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…
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“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…
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