Literary Influences

Born on the Spring Equinox was not created in a vacuum; it is a tapestry woven from the many books and authors that have fascinated me since childhood. From the enchanting worlds of Carlo Collodi's Pinocchio, with its moral lessons and whimsical characters, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince, which explores innocence and human nature, and Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, a tale rich with wordplay and surreal imagery, I absorbed rich symbolism and vivid imagination, reading them repeatedly and letting their themes seep into my own storytelling.

As I grew older, my curiosity expanded into the mystical and philosophical realms. The works of Paulo Coelho, such as The Alchemist, Brida, and Veronica Decides to Die, and Louise Hay’s self-help books played a subtle yet persistent role—titles like these echo through the novel’s spiritual undertones, inspiring themes of self-discovery, healing, and spiritual awakening.

My journey took a profound turn when I read Jostein Gaarder’s Sophie’s World, a novel that guided me through the history of philosophy from ancient Greece to modern thought, shifting my focus from childhood tales and esoteric musings to the frontiers of philosophical inquiry and Western intellectual tradition. At nineteen, I dared to dream of becoming a writer—penning the first chapter of my debut novel—though I recognised I needed more life experience and a broader intellectual grounding before completing my first book.

During my early twenties, my passion for history and literature deepened significantly. Studying at university, I devoured works by Sylvia Plath, Virginia Woolf, Clarice Lispector, Oscar Wilde, Machado de Assis, Thomas Mann, Allen Ginsberg, and Jack Kerouac. Their distinct voices and literary styles enriched my perspective, leaving traces throughout Born on the Spring Equinox and shaping my approach to storytelling.

Later, after graduating with a degree in History, I turned to Philosophy. The writings of Martin Heidegger’s existential analysis, Sartre’s phenomenology, Lacan’s psychoanalytic theories, and Freud’s pioneering ideas—figures who challenge and explore the depths of human existence—are woven into the fabric of the novel, either directly through references or indirectly through its themes of identity, consciousness, and absurdity.

My passion for storytelling truly ignited in my thirties, when I enrolled in drama school. Experimenting with theatrical sketches and inspired by The Theatre of the Absurd—a movement pioneered by playwrights like Samuel Beckett and Eugène Ionesco—I explored the strange, often surreal aspects of life that now find voice in my writing, emphasising the absurdity and fragility of human existence.

From the very beginning, I knew these diverse influences had to be part of the story I wanted to tell. Years of reflection, study, and dedication culminated in Born on the Spring Equinox—a complex web of inspirations that reflects my literary and philosophical journey, ultimately standing as a testament to the transformative power of influence and the enduring art of storytelling.