SAFFRON DREAMS
by Shaila Abdullah
Literary Fiction
Modern History Press
www.ShailaAbdullah.com
5 autographed copies will be given away on Friday, July 8, 2011!
About the Book:
1) How did you get the idea for the novel?
Saffron Dreams explores the tragedy of 9/11 from the perspective of a Muslim widow. I am sure there is hardly a person in the U.S. who was not affected by the events of September 11 in some way. For me, the event was double-daggered: grief at the loss of innocent lives and horror at the distortion of our own identities as Muslim-Americans that followed.
In the novel, I have attempted to capture how ordinary Muslims were affected by 9/11—the silent majority who lead very normal lives and are law-abiding citizens of this land. They are the ones we never hear about because their lives are too ordinary to be the subject of the nightly news. In the novel, the protagonist Arissa Illahi, a veil-wearing Muslim woman, loses her husband in the tragedy of 9/11. Pregnant and alone, she discovers the unfinished manuscript of her husband and decides to finish it as a tribute to him. Her unborn son and her husband’s legacy provide a renewed sense of hope to Arissa as she struggles to put the pieces of her life back together.
2) What message are you trying to convey with this book?
The tragedy of 9/11 was a great shock to the American psyche. Some of that anger was directed towards those who shared the race and religion of the terrorists, especially those who publicly exhibited symbols of their faith such as veils, beards, even their own names.
Saffron Dreams is based on the basic premise that the preservation of cultural and religious identity of any group is the cornerstone of a civil society. In the terrorist attack of 9/11, the shards of glass reached far and wide wounding the hearts of Americans who had been very accepting of the melting pot their country had become. The event put them at odds with a community that had come to this country with very simple objectives: to work hard and lead honest lives. One has to also recognize that terrorists do not represent mainstream Islam. Having Faizan, an innocent Muslim man, die in the attack shows that terror has no religion or race.
Where the media instilled fear in the heart of the nation about Muslims, lately they have also attempted to learn the true purpose of Islam by bringing in renowned and respected scholars and researchers to interview. There still needs to be more dialogs with positive role models of Islam.
From learning about discrimination, researching stories of racial attacks to interviewing parents of children with CHARGE Syndrome, it was a constant learning experience. There were many different pieces of the novel that required extensive research. The time and place where the tragedy unfolded, how it manifested, what were the dynamics of the situation, etc. Often it felt like feeling in the dark for one more piece to finish the puzzle. It’s amazing to watch a story unfold; it sometimes surprises even the author.
4) Let's talk about your main character, Arissa. How did you think her up and is there any of you in her?
The novel is not autobiographical, although there are many similarities between the character and I. We are both writers and artists and had arranged marriages. The character’s challenges are many and greater. In the novel, the veil-wearing protagonist frequently encounters challenges about her faith and is forced to make some adjustments in her life to ward off the negative attention brought on by wearing symbols of her faith.
On a lighter note, both the character and I have flawed sense of directions but I will tell you this, certain characters of the novel were modeled after members of my family. A cousin who died after three years of marriage, leaving a pregnant wife behind drove the character of Arissa’s husband, Faizan. The cousin’s compassionate and loving parents inspired the characters of Faizan’s parents, who step in to help Arissa get back on her feet.
5) When did you first know that you wanted to be a writer? Have you had other jobs along the way?
I had always known I wanted to be a writer--as well as a designer. I am originally from Pakistan and moved to US in 1995. In many ways I follow muse wherever it leads me, be it through creative writing or design. Most of Saffron Dreams was written during night because my days are usually so packed with a full time job as a designer, family, freelance business, and voluntary activities. I believe that if you are passionate about something, the universe finds a way for you to pursue your dreams. You can find a wealth of information on my website which includes an excerpt, reviews, and buying information.
About the Author:
Noted as "Word Artist" by critics, Shaila Abdullah is an award-winning author and designer based in Austin. Her novel Saffron Dreams explores the tragedy of 9/11 from the perspective of a Muslim widow. Abdullah's debut book, Beyond the Cayenne Wall is a collection of stories about Pakistani women. The author has received several awards for her work including the Golden Quill Award, Norumbega Jury Prize for Outstanding Fiction, DIY Award, Reader Views Award, Written Art Award, including a grant from Hobson Foundation. More information about the author is available on her website at: www.ShailaAbdullah.com.
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What a beautiful cover!
ReplyDeleteM.Touet