Nadia Hashimi's Blog: Video - Posts Tagged "diverse-reads"

One month from today, Sparks Like Stars will meet the world (pre-order now!) and I could not be more excited. And nervous. And relieved. And a hundred other feelings because sending a book out to meet readers is like stepping on stage in front of an invisible crowd. Launch day feels like a big event until you get there and...it's a day like any other except for the (worsened) inability to concentrate.

But the buzz is building! Marie Claire Marie Claire Magazine listed it a book to pre-order in 2021 and the NY Post NY Post called it a Best New Novel of the season. A Booklist review called it "thrilling and moving." And early listeners of the audiobook have given glowing praise to the narration by Mozhan Marnò (The Blacklist, House of Cards).

When The Pearl That Broke Its Shell came out, I went to a local B&N to take a picture. It felt surreal to see my books featured on a round table. I was swollen with pride (and my third child). What you don't see in this photo is the staff member charging towards me to let me know photos were not allowed. I apologized but wasn't really sorry.

Since then, I've gotten to know the booksellers there and am so grateful to those who have recommended my books to patrons in person and over social media. Booksellers are baristas for our hearts and shelves.

I wrote Sparks Like Stars because of discussions I've had with book clubs about the Cold War's devastating impact on Afghanistan. But this is also a story of how a girl reinvents her life after a horrific trauma, and becomes an Afghan American. I'll share some of the research and behind the scenes tidbits online in the next month (Instagram Instagram and Facebook). Meanwhile, you can check out my research rabbit holes for this and my other stories on Pinterest.

I continue to enjoy connecting with book clubs, libraries, and classrooms virtually. If interested in a virtual visit, connect with me here. Yoga pants and fuzzy slippers welcome are completely appropriate attire.

Happy Reading!

Sparks Like Stars is where it's meant to be - in the hands of readers. I'm overwhelmed by the responses thus far and unsurprised to hear people are enjoying the evocative narration of Mozhan Marno for the audio.

Readers, I can't tell you how grateful I am for the very warm welcome this story is receiving.

I thought I'd share two pieces I've written lately.

On the Read Her Like an Open Book Blog:
What Was Lost in the Fire: Writing Afghan Historical Fiction

For Electric Lit:
8 Books By and About Afghan Women

I've been sharing my writing journey for this story on Instagram. Feel free to follow along to learn more about my research, my writing process, and to hear how music feeds into my storytelling.

This book was made for book clubs. If yours is thinking of reading Sparks (or any of my stories), I'm happy to join the conversation virtually.

And from the Seattle PI:
"From the descriptions of Sitara's idyllic childhood through to watching the adult Aryana trying to navigate life Hashimi has created a riveting, heartbreaking, and eventually, affirming story. You will find yourself hanging onto every word and breathing in every sentence."

Book launches aren't what they used to be but they can still be good.

I'm thrilled to be launching Sparks Like Stars tonight in a virtual event hosted by Loyalty Books (hurray for indy bookshops!).

TONIGHT
April 6th
8pm
Virtual

I'll be joined by the very talented Saumya Dave, physician and author. If you haven't read Well-Behaved Indian Women, you should. It's witty, tender, and honest.

Hope to see you there!

Sign up HERE.

THE FUTURE FOR AFGHAN WOMEN

Last month, I had the privilege of discussing the future for Afghan women with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during the annual meeting of the US Afghan Women's Council (of which she is Honorary Co-Chair). I appreciate her continued support for Afghan women's rights, especially as the US continues to peddle the narrative that the Taliban understand that diplomacy is the only path to peace in Afghanistan. The troops have left, evacuating Bagram without giving any advance notice to the Afghan national security forces. They are launching attacks across the country, in some areas forcing people to feed and clothe them. On the ground sources tell me they have seen Taliban asking for lists of widows and teenage girls for marriage and have already started imposing restrictions to restrict women to their homes unless they are fully covered and have a male escort.

Sound familiar?

It sure does to the women of Afghanistan.

“I don’t want the country under the control of people who treat women the way they do. We took up the guns to show if we have to fight, we will...They are frightened of being killed by us, they consider it shameful.” Check out this piece in The Guardian with striking images of women taking up arms.

As an advocate, I feel it's vital to amplify the priorities and ambitions of Afghan women. Here's an excerpt from an op-ed I wrote for eWomen's News:
"I regularly hear women activists in Afghanistan reaffirm their commitment to fight for their rights despite credible threats to their lives, despite the fear they feel when a motorcycle rumbles past their homes. Even as the world withdraws, we cannot feign ignorance. An armed struggle for the future of Afghanistan will produce more casualties, displace more families, shorten already contracted life spans, and make it less likely for a newborn to live to her first birthday. The percentage of the population grappling with disabilities and mental illness will increase."

And on a report describing the barriers to maternal health care in Afghanistan. As security concerns rise in the country, humanitarian aid has been shrinking and this threatens to undo the gains made in health metrics over the past two years. I discussed these findings and the road ahead with researcher/advocate Heather Barr of Human Rights Watch on an Instagram Live session that can be viewed HERE. (NB, Heather Barr was a vital and generous resource for me in writing A House Without Windows because of her research and report on women trapped in a problematic criminal justice system in Afghanistan.)
I'll continue to share updates on the situation and the advocacy efforts in this newsletter.

MY NIGHTSTAND
Here are a few stand outs from my recent reads/listens:
What a Happy Family by Saumya Dave
Does a novel written by a psychiatrist count as mental health care? I don't know but Dave's books are certainly good for the mind and soul.
The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne
Conflicted, flawed, and noble characters. Tense scenes. Tongue in cheek humor. I fell so hard for this book.
Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy
The novel, like the ocean upon which it is set, swirls with opposite currents. It is brooding and hopeful and kept me up late at night with its tenderness for broken people navigating a broken planet.

BOOK CLUBS
In the 4 months since Sparks Like Stars was released, I've joined dozens of book club discussions. In one particularly busy week, I virtually hopped around from Pretoria to Toronto to Hong Kong, and from Ohio back to Maryland.

Some book clubs contacted me after reading this gorgeous NPR review, in which Marcela Davison Avilés describes the story as being "at once surreal and deeply rooted in the history of Afghanistan's modern turmoil and ancient enchantment."

I was over the moon excited to have Sparks Like Stars not only listed in the highly anticipated MODERN MRS DARCY 2021reading guide, but also named a Minimalist read alongside six other incredible titles. (Malibu Rising is next up on my TBR.) I'll be joining Anne Bogel herself for a book club chat on Instagram July 28th. Join the fun!