Kia Abdullah's Blog: Girl, Interrupting

The Hadid family was an effortful one. Even minor occasions and trivial achievements were marked with a rigid persistence. Birthday cards arrived precisely on the ... Read more

The post Read Chapter 1 of Truth Be Told appeared first on Kia Abdullah.

The Hadid family was an effortful one. Even minor occasions and trivial achievements were marked with a rigid persistence. Birthday cards arrived precisely on the day in question, except on Sundays when they would tip through the letterbox one day early. Wedding anniversaries were marked not only by the couple concerned but the entire extended […]

The post Read the first chapter of Truth Be Told appeared first on Kia Abdullah.

I was at a literary festival recently when a fellow author told me he had just finished reading Take It Back. Its dark, he said, his voice dropping low as if sharing a secret. Really dark. I was surprised because this author writes gritty crime novels set in the deep underbelly of one of Britains []

In August last year, I was asked to speak at a conference of around 700 people. The organiser – let’s call him Jack – emailed me and asked if he could set up a call to discuss the details.  I carved out a slot in my schedule and joined him on Skype. (It was the […]

The post How not to ask me to speak at your conference appeared first on Kia Abdullah.

In August last year, I was asked to speak at a conference of around 700 people. The organiser – let’s call him Jack – emailed me and asked if he could set up a call to discuss the details. I carved out a slot in my schedule and joined him on Skype. (It was the […]

The post How not to ask me to speak at your conference appeared first on Kia Abdullah.

Years ago, during my time at Asian Woman magazine, the editorial team received a disgruntled letter from a would-be reader. The writers on the team walked a fine line between tradition and progression and were used to complaints about being too much of one or the other. This complaint was different, however.  It was sent […]

The post I’m still waiting for our Crazy Rich Asians moment  appeared first on Kia Abdullah.

Years ago, during my time at Asian Woman magazine, the editorial team received a disgruntled letter from a would-be reader. The writers on the team walked a fine line between tradition and progression and were used to complaints about being too much of one or the other. This complaint was different, however. It was sent […]

The post I’m still waiting for our Crazy Rich Asians moment appeared first on Kia Abdullah.

If we were to make a list of the most joyless words in the English language, it’s likely that ‘vegan’ would rank somewhere near the top. Not only is it phonetically severe (vee-gan sounds undeniably awful on the tongue), it also denotes a humourless abstinence that borders on extreme. Veganism inspires such strong passion that […]

The post I have a sinking feeling that the vegans might be right appeared first on Kia Abdullah.

Lead image: Kia’s five older siblings I am one of eight siblings – a fact I often use to explain away a range of flaws. For example, I don’t like sharing food. “Shall we get one of each and share?” is anathema to me. Tapas and mezes are tasty but after a childhood of splitting […]

The post Gone girl: leaving the city of my seven siblings appeared first on Kia Abdullah.

Lead image: Kia’s five older siblings I am one of eight siblings – a fact I often use to explain away a range of flaws. For example, I don’t like sharing food. “Shall we get one of each and share?” is anathema to me. Tapas and mezes are tasty but after a childhood of splitting […]

The post Gone girl: leaving the city of my seven siblings appeared first on Kia Abdullah.