Wednesday, July 14, 2021

Summer Lovin': Interview With Uzma Jalaluddin!


Hi, everyone! Today I am happy to present an interview with Uzma Jalaluddin, the author of the Adult Romances, Ayesha at Last and Hana Khan Carries On, which are both out now!

The bold font are the questions I asked, the regular font are her answers, and the bold italic font are my comments about her answers.

Would you please tell us a little about your book, Hana Khan Carries On?

Sure! My second novel is 'You've Got Mail' set in rival halal restaurants in a close-knit diverse community in Toronto. It follows main character Hana Khan, a young 20-something hijab wearing Muslim woman as she navigates a challenging time in her life. Her family's Indian restaurant is struggling, she is experiencing challenges at the radio station where she interns, and the new halal restaurant that just opened down the street seems intent on destroying her family's livelihood. Add in an anonymous podcast, a hate-motivated attack, and surprise visit from family in India, and HANA KHAN CARRIES ON has all the ingredients for a fun, timely romcom. 

Hana Khan Carries On is being pitched as for fans of You’ve Got Mail! I have to ask, what’s your favorite rom-com movie?

Not sure if I have a single favourite, but some include: Bridget Jones' Diary, When Harry Met Sally, Notting Hill, Love Actually. Anything from the 90's and early 2000's!

Great choices!

Random Question! What’s your favorite color?

My favourite colour is purple!

If you’re able to talk about it, what are you currently working on?

I'm currently drafting my third novel, but it's early days so I can't say much. It will be another rom com set in the Muslim community in Toronto!

What are some of your favorite Romance books? And what are some you’re looking forward to reading?

I'm a big fan of Lucy Parker, and really enjoyed reading an arc of her book 'Battle Royal.' I also enjoy the works of: Sonya Lalli, Alyssa Cole, Alisha Rai, Courtney Milan, and many others. 

Battle Royal was so good! And excellent other picks! :)

Thank you to Uzma Jalaluddin for participating in this event! :)

Author Bio: Uzma Jalaluddin grew up in a diverse suburb of Toronto, but her favourite place in the world is the nearest bookstore or library. Her debut novel, AYESHA AT LAST (2018), is a retelling of Pride and Prejudice set in the Toronto Muslim community. The novel was a Goodreads Choice Award Finalist, featured on The Today Show, and was a Cosmopolitan UK Book of the Year as well as a Publisher’s Weekly Best Book of 2019. AYESHA AT LAST has been optioned for film by Pascal Pictures. Her second novel, HANA KHAN CARRIES ON (April 2021), was an instant Canadian bestseller. The novel is a reimagining of ‘You’ve Got Mail’ set in rival halal restaurants. Uzma writes a culture and parenting column for The Toronto Star, and has written for The Atlantic. She lives in Toronto, Canada, with her husband and two sons, where she also teaches high school.

Here Are a Few Links:

Her Website

Her Twitter

Her Instagram

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