What originally made you want to become an author?
I have always been drawn to stories and the way they help us understand our own lives.
Writing became a way for me to explore questions I had about my home, who I am, and
what kind of community I belong to. It also helped me to create the kinds of characters I
wanted to encounter when I was younger.
In your opinion, what makes a great story?
A great story makes us care. It doesn’t need to be enormous or dramatic; it simply needs
characters who feel real and want something deeply. The best stories entertain us while
quietly changing how we see another person—or even ourselves.
Describe a typical workday in your life as an author. Do you have any unusual writing habits?
There is no truly typical day! Some days are devoted to writing and revising, while others
disappear into emails, meetings, research, and events. I also spend a surprising amount of
time thinking through stories while walking my dogs or playing video games. Sometimes
stepping away from the page is exactly what helps me solve a problem.
What messages or themes do you hope readers take away from your book?
In Salma Keeps Her Word, Salma struggles to communicate with her grandmother when
they don’t share a language as easily as she hoped. I want readers to see that
communication is about more than finding the perfect words. We can connect through
patience, creativity, humour, music, and love. I also hope young readers feel encouraged
to explore their family languages and histories without worrying that they must
understand everything perfectly.
What advice do you have for kids who are interested in writing?
Read everything you can, write about what genuinely excites you, and don’t worry about
making the first draft perfect. Writing is really rewriting: you discover the story by trying,
changing things, and trying again.