I’m a writer, editor, and creative writing teacher. I started my writing journey as a blogger (back when blogs were popular!). Now, I write mostly short stories and have a bunch of picture book drafts that have been neglected for far too long.
On the official side of things, my short stories have been published in various literary magazines (see Publications). I’ve been longlisted for the 2019 Writers’ Trust McClelland & Stewart Journey Prize and I was a finalist for the 2024 PEN Canada New Voices Award. I also earned an Honourable Mention for the #PBRising Stars Mentorship Program in 2024, Alhamdulillah. I work as an editor at Ruqaya’s Bookshelf.
As for the unofficial stuff, I love drawing and painting with my two young boys (minus the cleanup), and going on long solitary walks. I’ve always been a writer, one way or another, and I know what it takes to hold on to your writing through the ups and downs of life, and to not let it go. I’ve written on park benches while my kids made piles out of fallen leaves. I’ve written in the car at night with only fleeting strips of light landing on the page. I’ve written on the kitchen counter, distracted and annoyed at the ketchup that someone forgot to put back into the fridge. I’m always writing in my head.
I love working with writers because of the joy it brings me — to see writers believe in themselves and their potential, work through their struggles, and show up on the page in all their brilliance.
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Ten years ago, being a ‘writer’ seemed like a far-fetched dream. Yet here I am, still writing, balancing kids, work, and well, life, checking off dream goals as I go along, Alhamdulillah. I can help you get there too, a place where you prioritize writing in your life, dedicate yourself to developing your craft, and if you don’t already, fall in love with your own words.
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