The Tale of Amaranth by Daalya Choudhury is shortlisted for the 2026 Author of Tomorrow Award, 12-15 Category. 

About The Tale of Amaranth: 

Princess Faye flees her sickly-bright, parasitic palace to save her dying kingdom. She forms a grimly whimsical alliance with Kaz, a lanky thief with a contagious grin, and Ash, a melancholic half-faerie who weeps mercury tears. Together, they shatter the King’s grotesque, magic siphoning machines made of rotting bone and clanking iron pipes. With their smarts, wits and the power of friendship, they try to save their kingdom and restore peace among all.

An interview with Daalya: 

WNSF: What is your favourite book? 

Daalya: My all time favourite book is Coraline by Neil Gaiman. It’s such a simple yet wonderfully complex and detailed story which still to this day confuses me as it did the first time. Each time I revisit it I somehow find a new perspective!

WNSF: Who is your favourite author? Or one who has inspired you and why? 

Daalya: An author who has inspired me is Rick Riordan, who’s books are very nostalgic and warm.

WNSF: What is your favourite subject at school? 

Daalya: My favourite subjects are English and Art. I love English because picking apart words and finding thousands of meanings authors likely didn’t think of is fun and makes me feel human. I also love Art because without it earth is just eh for real.

WNSF: What does ‘adventure writing’ mean to you? Why did you choose to try your hand at an adventure story? 

Daalya: I wrote my story a while back, and when I heard about the competition I decided to enter it, which is an adventure in itself!

WNSF: If you could ask an author anything, what would you want to know? 

Daalya: I’d ask an author about how they cope with writing. With something as beautiful as writing (and reading also), there’s always a hollowness that comes out of it. When you could write about lands you’ve never stepped on, people you’ve never loved, battles you’ll never face, it feels like you’re living in that world. But when the ink dries out, when our imaginations are stopped by reality, it’s a hypothetical grief that can’t be answered but can’t be prevented. I wonder how authors cope with the knife of imagination. And for non-fiction authors I’d ask how they compile their research.

WNSF: Who would you consider one of your heroes and why? 

Daalya: My hero is Greta Gerwig. I really admire her lens on life.

WNSF: What is the most adventurous thing you would like to do, or place you would like to visit and why? 

Daalya: I think the most adventurous place I’d like to visit is Neptune in it’s super sonic, bright blue nature! Coolest planet in the world? Not cooler than me I bet.

WNSF: Where do you find inspiration for your stories? 

Daalya: I am inspired by all the pieces of all the media I’ve consumed in my lifetime.

WNSF: If you could time travel, where would you go and why? 

Daalya: Although I fear no time in the past would be too safe for a female of colour, if we bypass the logic I’d say the late 19th century. I’d like to tell Van Gogh how impactful and inspiring he truly was!

WNSF: What three words would you use to describe your story? 

Daalya: Silly. Comforting. Exciting.

WNSF: Congratulations on your wonderful story, and good luck for the next stage of the competition!