Ecstatic to share my full conversation with longtime fave S.K. Ali, who I first interviewed in 2017 and whose recent break into the fantasy genre has been predictably triumphant with FLEDGLING, a stunning first book in a duology I can’t wait to continue!
Some other topics of discussion: Publishing in Canada, the importance of preserving records, privileged first person perspectives, & the weight of responsibility in an industry that helps shape narratives.
Deeply enjoyed reading Megan Pinto’s wondrous and immersive debut, SAINTS OF LITTLE FAITH, and deeply enjoyed a great conversation with Megan this month!
I’ve long been a fan of photojournalist Alexa Blair Wilkinson— so I slid into their DMs. So grateful to them for agreeing to guest, for responding to all my questions, and for the opportunity to share this immensely important and invigorating conversation!
INSTRUCTIONS FOR BANNO is an incredible debut collection. Already so excited to re-read it, and so grateful to brilliant Kiran Bath for answering all my questions! I can’t wait to read more from her.
I can’t believe it’s already the end of the Season! I had so much fun talking to Chinese-Iranian poet and editor Saba Keramati about her stunning debut collection Self-Mythology, a finalist for the 2024 Miller Williams Poetry Prize from the University of Arkansas Press!
I’ve long been a fan of Saba’s work, and I already can’t wait to revisit this collection.
Some topics of discussion: an unexpectedly early release, a fixation on the self, a behind-the-scenes look into the poetry prize submission process, the significance of mirrors and memory, Anne Carson’s impact, and dealing with loneliness and fear as a writer.
I love poetry! I hate poetry sometimes too. I always hate cooking.
My first quarter on YouTube was wild! I’m so grateful for all your support and willingness to humor me, truly.
And I’m ecstatic to start my second quarter with another challenge, one that’s somehow become more challenging than last quarter’s challenge, when I wrote an entire 50,000 word collection in 10 days–
In honor of National Poetry Month, I’ve promised to share a poetry collection every weekday, as well as a writing prompt and recipe inspired by that collection.
Each week’s featured titles form a spine poem! The first week was incredibly fun. We looked at American Sonnets for My Past and Future Assassin by Terrance Hayes, Incendiary Art by Patricia Smith, A Fortune For Your Disaster by Hanif Abdurraqib, If They Come For Us by Fatimah Asghar, and Girls That Never Die by Safia Elhillo.
And we made imitation McDonald’s apple pies, elevated grilled cheese paninis (for my Ramadan birthday!), digital cheeseboards, aloo keema, and apple Nutella rolls. Some recipes were more successful than others.
Here’s the original announcement video for the challenge:
Hiba Tahir 