Interview: Tahlia Newland NFT Author of Journey to Diamond Peak

Today we have the pleasure of chatting to Tahlia Newland all the way from Oz. Over to you, Thalia!

Tahlia Newland has written eight novels (magical realism & inspirational fantasy) and two non-fiction books (a narrative memoir and a book on writing). She is an editor for AIA Publishing, and in her spare time, she makes masquerade masks and works in her permaculture garden. Four of her novels have won multiple awards - B.R.A.G. Medallions for Outstanding Fiction and the Awesome Indies Book Awards Seal of Excellence in Fiction. She has had extensive experience in the study and practice of meditation and lives in an Australian rainforest with a lovely husband and two cheeky Burmese cats.

As an author of multiple books why did you select Journey to Diamond Peak for this historic NFT offer?

The first four novels I wrote – plus some added extras - make up my NFT, Journey to Diamond Peak, and they are dear to my heart not only because they were my first works but also because the story they tell has the same kind of significance as A Pilgrims Progress, but in a Buddhist context, and they haven’t yet been widely recognised as that. Once that’s recognised, this NFT will be quite a good investment. I haven’t released the series in one bundle before and I liked the idea of limiting the number.  

The story is a sweeping analogy of the path to enlightenment as seen by the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. It’s a contemporary fantasy that has all the elements of adventure, romance and quirky characters that make any story entertaining, and it doesn’t use a single Buddhist term. So as well as being significant in terms of the translation of Tibetan Buddhism into the Western world, it’s just a jolly good read. I’ve included a section on the symbolism in the story as well as the story behind the story, about my personal journey into and out of Tibetan Buddhism.

NFTs are relatively new and many don’t yet understand how it works. Why, therefore, enter what is essentially unchartered territory?

I find that it’s best to get into new things quickly before everyone else is doing it. Also I had something that I could put together quite quickly, and I was thinking of ways to raise money to take a couple of months off to write another novel in my Prunella Smith Series. The book I have in my head will explore how beliefs distort one's perception of reality, specifically religious beliefs (in the context of Buddhist clerical abuse), conspiracy theories and climate change denial. It’s not a book I can write in my spare time.

So when the offer came, I thought it was perfect. All I need now is to sell them all so I can write Alternate Worlds.

What’s next for you?

I’d like to write that book over Christmas, but until then, I’m busy editing and publishing books for other authors under AIA Publishing and Editing.

Thanks so much, Tahlia, and loads of luck!

Btw, Tahlia tells us more about why she chose Journey to Diamond Peak in this video: https://youtu.be/KqVjxOyLTxc

Tahlia Newland's links:

https://booksgosocial.com/journey-to-diamond-peak-information/

https://www.amazon.com/Tahlia-Newland/e/B0063WTC8U

https://www.facebook.com/TahliaNewland.author.editor.artist

https://www.instagram.com/aia_publishing/

https://twitter.com/tahlianewland

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB7JME-_SsWmAxRaJEzQ1Hw

https://www.pinterest.com/tahlianewland/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tahlia-newland-2b909a72