Interviews – Hiba Tahir

NYT Bestselling author Ayana Gray, my next Season 15 guest!

on August 29, 2026August 29, 2026 By hibatahir

I had the great pleasure of speaking to Ayana Gray again, about her upcoming Gilded Age novel HAWK & SPARROW!

Some topics of discussion: similarities between the Gladwell Machine and generative AI, intersections of misogyny and power, lessons from crafting a mystery novel, and what makes the best villains!

**Plus, a spoilers section at the very end of the interview!**

HAWK & SPARROW will be released next Tuesday, September 1st, and is available for preorder now.

Interested in being a future featured guest? Let me know!

Author & educator Razan Abdin, my next Season 15 guest!

on August 22, 2026August 22, 2026 By hibatahir

I had such a lovely time talking to Razan Abdin, our very first picture book author!

SPLENDIDLY SAWSAN will be out on September 1st, 2026 from Abrams Books for Young Readers!

Preorder here.

Catch our full conversation here:

Interested in being a future featured guest? Let me know!

Poet Ellie Black, my next Season 15 guest!

on July 30, 2026July 30, 2026 By hibatahir

I had a great time catching up with Ellie Black, whose debut collection REVELATOR is easily one of my favorite reads this year.

REVELATOR was selected by Dorothea Lasky as the winner of the 2026 APR/Honickman First Book Prize and will be published by the American Poetry Review through Copper Canyon Press in September 2026. Preorder from Bookshop here.

Catch our full conversation here:

Interested in being a future featured guest? Let me know!

Author & editor Autumn Allen, my next Season 15 guest!

on July 22, 2026July 22, 2026 By hibatahir

I had such a great time catching up with the brilliant Autumn Allen ahead of the release of her second YA novel YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE!

YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE will be released from Kokila next Tuesday, July 28, and is available for preorder here.

Catch our full conversation here:

Interested in being a future featured guest? Let me know!

Former Kansas Poet Laureate Huascar Medina, my first Season 15 guest!

on July 2, 2026July 22, 2026 By hibatahir

I had a great time catching up with former Kansas Poet Laureate Huascar Medina, whose searing third collection, PROTEST AS LOVE POEM, was released last month from Meadowlark Press— and makes the perfect Fourth of July read!

PROTEST AS LOVE POEM can be purchased here.

Catch our full conversation here:

Interested in being a future featured guest? Let me know!

Poet & educator Mckendy Fils-Aimé, my next Season 14 guest!

on June 10, 2026June 10, 2026 By hibatahir

I had a great time talking to poet & educator Mckendy Fils-Aimé about his forthcoming debut collection SIPÉSTISYON!

SIPÉSTISYON will be released next Tuesday, June 16, and is available for preorder here: https://www.yesyesbooks.com/product-page/sipèstisyon-by-mckendy-fils-aimé

Catch our full conversation here:

Interested in being a future featured guest? Let me know!

YA author Alaa Al-Barkawi, my next Season 14 guest!

on May 22, 2026July 22, 2026 By hibatahir

I had such a great time catching up with my dear old friend, Alaa Al-Barkawi, ahead of the release of her debut YA novel IN THE COUNTRY I LOVE!

IN THE COUNTRY I LOVE will be released Tuesday, May 26, and is available for preorder here.

View our full conversation here:

Interested in being a future featured guest? Let me know!