Riyadh Author Reveals How Her English Novel Became a #8 Bestseller in Saudi

Mariana De’ Carli Orti is a Riyadh-based author and publisher with a global story that runs from Brazil to London to Saudi Arabia. In this episode, she explains how her English novel hit #8 on Saudi’s bestseller list, what publishing really pays authors, and why Riyadh feels like home. We also dive into AI in books, the future of publishing, and the Riyadh Writers Conference (Feb 6–7).

Topics covered:

• Expat life in Riyadh and why Saudi feels like home

• Writing a book in Saudi + #8 bestseller in Saudi

• Publishing realities, royalties, and AI bans

• Riyadh Writers Conference and Saudi creatives

Chapters

00:00:00 Intro: Mariana De’ Carli Orti + Accent Mystery 00:00:55 Book Release + AI “Bible Model” Moment 00:01:25 Guest Intro: Riyadh-Based Advisor + Author 00:02:35 Global Background: Brazil, Miami, London 00:03:50 Family Story + Expat Kid Life 00:04:45 King’s College + Neuroscience Pivot 00:05:40 Languages, Law, and International Career Path 00:06:15 Move to the Middle East: Why Saudi 00:07:30 London vs Saudi Lifestyle + Community 00:09:10 Financial Crisis → Dubai Opportunity 00:10:40 Zero-Hour Contracts Explained 00:12:05 Dubai Work Culture + Regional Travel 00:12:35 Egypt + Seeing the Nile 00:13:10 Move to Riyadh in 2020 00:14:55 London vs Dubai vs Riyadh Work Culture 00:16:05 Changing Industries + Curiosity Mindset 00:17:05 Riyadh Writing Community Begins 00:18:20 Imposter Syndrome → Book Published 00:19:20 Book Success: #8 Bestseller in Saudi 00:20:45 Saudi Character Representation in the Novel 00:22:35 Second Book Coming This Year 00:22:55 How She Balances Work, Writing, Conference 00:24:05 Productivity: Block Scheduling 00:25:00 Writing as Self-Care + Creativity 00:26:10 Riyadh Social Life + FOMO 00:27:35 Boundaries + Time Off 00:28:20 AlUla as a Writing Retreat 00:30:30 AlUla Recommendations + Hidden Spots 00:31:15 Languages Spoken + Arabic Goal 00:32:00 Save the Cat + Story Structure 00:33:40 Writing Resources + Courses in Saudi 00:35:30 Publishing Disrupted by Tech 00:36:40 AI in Books + Amazon De-platforming 00:37:10 AI Lawsuits + Industry Controversy 00:39:05 University AI Policy + Ethics 00:40:30 Copyright Risks for Authors 00:41:50 Law + Writing Crossover 00:42:25 Being a Woman in Saudi + Safety 00:44:30 Misconceptions About Saudi 00:46:30 Why Riyadh Feels Like Home 00:48:00 Publishing House Mission in Saudi 00:49:15 Publishing Royalties Reality 00:50:50 Bestseller Math + Amazon Categories 00:52:20 Why Start a Publishing House 00:54:55 BookTok + Social Media Marketing 00:56:55 Riyadh Writers Conference Feb 6–7 00:58:35 Where to Follow Mariana 00:59:40 First Draft Advice + Outro