Fascinating Guest Interview with Ayşe Osmanoğlu author of A Farewell To Imperial İstanbul

Thank you so much for being part of the Blog Tour for the launch of A Farewell To Imperial İstanbul, and for inviting me to answer these Author Q&As! It has been a pleasure sharing a glimpse into my book and my writing journey with you again. I hope your readers and followers feel inspired to journey back to Imperial İstanbul by reading The Ottoman Dynasty Chronicles.

• What’s your favourite escape from writing when you need a break?

I love to step into nature and go for a long walk. I am so lucky to live in the beautiful West Sussex countryside, so I just slip on my wellies and wander through fields, woods, and across the scenic South Downs. These walks help clear my head, recharge me, and bring a fresh perspective to my writing.

• Which scene in your book was the most challenging to write, and why?

The most challenging scene to write was definitely the final one in the book. It was deeply personal and emotional for me because it is based on the tragic experiences of my grandparents at the moment they were forced to leave their homeland and go into exile. Imagining how they must have felt at such an incomprehensibly unbearable time made my eyes well up with tears as I typed the words. It was difficult because I really wanted to capture the depth of their emotions and the weight of their circumstances while creating an ending that was both poignant and reflective. I wanted to leave readers with a sense of closure while honouring the memory of my family – I just hope I managed to do this, even in a small way…

• If you could visit one of the locations featured in your book today, where would you go and what would you want to experience?

İstanbul has so many beautiful places that I do not think that I can pick just one! May I pick three? The Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque: because I always feel a sense of calm and serenity sweep over me when I visit, as it is such a spiritual and uniquely beautiful place. Topkapı Palace: because I love the classical style of Ottoman architecture and because this Palace is steeped in so much history – every piece of stone, every marble pillar and every hand painted tile has a story to tell and a secret to share. The Bosphorus: because the views from anywhere along its shores makes me feel like I am ‘home’.

• If your book were adapted into a Netflix series, who would be your dream cast for the main characters?

Oh, that’s a fun question! If my book were adapted into a Netflix series, it would be a dream come true! I would like to cast Turkish actors for the main characters, but have also included Western alternatives:

Prince Ali Vâsıb –  Cem Yiğit Üzümoğlu or Nicholas Galitzine

Prince Ahmed Nihad – Onur Tuna or Matthew Goode

Prince Osman Fuad – Cagatay Ulusoy or Leo Woodall

Caliph Abdülmecid – Halit Ergenç or Charles Dance

Princess Fehime – Nur Fettahoğlu or Juliette Binoche

The Lady Safiru – Beren Saat or Kate Winslet

• If your main character, Prince Ali Vâsıb, was transported to the present day, what modern gadget or technology would fascinate him the most?

Definitely the smart phone! Prince Vâsıb had a real passion for photography and loved to chat over the telephone. Having a gadget that he could slip into his jacket pocket enabling him to connect with his friends from anywhere and capture and edit photographs while out and about would have appealed to his sense of curiosity and interest in technology!

• If you could have a superpower for a day, what would it be and how would you use it to enhance your writing?

I think it would be the ability to travel through time! I would love to visit the Imperial Palaces and mansions, speak with my ancestors, and maybe even forewarn them about looming events in an attempt to alter the course of history. For me, going back to the splendour of Imperial İstanbul would be like stepping into a vivid dream. Experiencing the sights and sounds of a forgotten time for real rather than just in my imagination. Meeting members of my family who I have only known in old photographs and from family trees. It would be amazing! The only problem would be that I might never want to come back to my own time!

• If readers could take away one message or feeling after finishing your book, what would you want it to be?

I would love readers to feel a deep sense of empathy with the characters and a connection with the human side of history I have tried to portray in my book. I also hope to spark curiosity about Imperial İstanbul, inspiring readers to visit this beautiful city that sits at the crossroads of East and West and encouraging them to explore its rich history and cultural heritage for themselves.

A Farewell To Imperial İstanbul

Set against the majestic backdrop of Imperial Istanbul in the aftermath of the First World War, A Farewell To Imperial Istanbul is a captivating tale of family, duty and the resilience of the human spirit.

İstanbul, 1922: As the Ottoman Empire crumbles in the wake of the Great War, the fate of the Imperial capital and the House of Osman come under threat. Emboldened following their victory in the Turkish War of Independence, the Turkish Nationalist Government in Ankara abolishes the Ottoman Sultanate, marking the end of over six centuries of Ottoman rule. The Ottoman Caliphate endures for now, but Istanbul, stripped of its Imperial mantle, mourns its lost glory. Prince Nihadfears for the nation and the fate of the Imperial family, while his son, Prince Vâsıb, envisions a hopeful future defined by peace following the signing of the Treaty of Lausanne. 

As the new Republic of Türkiye emerges from the ashes of the once-mighty Ottoman Empire, Istanbul and the Ottoman Dynasty confront the crossroads of history, their destinies entwined with the shifting tides of the Bosphorus. Yet, amidst these perilous currents that separate East and West, where the deep waters threaten to engulf the city’s Imperial past and sweep away its soul embodied by the Imperial family, the Ottoman Dynasty must navigate a new and uncertain course.

The history of the Turks and their vast and powerful Empire has been intertwined with the Ottoman Dynasty for over six hundred years. But can the Imperial family survive the tempest of change as the world enters a new era?

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Author Bio –

Ayşe Gülnev Osmanoğlu is a member of the Ottoman Imperial family, being descended from Sultan Murad V through her grandfather, and from Sultan Mehmed V (Mehmed Reşad) through her grandmother. After reading History and Politics at the University of Exeter, she obtained an M.A. in Turkish Studies from SOAS, University of London, where she specialised in Ottoman History. Her debut novel, The Gilded Cage on the Bosphorus was published in 2020.

Ayşe Osmanoğlu lives between Türkiye, France and the United Kingdom with her husband, five children and two cats. Her research and literary works concentrate on the late Ottoman period, exploring narratives embedded in her imperial heritage.

Social Media Links –

https://www.facebook.com/ayseosmanogluauthor

https://www.instagram.com/aysegulnevsultan/

https://twitter.com/AyseGulnev

Author Website: www.ayseosmanoglu.com

Giveaway To Win an A Farewell to Imperial İstanbul prize bundle… (Open to UK Only)

The list of prizes is below:

• Paperback signed copy of A Farewell to Imperial İstanbul
• Scented Candle from the Imperial İstanbul Collection – Scent: Harem Garden (Jasmine, Rose & Orange Blossom)
• Black matchsticks
• Traditional Rose Turkish Delight
• A Farewell to Imperial İstanbul postcard
• Set of four A Farewell to Imperial İstanbul bookmarks

*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome.  Please enter using the link to the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

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