Climbing Cold by Ihsan Sim is shortlisted for the 2022 Author of Tomorrow, age 16-21 years.
Climbing Cold: A boy is willing to defy death itself to reach the peak of the mountain. Will he climb to the top and accomplish what he set out to do? Or will the elements claim him first?
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An Interview with Ihsan:
WNSF: What is your favourite book?
Ihsan: The Stand by Stephen King. I am mesmerised by the idea of weaving religion as a main theme into books, which is exactly what The Stand accomplishes. The character development in the novel is also fantastic!
WNSF: Who is your favourite author? Or one who has inspired you and why?
Ihsan: It's a hard toss-up between Stephen King and HP Lovecraft. I love their takes on cosmic horror, which has greatly influenced much of my writing.
WNSF: What was your favourite subject at school?
Ihsan: Political science! I am fascinated by the technical details of governance and the valuable lessons we can learn from major political events.
WNSF: What does ‘adventure writing’ mean to you? Why did you choose to try your hand at an adventure story?
Ihsan: Adventure writing is something that keeps readers on the edge of their seats, making them feel as though they are part of the action and not just mere observers. Of course, this could be applied to almost any genre but I believe adventure writing takes it one step further by throwing readers into unfamiliar, strange and often dangerous territory!
Adventure writing is a genre I have relatively little experience with, but it was a welcome challenge to test my storytelling capabilities. Furthermore, with a topic as vast as 'adventure', the possibilities were almost endless and that truly excited me!
WNSF: If you could ask an author anything, what would you want to know?
Ihsan: I would love to ask HP Lovecraft for his inspiration behind his short story Sweet Ermengarde, a work I feel is criminally underrated. As a story so distant from what Lovecraft is traditionally known for, it would be amazing to understand his thought process and reasoning behind it.
WNSF: Who would you consider one of your heroes and why?
Ihsan: Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man is undoubtedly someone I have always admired and resonated with. A common recurring theme in the movies is one's ability to stay strong, honest and willing to give up the things we want the most for the greater good. I believe these are values we can all hope to emulate and guide us in life.
WNSF: What is the most adventurous thing you would like to do, or place you would like to visit and why?
Ihsan: The Rainbow Mountains in the Andes of Peru are a sight to behold, and I would relish the opportunity to walk across them one day!
WNSF: Where do you find inspiration for your stories?
Ihsan: I try to find inspiration in the most ordinary, everyday situations. Taking public transport, going for a jog, enjoying a meal with friends...the list goes on! It truly challenges the limits of my imagination, and I constantly try to find new ways to depict mundane scenarios in a manner that draws readers in and leaves them feeling like they just read a really good piece of literature. The best writers can make even the most boring of plots interesting, and that is the bar I set for myself.
WNSF: If you could time travel, where would you go and why?
Ihsan: The end of humanity is a theme I have explored a number of times and is a concept that fascinates me. As such, I would be intrigued to visit the last humans at the end of time (wherever that may be). If time permits, I might also wish to ask these people for their thoughts and feelings on living through such a historic event.
WNSF: What three words would you use to describe your story?
Ihsan: Frigid, heartwarming and brave.
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Readers can find Ihsan on Instagram: @daily_spidermanparade or via his website, Inkternal.redbubble.com