April round up
It's been a lot
Where do I even begin, when the world is on fire? I have the privilege of being able to write about it from the safety of my desk, while my kids are fast asleep.
This month’s highlight has been watching Episode V, V and VI of Star Wars with my husband and three primary-aged school kids. Core memories! My kids played Star Wars on my PlayStation 5 before they watched the original movies, so that was an interesting segue into the fandom. My kids adore the movies, and love Ewoks. When I asked my tween about the visual effects and the story itself, her response was: “Terrible, but interesting!” Ha. It goes to show that no matter how fancy the visual effects, nothing beats the power of a good story. Let me know what your favourite nostalgia movies are. I’m thinking of Hayao Miyazaki after Star Wars.
Sydney Muslim Writer’s Festival
The Sydney Muslim Writer’s Festival went absolutely wonderfully last weekend. SO many talented authors, speakers and readers! I was invited to attend but wasn’t able to fly in, sadly. InshaAllah in 2028, I’ll be able to - with more books published. There is something so strange about me being a Malay Australian author living in Malaysia with an Australian & US publisher. I sit in the fringes, always - but that’s also where I do my best work. Sinking into my writing and my edits gives me so much joy, which is what keeps me going. The book tours, school visits and speaking on panels are the icing on the cake. The joy of writing IS the cake…even if it’s currently a chaotic, constantly interrupted cake.
Stay tuned for my next published poem in Cordite next month inshaAllah :)
Etsy Store
My Etsy Store is up! My kids and I are designing mugs, t-shirts, onesies etc. I’d love your support, especially to help us reach our coveted first sale.