Ask the Author: Nadia Hashimi
Answered Questions (50)
Nadia Hashimi
Hi Ethel, this is a late response but I'm just returning to the Author page of Goodreads and playing catch up. Here's an open secret - I'm not great at coming up with titles. My agent, Helen Heller, has a special talent for it and found this line in a verse of poetry and this is from Rumi's Masnavi.
The message, the rain, and the divine light come through my window Falling into my house from my origins
Hell is that house without a window
True religion, O servant of God, is creating a window.
Do not raise your ax to every nook, come
Raise your ax to frame a window
Do you not know that sunlight Is only the image of the sun that appears beyond her veil?
To me, the window symbolizes connection with the greater world, opportunities for enlightenment, a way to be nourished. One might feel robbed of light in a prison cell or even in a mansion. What I love about poems and metaphors is that they can be made anew with fresh perspective. A house without windows might also describe a person living in imposed isolation or it might describe the unreadable mind of someone suffering quietly. Thank you for the chance to revisit this verse!
The message, the rain, and the divine light come through my window Falling into my house from my origins
Hell is that house without a window
True religion, O servant of God, is creating a window.
Do not raise your ax to every nook, come
Raise your ax to frame a window
Do you not know that sunlight Is only the image of the sun that appears beyond her veil?
To me, the window symbolizes connection with the greater world, opportunities for enlightenment, a way to be nourished. One might feel robbed of light in a prison cell or even in a mansion. What I love about poems and metaphors is that they can be made anew with fresh perspective. A house without windows might also describe a person living in imposed isolation or it might describe the unreadable mind of someone suffering quietly. Thank you for the chance to revisit this verse!
Nadia Hashimi
Hello and thank you for reading with such care. This is a humbling question. I must admit that sometimes the writing flows and it feels the characters and situations are instructing me, showing me the way. I'm exploring concepts as I write and some sentences are small revelations that happen along the way. You wondered if your question made sense and I wonder if my response did as well. Glad to marvel at this process with you.
Nadia Hashimi
Hi Mona, I was lucky enough to have the chance to read an advance copy (sent by Gail Torr) and blurb your book. Kudos on sharing your personal story in such a moving way.
Nadia Hashimi
Hi Christina. Thanks so much for reading this book. It's not based on my life experiences at all since I was born and raised in the United States. Moreso, it's an imagined story pulled together from the experiences of so many of my family members, people I've come to know, and people I read about. I try not to have any of my characters be copies of people in real life but there are moments that I do adopt. For example, one of my uncles crossed from Afghanistan to Iran on foot and his story informed a certain part of the family's journey. Best wishes!
Nadia Hashimi
I'm so late in responding that we're almost at Epilepsy Awareness Day 2026. I chose this topic because while training in pediatrics at NYU, I had the chance to help take care of many children with a variety of epilepsy disorders. Some suffered from mild epilepsy while others had truly debilitating conditions. I've always been moved by how children absolutely insist on living their lives and being children to the greatest extent they can despite illness.
Nadia Hashimi
Hi Khadijah! I'm excited to hear you've got the writing bug as well. Reading widely was the best foundation for me. I also had very little expectations in writing my first novel. I could not have imagined anyone would actually read what I was writing which gave me a certain amount of liberty to play around with characters and plot without imagined pressure. I would encourage you to be as bold as you can and set concrete goals. Best wishes.
Nadia Hashimi
Jananie, thank you for this gracious note. So glad to hear Sitara connected with you. I don't go back to a single book for motivation but I do turn to books (plural, general). When I'm stuck or frustrated in my writing, I look for a book that will inspire me with their beautiful storytelling, with their intriguing characters, with their atmosphere. I look at the books on my shelves. I wander through a bookstore. I remember that it's possible to add diversity and perspective to those shelves if I can. just. get. the. words. out. Happy reading. Happy summer.
Nadia Hashimi
Ah, Lisa. I'm tired too. :) I'm am an aspiring juggler just like so many other working parents. Or humans in general. At this time (especially with 4 kids in virtual school until recently), I've not been a pediatrician. And over the years, I've had the support of my family and amazing nannies to help wrangle / feed / clothe / entertain/ teach the kiddos. I couldn't do it without them and I'm still tired but doing what I love - writing - feeds my soul. I hope you have time in your day for what feeds your soul. :)
Nadia Hashimi
Dear Donna, so happy this book landed on your Goodreads shelf! Thank you for reading so thoughtfully. You've made my day!
Nadia Hashimi
Hi! I've been to Afghanistan once in 2003. The stories are not based on any real people but are based on the realities some Afghans face. These are not stories meant to portray the lives of all Afghans, though. I love sharing parts of our culture and the tumultuous history of the country. Thank you for reading!
Nadia Hashimi
I realize I'm very late in seeing your note but I am deeply grateful that the book has resonated with you. Thank you for taking the time to reach out to me and for reading with an open heart.
Nadia Hashimi
Hi Diana, my juggle has changed since I first started writing in 2009. I was working full time in an emergency room then. As the first and second books came out and our family grew, I began to cut back my hours. For the past couple of years, I've been primarily writing, raising 4 kids (with loads of support) and staying involved in the organizations that keep me grounded. It's a balancing act that sometimes works and other times...well, let's just say it mostly works.
Nadia Hashimi
As a pediatrician and a mom of four, I've had the privilege of spending lots of time with spirited, daring, funny children. In my visit to Afghanistan and through my involvement with organizations that support vulnerable Afghan children, I've seen the resilience and determination that makes it impossible to look away. Children are natural sources of inspiration. I hope the stories do them justice.
Nadia Hashimi
Realizing I'm way late in responding to this but I do have a "next" on its way. Sparks Like Stars will meet the world in a few weeks - March 2nd! I hope the story finds its way to your shelf. Thank you for reading!
Nadia Hashimi
Hello and thank you for reading! I'm always glad for challenges that bring us diverse characters and expand representation. I don't The Pearl That Broke Its Shell qualifies for the challenge because a bacha posh isn't really about gender identity or orientation. It's more of an exploration of patriarchy. Thankfully, we're seeing more and more LGBTQ+ representation on the shelves. Enjoy the challenge!
Nadia Hashimi
Salaam to you as well! Thank you for reading and for taking the time to write. I'm glad the story connected with you in its many themes. I was inspired to write this story by the stark realities of life in Afghanistan for so many Afghan women and girls. Growing up in the United States with a family that encouraged me to feel empowered, I knew that my reality was not the same as that of my counterparts living in Afghanistan. I hope that this book will be some small tribute to the resiliency, bravery and ingenuity the women and girls of Afghanistan demonstrate on a daily basis.
Nadia Hashimi
Hi Helen, Thanks for taking the time to read and write. I get this question a lot and it means you cared about my characters. I have no plans to pick up this story and continue at this moment but I won't say never. I put Saleem and his family through so much already, I find it hard to imagine putting them through much more. Of course, there is more to their story, just as there is more to any of our stories. For now, I'll leave it to the readers to imagine how the next chapter might unfold. Wish you good reads always.
Nadia Hashimi
You are so right, Jennifer. I am asked this question often but that means people care about what happens to my characters beyond the final page. What else could a writer ask for? I've no plans for a sequel at this time but I am definitely entertaining the thought of continuing the family's tale in some way in the near future. Before I pick up with Saleem or Fereiba again, I have to make sure I can do them justice. Much thanks for the warm words and for reading. Hope you'll enjoy my other stories as well!
Nadia Hashimi
What a great question! I think the resilience and determination you feel in Shekiba and Rahima are products of what I've seen throughout my life (aunts, grandmothers, cousins and family friends). I've been raised around Afghan women who have faced some pretty tall mountains and still seen a path. The world is that much of a better place thanks to the women refusing to accept the status quo and becoming a role model for the girls and women around them. Thanks for reading!
Nadia Hashimi
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