Bestselling authors Matt Witten and Ragnar Jónasson share the discipline, chaos, and artistry behind adapting fiction for the screen at the 44th Sharjah International Book Fair

Sharjah, November 9, 2025

Turning novels into screen stories may seem glamorous, but as two acclaimed writers revealed at the 44th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF 2025), it is a balancing act between imagination, discipline, and constant reinvention.

The spirit of the original has to reflect in the visual copy, if it needs to be timeless, the panel conclude at the 44^th Sharjah International Book Fair               

Sharjah, November 9, 2025 

Transforming a novel into a successful television or cinematic work requires full collaboration of the author, the literary agent, and the producer in order to ensure that the spirit of the content is preserved and presented in a visually powerful way that resonates with audiences, agreed literary and production experts from the Arab world during a panel discussion titled “From Page to Screen: How Words Become Scenes that Captivate the World” at the 44^th Sharjah International Book Fair.

In a world that often rushes past its own meaning, Life’s Canvas invites readers to pause — to listen to the quiet dialogue between the heart and the divine. Written by Ukrainian poet Nataliya Serafymova, who was born in Jena, Germany and has called the United Arab Emirates home for the past eighteen years, this debut collection captures the sacred pulse of life through the lens of love, loss, and transformation.

For Nataliya, poetry is not merely an art form — it is a way of being. “Writing has always been my way of listening to life’s whispers,” she reflects. “It’s how I translate silence into words and uncover the sacred moments hidden in the everyday.”

The popular content creator advised youth to watch out for toxic relationships
and book heroes at the 44^th Sharjah International Book Fair

Sharjah, November 8, 2025 

Relationships in novels, often presented as an idealised form of connection and emotional expression should be understood within its literary context and not projected onto real life, noted author, actor and YouTuber Prajakta Koli at the 44^th Sharjah International Book Fair that is underway at Expo Centre Sharjah.

The archaeologist shared the adventures and struggles that accompanied his numerous excavations and discoveries in the tombs of the pharaohs at the 44^th Sharjah International Book Fair

Sharjah, November 8, 2025  

“My hope is to discover the tomb of Imhotep, the architect of the first pyramid, and the tomb of Queen Nefertiti,” said world-renowned Egyptologist Dr Zahi Hawass during a fascinating session titled “Secrets of the Pharaohs” at the 44^th Sharjah International Book Fair that is underway at Expo Centre Sharjah running until November 16.

In a captivating interview with Emirati talk show host Anas Bukhash, the host and interviewer of #ABtalks, the archaeologist shared what he has learned from his numerous excavations and discoveries. Hawass who has played a key role in the establishment of the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo near the Great Pyramid of Khufu at Giza enumerated his efforts to bring back prized Egyptian antiquities from other countries and museums.