-* Zahra El Basri Naqrachi: My passion for literature was born from my earliest childhood, when I was following my primary studies in Rabat, at the Guessous institution. During this period, I was in boarding school where we had a library at our disposal. I spent all my free time in this library, reading all kinds of books and novels, notably those of Colette, who was my favourite novelist.

-* I got married at the age of 15, so unfortunately, I could not finish my studies. In fact, my father insisted that I finish my studies before getting married, but family pressures ended up dissuading him. After my marriage, I lived with my husband, a former member of the French army, who then joined the Moroccan army, in Bengurir. A few years later, my husband was transferred to Ifrane. We therefore settled in Ifrane, where my husband acquired several businesses, in addition to a library whose management he entrusted to me. And it was really the best gift he could have offered me. In fact, it was in a way as if he had reached for the moon and offered it to me. Then, it is by spending the majority of my time in this library among the books that I was able to satisfy my passion for reading, which I had had since my earliest childhood. Nevertheless, the idea of writing a book never crossed my mind. A few years ago, however, one of my friends suggested that I try the experience and write. In that same period, I had read the novels "The Color Purple" by Alice Walker and "The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck, which truly inspired and marked me. Thus, with the encouragement of my loved ones, I decided to take the plunge and move from the stage of consuming literary products to that of production. That's when I took my pen and started writing my 1st novel "A Riad in Marrakech", released in 2000.

-* For each of my novels, I had a distinct source of inspiration. As for my 1st novel "A Riad in Marrakech", I was inspired by the different Moroccan traditions. Through the eyes of a little Moroccan girl living in a Riad, I tried to make a complete description of the rituals, ceremonies, and customs of Morocco. For my 2nd novel "Stoned Love", I was inspired by a story that my mother told me every evening when I was little. It is, in fact, the story told by the great Moroccan artist, Abdelwahab Doukkali in his song "Kan Ya Makan". It is a tragedy that tells the story of two lovers betrayed by the forces of evil and which plunges into the old days when the gap in matrimonial customs was punished by death and dishonour by exclusion. As for my 3rd novel "Ifrane, Wonder of the Middle Atlas", I was inspired to write it by the ancient and recent history of the city of Ifrane.

-* Absolutely. I love Ifrane very much, where I have resided since 1957. Every corner of this city is a witness to my greatest successes and my strongest emotions. It is in this city that I lived the best moments of my life, realised my dreams, and took my first steps as a writer. It is for this reason that I wanted to dedicate my 3rd novel to Ifrane, a city that has brought me a lot, as a person and as a writer.

-* There are many Moroccan women who suffer from ignorance and who consequently find themselves withdrawn from what is happening around them. In this sense, the best solution in my opinion consists of inciting and encouraging Moroccan women to read so that they emerge from ignorance and consequently ensure their role as active and dynamic citizens aware of the changes that occur in their environment and capable of participating in the development of their country.

Born in 1940, Zahra El Basri Naqrachi is a self-taught writer who wrote a first novel in 2000, entitled "A childhood in a Riad in Marrakech", before releasing a second novel "Stoned Love" in 2004. In 2012, she released her 3rd novel "Ifrane, wonder of the Middle Atlas". She has also distinguished herself in the news for her exceptional journey rewarded in 2009 by the Khmissa trophy in the "Exceptional Journey" category.