It was an absolute honour and privilege to attend Leeds Lit Club in person for the very first time to talk about The Thirty Before Thirty List! I first met Dr Sofia Rehman when the club read my debut, Finding Mr Perfectly Fine, two years ago. Since then I’ve run into Sofia at various events and she has been an absolute rock of guidance and support. Many readers in the Muslim Bookstagram community haven’t felt like reading fiction since October 7. It all feels so frivolous doesn’t it? In fact, I felt frivolous writing about romance when my brothers and sisters in Palestine are fighting for their lives. But Sofia reminded me that what I’m doing is important; I’m creating stories and worlds where Muslims can feel safe and seen, when there’s so much of the world where we feel discomfort.
The Book Club was full of love and laughter and despite meeting many of the lovely ladies for the first time, by the end I felt as though I had known them forever. We spoke about how my book helped them overcome reading slumps; we chatted through the various themes and characters in my book, how we met our spouses, my writing journey and process, where I find inspiration and what’s coming up next. We laughed loads, I signed books and had a gorgeous meal … if all book clubs are like this, then sign me up right now!
