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On The Table Read Magazine, “the best entertainment eBook magazine UK“, Sabine J Saadeh discusses her new book, A Country Named Desire, about life in Beirut from the 2019 revolution through the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2020 port explosion, Lebanon’s economic collapse, and the Turkish-Syrian earthquake.
Written by JJ Barnes
I interviewed Sabine J Saadeh about her life and career, the inspiration behind her new book, A Country Named Desire, and her creative writing process.
Tell me a bit about who you are.
I am an independent financial professional and a writer. Capital markets may govern one faction of my world, but sumptuous literature allows the hazy spirit, I think, to be inimitable. That is why I can’t stop exploring it!
When did you first WANT to write a book?
The moment I read A Streetcar Named Desire in early 2023, something shifted. I saw how Tennessee Williams had interlaced fragility and illusion into something devastatingly real. That was when I realized that Lebanon, too, could be explored in such a way—not as a political case study, but as something more visceral, something human.
When did you take a step to start writing?
Shortly after reading A Streetcar Named Desire, I began shaping what would become A Country Named Desire. The words came urgently, as if they had been waiting for a form. Within six months, the novel was complete.
How long did it take you to complete your latest book from the first idea to release?
Six months to write, but refinement took longer. The book’s structure, its layered themes, required careful sculpting. I was fortunate to have trusted collaborators who helped refine the manuscript while preserving its raw, stream-of-consciousness style.
What made you want to write A Country Named Desire?
Lebanon is not merely enduring a financial collapse—it is experiencing a psychological unraveling. The weight of unaccountability, of continuous betrayal, has created a collective dissonance. I wanted to capture that, not in a political or journalistic way, but through the intimate, interior lives of characters who reflect this state of being. Haya, like Blanche DuBois, is a woman caught between illusion and reality, but she is also a country, a memory, a dream that cannot hold itself together.
What were your biggest challenges with writing A Country Named Desire?
The challenge was in balancing depth with clarity. A Country Named Desire is not just a novel—it is a state of mind, a rhythm of consciousness. Capturing that while ensuring the reader remained engaged required precision. Another challenge was writing about Lebanon’s collapse in a way that did not drown in despair, but instead illuminated the resilience, humor, and contradictions that persist even in ruin.
Who or what inspired you when creating your Protagonist?
Haya is inspired by Blanche DuBois, but also by Lebanon itself. Like Blanche, she exists in a fragile space between past and present, clinging to remnants of beauty in a world that is indifferent to her suffering. She is also the embodiment of a nation, once admired, now spiraling in the absence of accountability. Her story is a meditation on what happens when denial becomes survival.
Who or what inspired you when creating your Antagonist?
The antagonist is not a person but a condition; the slow, merciless erosion of truth. If there is a villain in this story, it is unaccountability. It is a society that allows cruelty to go unanswered, where decay is normalized and illusion becomes necessity.
What is the inciting incident of A Country Named Desire?
Though the novel does not follow a traditional structure, the inciting incident is the unfortunate collapse of a country! The economic crisis, the Beirut explosion, the quiet, daily humiliations of survival… These events create the atmosphere in which Haya and those around her must navigate their existence.
What is the main conflict of A Country Named Desire?
The conflict is between illusion and reality. Haya, like Lebanon itself, clings to an identity that no longer exists. But reality is insistent, invasive. The struggle is not merely external, it is psychological, existential.
Did you plot A Country Named Desire in advance, or fly by the seat of your pants and write freely?
The book follows an organic flow, shaped by a stream-of-consciousness narrative. Yet its structure is deliberate. A Streetcar Named Desire serves as a framework, and the allegorical layers were carefully considered. The novel had to feel as fluid and chaotic as the experience it captures, while still holding together as a work of literature.
Did you get support with editing, and how much editing did A Country Named Desire need?
Yes, I worked with trusted collaborators who helped refine the manuscript. The goal was not to overly polish the prose, but to preserve the rawness of thought while ensuring coherence.
What is the first piece of writing advice you would give to anyone inspired to write a story?
Do not write simply to tell a story, write because you simply want to! Let your characters be flawed, let your structure bend profusely, and trust that something will reveal itself in the process.
Can you give me a hint about any further books you’re planning to write?
I don’t think anything is coming out any time soon. I really have no idea!
And, finally, are you proud of your accomplishment? Was it worth the effort?
Without question! This book is an act of remembrance. It captures not just a historical moment, but the consciousness of a people who have endured more than words can contain.
The parallels between Haya, Blanche DuBois, and Lebanon itself are poignant, especially with the absence of accountability, the illusion of normalcy, and the slow erosion of identity. If it resonates with even one person, if it reflects even a fraction of what it means to live through this time, then it was worth everything.
Pop all your book, website and social media links here so the readers can find you:
Apple Books: https://apple.co/4jPiCz2
Apple Audiobooks: https://apple.co/3ExYxhU
Kindle: https://amzn.to/4jQU3lb
Paperback: https://amzn.to/4366DHH
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/212974989-a-country-named-desire
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