But I think what makes Bianca so strong is Leila’s restraint as the more even-keeled twin. Bianca wouldn’t shine without Leila to temper her.
YABC: When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
I knew I wanted to be a writer when I saw another author’s office setup. It was a big desk with a huge bookshelf (the kind with a ladder) and a view of the Appalachian Mountains. I had never heard of another author being from Virginia, and seeing her in a place I was from gave me the courage to write this book.
YABC: How do you keep your ‘voice’ true to the age category you are writing within?
There’s a joke that most YA authors meet their partners in high school, and I am no exception. My entire life has revolved around these formative years, and those memories are crystal clear for me. I keep my voice true by remembering how dire everything felt, how the stakes and emotions were incredibly real. That keeps me grounded and helps my voice stay authentic.
YABC: What hobbies do you enjoy?
Like Leila in the novel, I really enjoy sewing. Having an analog hobby has been good for my mental health. There’s something about making something by hand after staring at a word processor all day that is incredibly healing.
I also love meeting other sewists and quilters. Whenever I bring a sewing project to the doctor’s office or a public space, I always meet another sewing enthusiast and it’s so fun being a part of this special community.
YABC: What is your favorite holiday or tradition and why?
Nowruz is a holiday full of traditions. Right now, I have a haftsin, or table of seven, in our house. Coins, vinegar, apples, sprouts, Hyacinths, sumac and wheat germ pudding are all on display right next to my desk and I love the smell of the flowers. To me, it smells like spring!
YABC: What other age group would you consider writing for?
I would love to try my hand at chapter books! My daughter and I have just started reading them and I love how each one has enough room to tell a great story without being too intimidating.
YABC: What’s up next for you?
I am lucky enough to have a MG series called ROSTAM AND THE RED DWAF launching with Simon and Schuster in 2026. It’s a retelling of the Persian book of kings (The Shahnameh) in space. I also have a picture book with Penguin’s Kokila imprint publishing in January of 2025 titled THE INTERPRETER/EL INTERPRETE. I love all categories of kid lit!
Title: Twin Flames
Author: Olivia Abtahi
Illustrator: Cover illustrator is Hillary Wilson
Release Date: 8/27/2024
Publisher: Tu Books, an imprint of Lee & Low Books
ISBN-10: 1643790435
ISBN-13: 9781643790435
Genre: Young adult – contemporary fantasy
Age Range: 12+
*Giveaway Details*
Ten (10) winners will receive an Advanced Reader Copy of Twin Flames (Olivia Abtahi) ~ US Only!
*Click the Rafflecopter link below to enter the giveaway!*
Cant wait to read!
This is a pretty cover and sounds like an exciting read!
My students would love this book!
Djinns? yes please ! Amazing cover
I like the cover and enjoy YA fantasy like this one.
I love the story and the cover is so pretty!
Love the premise of this one and the focus on mixed protagonists!