WOC Read: Interview with Author S.K. Ali

Welcome Back, Booklovers! I am back with another author interview! Today's interview is with the lovely S.K. Ali who's new book Love From Mecca to Medina releases October 18th, 2022.

What inspired you to start writing? And what is your favorite part of the process?

Falling in love with stories at an early age inspired me to try my hand at writing my own when I was in my tweens. My favorite part of the writing process is when all the pieces I envision for a story click into place. That’s when the craft of writing turns into the art of storytelling.

In Love from Mecca to Medina we follow established characters Adam and Zayneb. Do you like getting to revisit characters and continue their love story?

Yes, definitely! They are so distinct from each other that writing them allows me to feel like I’m writing two stories (which is something exciting for a writer who is always ready to move on to a fresh new project, even in the midst of finishing a book). And with Adam and Zayneb, I wanted to make sure that readers got closure on their love story. The first book, Love from A to Z, didn’t elaborate on this part and this was an opportunity for me to write the ever-after.

Were you inspired by your own pilgrimage story?

Choosing to set this story in Mecca and Medina meant revisiting my own memories of visits to these cities, and the emotional experiences of my pilgrimages when I was young. It also meant researching, via YouTube and TikTok, what it’s like for young Muslims today to do the pilgrimage. And I found that the awe hasn’t changed. Like arriving in Mecca, and the feeling of first sighting the Kaaba, the site two billion of us around the globe turn toward when we pray, is mystical and feels otherworldly, and I tried my best to capture that through my words.

Do you get nervous about the perception when writing a book so interconnected with your faith and culture?

It’s easy to feel self-conscious about this due to prevalent Islamophobia, which casts suspicion on someone writing positively about being Muslim, when the norm is to write the opposite. But I don’t succumb to this feeling because I recall reading so many books where faith, mainly the Christian one, was intrinsic to a character’s journey, whether it’s Little Women or Anne of Green Gables (and these stories are, to this day, adapted again and again for screen) and so many more, and no one bats an eyelash. And I love these books and others where characters got to be free with sharing their religious identities. Why should I get worried about perceptions when I’m doing the same thing these beloved authors did to be authentic to their characters?

What genre do you love reading the most vs genre you love writing the most?

From when I was young, I’ve always loved reading (and watching!) mysteries and thrillers but I’ve yet to try to write one. I don’t know why it comes easier for me to write romance when I hardly read any. (I do watch rom-coms from time to time, though!)

Is there any type of author panel you’d love to be invited to speak on?

A panel on writing or other “authory” stuff! The sad truth is that marginalized authors rarely get to speak about the writing process or the craft of story building or anything else that communicates we’re professionals in this industry. We’re often asked to speak about our pain or identity issues or why we’re “grateful to be published”. And, to this I say, just let me be a plain ol’ author sometimes? And also believe that I didn’t “just” get published because of “diversity”? (I think I also know a thing or two about storytelling.)

What’s the best thing you’ve heard a reader say about any of your books?

This is a hard one to answer because I feel like they’re all the best things I’ve heard. I’m often moved to tears when I read notes from young people grateful to see themselves in stories. I cry because it’s such a simple act — to be witnessed to be human too — that they’re grateful for, and I wish there were more instances of such affirmations for all who feel othered. Yesterday, a high school sophomore shared with me that every time they need a bit of comfort in their day, they pick up Love from A to Z, and they immediately find it in the pages. Of course I teared up on hearing that.

What advice would you give to upcoming writers?

Continuously learn the different writing processes of published authors (they’re captured in interviews all over the internet) and try different ones out; you’ll never know what works best for you until you try. And then, when you find a great one, don’t be afraid to try yet another one. Each will add to your repertoire of skills as a writer.