Nadia Hashimi's Blog: Video

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!

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.

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."

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!

With all that's happening in the world today, it feels uncomfortable and insensitive to share updates that aren't of vital importance.

But I also find myself turning to books and stories more these days for all they provide -- escape, contemplation, surprise, laughter.

In the spirit of looking forward to brighter days (and nights!), I'm today sharing the gorgeous cover of my upcoming, Sparks Like Stars (March 2, 2021). Designer Mumtaz Mustafa so beautifully captured the story's span of time and place with this one. FYI - she's done all my adult covers.

I think it'll look great on a bookshelf. What do you think?

Available for pre-order now. More about advance copy giveaways and sneak peeks in the coming weeks.

Stay tuned, happy reading, and be well!

Sparks Like Stars: A Novel

SPARKS LIKE STARS
I am thrilled (so, so thrilled!) to share my next title SPARKS LIKE STARS. Since it is still a ways from publication, I’ll only say that it’s the story of the rise of a girl and the fall of a country. I’ve really enjoyed the research and interviewing for this piece of historical fiction. Alas, the book wont' hit shelves until early 2021. Why so long? There’s much that goes into getting a “dirty draft” into final book form. Editing, proofreading, designing a cover, choosing a font, and proofreading again to avoid getting an email from a grammatically correct reader.

UPDATES FROM AFGHANISTAN
Much has been happening in the world of Afghan women lately. Peace talks between a US representative and the Taliban halted rather abruptly after President Trump cancelled a Camp David meeting with Taliban figureheads. I wrote about the problematic peace talks for Ms Magazine this past summer.


Meanwhile, Afghanistan celebrated the centennial of its independence. This year marked 100 years since the third Anglo-Afghan war. (Yes, the British had their eyes on Afghanistan as well.) This milestone was marked with a grain of salt given the uptick in Taliban-wrought violence in the country but there is much to celebrate. I had the pleasure of emceeing an event at the Afghan Embassy in Washington, DC. Did you know Ambassador Roya Rahmani is the first woman to serve in this critical post? Afghan vocalist and outspoken feminist, Aryana Sayeed performed the Afghan national anthem. She and so many Afghans eagerly await the results of the recent presidential elections, with hopes that the peace, security, and prosperity will grow. I weighed in on how the elections might impact women on CGTN’s The Heat.



MY NIGHTSTAND
Once upon a time, I would only read books I could hold in my hands. Reluctantly, I accepted the convenience of e-books. Then I tried an audiobook. And a second audiobook. (It’s a slippery slope, friends.) One of the best recent audio experiences I’ve had was Daisy Jones & The SixDaisy Jones and the Six. I may have tried to find vintage video of the band on YouTube before realizing this was a brilliant work of fiction. Some other recent favorites: This is How It Always Is, A Pure Heart, The Great Alone, and the upcoming American Dirt, a gripping and gritty novel about the human stories unfolding at our southern border. In the world of children’s books, I’ll plug: Ghost Boys and The Girl Who Drank the Moon. Ghost Boys is a gut punch of a read about a Black boy holding a toy guy shot by a police officer. TGWDTM made bedtime with four children more magical and less mayhemic.

UPCOMING EVENTS
On October 23, I gave the keynote address at the Sahar Education for Girls annual dinner in Seattle, WA. The organization builds stellar schools for girls in Afghanistan. I’m proud to support this organization because we build a thriving, peaceful future by empowering ambitious girls.

Look out for a future post on how incredible it was to be in conversation with Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, the pediatrician who helped expose Flint’s water crisis. Her book, What the Eyes Don't See: A Story of Crisis, Resistance, and Hope in an American City, is an astonishing look at how elevated lead levels in the blood of her patients clued her in to a public health tragedy.

BOOK CLUBS
I can be virtually anywhere. To coordinate a virtual visit with your classroom or your book club, please email me at [email protected].

Want to hang out and talk about how important it is to educate girls in Afghanistan?

I'd love to find 5 friends to join me at a fundraising dinner at Seattle's lovely Sodo Park on 10/24/19 (7pm). I'll be delivering the keynote remarks for the evening and am sponsoring a table. Seattle is far from home so I'm looking to make some new friends.

Enter your name in the comments (and specifically write SAHAR ticket) and I'll have my youngest child choose the guests at random on 10/1. I am cross-posting on a couple places. Let's see how many names end up in the hat.

About the organization: Sahar Education works with partners in the U.S., and on the ground in Afghanistan, to build and supply schools, start educational and vocational training programs, and early marriage prevention programs.

Disclaimer: It is a fundraising dinner and we board members must ask that guests be willing to make a minimum contribution of $150 to Sahar.

Feel free to share this with people who need to see this.

I sent out these updates in a newsletter (you can subscribe through my website). I thought I'd share them here as well.

The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee. Few are untouched by cancancer, makng this a widely relevant read. Dr. Mukherjee tells the story of cancer with sensitivity and in remarkable depth.

Before the Fall by Noah Hawley. This is one I listened to on audio and I’m glad I did. While the writing is fantastic, this begs to be relayed in oral and visual forms as well. Unsurprisingly, the story will be adapted for film. It is an intriguing investigation of a small plane crash that leaves only two survivors. Its insights into media are fantastic.

The Widow by Fiona Barton, is a page-turning thriller spun around the stomach-turning world of child exploitation.

Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity by Katherine Boo. Transporting, this book goes well past dismal statistics and unearths the triumphs, disparity and heartache of life in those slums.

AMERICAN CHILD BRIDES:
I tackle the issue of a child forced into marriage in The Pearl That Broke Its Shell and lightly touch upon it in One Half From the East. Sure, it is a problem in Afghanistan and many other countries around the world. But I always invite readers to consider that there are American girls forced into child marriage as well. While Maryland, Virginia and a few other states have recently updated the minimum marriage age, New York still allows children as young as 14 to marry with judicial permission and parental consent. According to Human Rights Watch, between 2001 to 2010, 3850 minors married in New York State. Lawmakers are looking to change this archaic legislation and that change is essential if we are committed to protecting the futures of our children.

NAWRUZ
Hands down, my favorite Afghan holiday is Nawruz, the spring equinox. It marks the start of a season of rebirth, renewal and revived energies. To share the specific traditions of the holiday with President Donald Trump, I made a Nawruz tutorial (on my Facebook page and on Youtube). I think he may have gotten wind of this because he did issue a Nawruz statement a few days after the holiday on his website. Maybe next year, he’ll Tweet about it.

AFGHANISTAN IN THE NEWS:
Some of you may have heard about the MOAB (Mother Of All Bombs) dropped in Nangahar on April 13th. I prickle at the almost adolescent way this bomb has been nicknamed. Whether the use of the bomb was justified or if it was effective in accomplishing its task is debatable. (And not really newsletter material.) That being said, I often hear people question why Afghans continue to flee the country if it is no longer at war. We cannot, in the same breath, declare Afghanistan worthy of the MOAB and also deem it a civil, safe society. Afghan officials estimate about 100 ISIS militants were killed by the blast. One local Afghan who lived 1.5 miles from the drop point reported: “It felt like the heavens were falling.”
I’m often asked if the Taliban still have any presence in Afghanistan. In April, the Taliban conducted a stealthy attack on an army command centre near Mazar-i-Sharif. Targeting soldiers in a mosque for Friday prayers, the attackers killed around 140 and injured another 160. This was a devastating blow to a military already facing challenges.

WARWICK LITERARY FESTIVAL
When your hometown library invites you to participate in the town’s first ever literary festival, the answer is YES! It was a wonderful homecoming, a first road trip with my 6 year old daughter and a belated take-your-child-to-work-day.
We got to stop by the dreamy HarperCollins offices in NYC and by the inspiring statue of the girl at Bowling Green.

If you've read this far, thank you! Until next time...

In just two days, my third novel will hit the shelves. A House Without Windows is my latest story, a tale of a woman accused of murdering her husband in Afghanistan. When cast into prison, she meets Mezhgan, Latifa and Nafisa - women imprisoned for falling in or out of love. Will black magic or a flawed justice system be able to save Zeba? And why is it that Zeba doesn't seem to want to be saved?

I'm excited about this book because I'm introducing readers to more resilientA House Without Windows Afghan women. These are fictional characters but they're inspired by a harrowing reality. I can't wait for readers to meet these women.

And I can't wait to meet readers! In just 9 days, I'll be heading off to New Zealand, Australia and South Africa for what promises to be an amazing tour. (I've really got to get a Flat Stanley.) If you call any of those places home, please check out my events on my Facebook page.

I write the stories but it's readers who make it worthwhile. Thanks to all of you who have written to me. So many read with such compassion, with such grace, that I am motivated to stay up past my bedtime and keep writing. Thank for you for feeling inspired by Shekiba, for cheering Rahima on, and for feeling compassion towards Fereiba.

Happy summer/winter reading to you all!

Friends, readers -
I was so happy to find out WHEN THE MOON IS LOW was nominated for best fiction in the 2015 Goodreads Choice awards. This means so much because it's a direct reflection of the opinion of readers.

It's time for the first round of voting and I'm making my plea for everyone to get clickin' in all categories. Please take a moment to vote for your choices. It may sound cheesy but it's the truth - it is an honor simply to be nominated.

Consider this a friendly warm up for the upcoming 2016 presidential vote you'll be casting a year from now!