Q/A with Maxym M. Martineau, author of Shadows of the Lost, on creating a world of magical beasts, writing a fantasy romance filled with angst and heartache, and telling a story of queer characters.
Read More“Seeing our ancestors in stories, especially those who made important strides, empowers us.”
Q/A with Anita Jari Kharbanda, author of Lioness of Punjab, on reimagining the life of a revered female Sikh warrior, integrating religion and culture, and the longing of a community to write stories about the past.
Read More“I wanted to tell a version where [Kaikeyi’s] actions were not motivated by spur of the moment jealousy, but rather decisions based on her life experiences.”
Q/A with Vaishnavi Patel, author of Kaikeyi, on reimagining the life of an infamous queen from a Hindu epic, giving voice to a female perspective, and exploring motherhood and destiny in her debut.
Read More“If dark academia is meant to be about the darkness of academia…what is darker than structural or institutional racism?”
Q/A with Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, author of Ace of Spades (2021) on her debut thriller featuring Black queer teens and crafting a YA fiction with social themes like institutional racism.
Read More“It has been a pleasure to craft…an embrace of warmth and acceptance around a young brown girl”
Q/A with Karuna Riazi —author of The Gauntlet (2017) and A Bit of Earth (2023)— on her upcoming contemporary retelling, crafting middle-grade stories, and writing a biracial character.
Read More“I hope that young queer Muslim readers understand that you’re perfect just the way you feel”
Q/A with Naz Kutub on his upcoming debut novel (The Loophole, 2022), portraying tough themes in the midst of heart and humour, and writing a young queer Muslim protagonist.
Read More“As a writer, I believe it’s extremely important to try and create, as much as possible, diverse stories about a community”
In January 2019, a mix of humour, heart, and high-stakes drama provided a timely and honest portrait of what it’s like to grow up feeling unwelcome in your own culture. The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali showed a young Muslim queer fighting for love, fighting for family, and fighting for herself. Through the prism…
Read More“I wanted a brown kid at the center, the protagonist of her own life, abolishing the misconstructions society has of Desis and Muslims”
In July 2022, a debut novel set in rural Pakistan and centred around a young Muslim girl will whisk away readers into a magical palace in the jinn world. In this mysterious world, a rich heritage and the chilling reality of child labour will be shown. And Nura is a protagonist everyone would cheer for…
Read More“I wanted to explore Aafiyah’s denial, acceptance, and guilt…but also show that she is much more than a bad habit”
Q/A with Reem Faruqi, author of Golden Girl & Unsettled, on her middle-grade novels-in-verse, compassionate stories about young Muslim girls, and poetic finesse with a focus on family.
Read More“I honestly don’t think it’s possible for me to write a story that doesn’t have a healthy dose of family drama”
A young Muslim girl joins a boy band at her new middle school to fit in while navigating faith, family, and friendships. Pitched as Julie and the Phantoms meets Amina’s Voice, this middle-grade story is sweet, powerful, and joyous. Published in October 2021, Barakah Beats takes readers on a journey where love for music and…
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