“The heartache they feel is unique to their situation, and without revealing too much, largely steeped in the concept of overcoming past trauma and learning how to be comfortable with your whole self.”
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“Over the years, as I lay there with the ringing in my head playing on a feedback loop, I started to think about a girl who heard whispers in the dark.”
Deaf Girls, Dead Boys, and Dark Secrets: Kelly Andrew, author of The Whispering Dark shares how her debut fantasy with paranormal twists was born.
Read MoreE.M. Anderson (The Remarkable Retirement of Edna Fisher) Recommends Five Fantasy Books & Shares Five They’re Excited To Read
E.M. Anderson —author of The Remarkable Retirement of Edna Fisher— is sharing five fantasy books they loved reading last year and five they’re excited to read this year.
Read More“Retell, not remake became my mantra throughout the writing process. I wanted my version to be close enough to the source material…but I also wanted it to be unique enough”
A heartfelt descent into chaos: Sarah Ainslee, author of That Wasn’t in the Script, on writing a romance that unravels in twenty-four hours and brings together an unlikely pair.
Read MoreJackie Khalilieh (Something More) Shares Four YA Novels That Have Influenced Her Debut Contemporary Teen Romance
In June 2023, a contemporary teen romance novel will feature a Palestinian-Canadian girl trying to hide her autism diagnosis while navigating her first year of high school. It’s said to be perfect for fans of To all the Boys I’ve Loved Before (Jenny Han) and Love, Hate & Other Filters (Samira Ahmed) as a coming-of-age…
Read MoreCarolyn Huynh (The Fortunes of Jaded Women) Recommends Five Asian Books That Explore A Mother-Daughter Dynamic
In September 2022, a multi-narrative novel showed how Vietnamese women emerge victorious, even if the world is against them. An ancestor cursed by a fearsome witch for daring to leave her marriage for true love; a current descendant who knows this curse well: women of this family would never find love or happiness, and would…
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“Writing about grief is supposed to be difficult, but…it was ready to be told. All the love I have for my dad and watching his struggle with cancer, it wanted to be on the page.”
The Tune of Grief: Karen S. Chow, author of Miracle, on writing a young character who loses her beloved father and her ability to play the violin —his favourite instrument.
Read MoreMihir From ‘Fantasy Book Critic’ Recommends Six Must-Read Fantasy Books That Use Indian Mythology
Mihir, from ‘Fantasy Book Critic’ shares six fantasy novels inspired by Indian mythology and lore that can be a great introduction to the Indian fantasy space for non-desi readers.
Read More“[Kaikeyi] pushes a third wave white feminist, Judeo-Christian agenda on an ancient South Asian society without understanding the nuances and structures within it.”
Inosh K Rukman, elaborates on how Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel doesn’t live up to their expectations, in what aspects, and how such criticism for a highly recommended book (a reimagining of the Hindu epic Ramayana) should also have space to exist.
Read MoreMaya Prasad Shares The Recipe For Romance: A Charm Spell & Also Recommends Rom-Com Books
Maya Prasad, author of Drizzle, Dreams, and Lovestruck Things, share what is the perfect recipe for romance, the charm spells romance writers can cast, and rom-com books to check out.
Read More“In the context of exotic vistas, I seek to be a humble merchant of tales, eager to give the world a glimpse of our desi riches”
Gourav Mohanty, the author of Sons of Darkness, on writing a story set in re-imagined Vedic India, the last unexplored genre of Indian literature, and inspiration behind this debut grimdark fantasy.
Read More“There have definitely been ups and downs, but I always remind myself that first and foremost, [writing] has to bring me joy in order to keep doing it”
Romi Moondi, the author of 24 Hours in Paris, on her journey to being published and what inspires her to write strong women leads — a South Asian slant on the rom-com.
Read MoreSalma Hussain Recommends Twelve Canadian Writers Creating Stories Around Muslim Characters
Salma Hussain, author of The Secret Diary of Mona Hasan (May 2022), recommends twelve books with Muslim characters written by Canadian authors.
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 an adult they seem incongruous, but as children we knew seemingly opposite things can co-exist…as long as we made the space”
Nina Hamza, the author of Ahmed Aziz’s Epic Year, on the power of ‘and’ when crafting a middle-grade coming-of-age story about identity.
Read More“Both [my] characters soon come to realise that, like everything that ascends, they must come down eventually where their problems still remain”
Aneesa Marufu, the author of The Balloon Thief, writes a guest post on how feelings of prejudice and unbelonging drove this debut fantasy.
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“Faith is not a static thing; it may ebb and flow, and I attempted to illustrate the same fluctuations”
In January 2022, a romantic tale took readers on a heartfelt journey of faith, family, and love. Salaam, With Love captures the feeling of being different, of not fitting in, while also exploring one’s relationship with their cultural and religious heritage. And of course, it’s about first love. Set in New York, this comforting and…
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…
Read More“The shape of the trauma may be different, but the taste of tears on their tongue is the same”
In August 2021, a feminist fantasy unapologetically took readers on a journey of sisterhood, anger, and resilience. The Wild Ones is a heart-heavy, lyrical, and magical tale that doesn’t shy away from acknowledging and tackling societal flaws, institutionalised wrongs, and trauma. With characters who navigate the myriad meanings of empowerment and vulnerability, the author —whose…
Read More“An Urdu phrase I loved including was ‘aaj jaane ki zidd na karo,’ which…loosely translates to: today, don’t insist on leaving”
A spoiled princess who fiercely loves her family and people is challenged by circumstances to become more while also being romantically intrigued by someone who’s forbidden—an intriguing ambassador. Pitched as a Pakistani-inspired retelling of The Lady or the Tiger, this fantasy brings forward a stunning culture, fascinating court politics, and an angst-filled love story. Published…
Read More“It was incredibly cathartic for me to portray the spiritual struggles of my protagonists”
In March 2021, a fantasy set in a colonised Indo-Persian world and inspired by pre-Islamic Arabian mythology was published. The Descent of the Drowned is a dark, immersive, and powerful debut that also has undertones of the political and sociocultural issues of the region. But it’s biggest asset is characterisation. The morally ambiguous protagonists make…
Read More“Every time someone connects with Michie I feel like I’ve given a voice to this thing that no one really talks about”
Sixteen-year-old Michie lives with her grandmother and hopes to get into her dream college, but the scholarship essay is a difficult one to write, especially when she shares a complicated relationship with her mother. Derek is the new kid at this high school and very much interested in Michie. Both are absolute sweethearts and the…
Read MoreCover Reveal: The Man or the Monster by Aamna Qureshi
Today this blog is so excited to reveal the cover of The Man or the Monster by Aamna Qureshi — sequel to The Lady or the Lion, a YA fantasy set in a Pakistan-inspired world full of forbidden love and court intrigue. The title, second in the The Marghazar Trials, will be released on July…
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