Interview With Medeia Sharif, Author of “Bestest. Ramadan. Ever.” {Giveaway}
Medeia Sharif is a Kurdish-American author who was born in New York. She currently lives in Miami, where she teaches high school English. She has a master’s degree in psychology and to say she’s a “voracious” reader would be understating it. I believe she’s already read 100 of the 150 books she planned for 2011. “BESTEST. RAMADAN. EVER.” is her first novel. Read my review of B.R.E.
Medeia, Congratulations on your debut and welcome to our Multicultural Familia! I’m really excited that you were able to answer some questions about your experience writing “BESTEST. RAMADAN. EVER.” I know that our readers will appreciate hearing your perspective.
B.R.E. Description:
During Ramadan, we’re not allowed to eat from sunrise to sunset, for a whole month. My family does this every year, even though I’ve been to a mosque exactly twice in my fifteen years. My exercise-obsessed mom—whose hotness skipped a generation, sadly—says I could stand to lose a few. But is torture really an acceptable method? I think not.
Things wouldn’t be so bad if I had a boyfriend, but my oppressive parents forbid me to date. This is just cruel and wrong. Especially since Peter, a cute and crushable artist, might be my soul mate. Figures my bestest friend Lisa likes him, too.
To top it off, there’s a new Muslim girl in school who struts around in super-short skirts, commanding every boy’s attention—including Peter’s. How can I get him to notice me? And will I ever feel like a typical American girl?
What inspired you to write Almira’s story and how long did it take from start to finish?
I was going to write the story with a male perspective, but then Almira came to me. I took pieces of a drawer manuscript—one of those manuscripts that never see the light of day—and put them to use with this new character. BESTEST. RAMADAN. EVER. was then born. I started writing it the fall of 2007, finished it the following spring, found my agent during the summer of 2008, the deal with the publisher was made in the summer of 2009, and then it came to be published July 2011.
You mentioned in an essay recently that you’d received some criticism from an early critique partner, who seemed to approach your novel with some preconceived ideas, going so far as to say that you should “change” it. Can you talk a little about how that experience made you feel? What do you believe motivated his comments?
At first his criticism stung me, but then I switched to my so-what attitude. I didn’t take this person seriously. I write fiction, yet he compared my wip [work in progress] to a memoir he had read that dealt with Egyptian life, colonialism, and feminism. So my work wasn’t intellectual enough to his liking and it was too American for him! He couldn’t wrap his mind around a contemporary Muslim teenager growing up in Florida. I didn’t feed into his criticism, and he ignored me during the rest of the meeting to attack other people’s writing. I think his arrogance and overinflated intellectualism motivated him. I left this group soon after, because it was negative and unstructured due to him and a few other members.
Almira is a very “young” and “naive” fifteen-year-old, in fact, younger and more naive than many female main characters in contemporary young adult novels. Why is that?
She’s more sheltered compared to her peers. Also, I wanted to give her room to grow. When I began BRE I sort of had an idea for a book 2, and I wanted her to become bolder and more confident as time went on. I’m working on book 2 now, and her essence and personality are definitely there, but it’s almost as if I don’t recognize her. I’m cheering her on and I hope readers will, too. Additionally, I had been writing some heavy and dark things before BRE, so I wanted to work on something breezy and innocent—those words also describe Almira.
Several times Almira refers to one of her best friends as a “chonga.” What does her use of this stereotype say about her?
She’s a Miamian at heart. That term is lightly bandied about among teenagers in Miami. Also, Almira doesn’t flinch from stereotypes. She openly mentions “terrorist beards,” “infidels,” and other dicey and politically incorrect terms.
I’ve heard two teachers say the following: “Writing is a process of discovery and rediscovery,” and that, “There’s always a little bit of the writer in their characters.” Would you agree with these statements? If so, what did you learn writing B.R.E., and what parts of you are reflected in Almira’s story?
Yes, I’d agree. Being that I’m in my thirties, I’m removed from my own high school experience, but this novel did tap into certain emotions and incidents that I went through (even though BRE isn’t autobiographical). And what was once perhaps negative to me seems more positive after getting the novel out of my system. I moved from a diverse city to a non-diverse suburb when I was a child—I stuck out like a sore thumb and badly wanted to fit in, so that part of me is reflected here. But at the same time, it’s those differences between people that can be celebrated.
If you were a student at Almira’s high school, what would you learn from each other? What advice would fifteen-year-old Medeia Sharif give Almira Abdul?
I was very different from Almira when I was fifteen. I dressed in black, read Sylvia Plath, and absorbed occult books. Maybe I’d teach Almira about Ouija boards and numerology, but I don’t believe she’d want to hear about those things. She’d probably educate me on fashion and makeup, which I had no clue about at the time. Almira has insecurities, so I’d tell her that she’s greater than she thinks she is and anything is possible for her.
What is Almira going to be when she grows up?
She’ll create a makeup line with bold colors and cute packaging.
And last question! Can you tell us a little about your other writing projects?
I have one wip that’s almost finished and another wip in draft format. One wip continues Almira’s story. The second one is about a popular girl who loses her looks and status due to a freakish misunderstanding. And I have a third wip on the backburner, with only a first chapter done. It’s a paranormal.
The giveaway:
Simply leave a comment about why you’d like to win this book, your thoughts on the interview or a question for the author! She may be dropping in to read and respond to your comments. :)
The Rules: Submit your comment by midnight on July 31 (Ramadan Eve) and we’ll be announcing the winner on August 1, 2011! You must have a valid U.S. address to enter. The winner will be selected using Random.org, will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to reply and claim their prize.
© 2011 – 2012, Multicultural Familia™. All rights reserved.
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Some years ago, I worked with a young woman who was Muslim and she taught all of us co-workers a lot about her religion because we were so interested in learning and we did not know much about Islam back then. After hearing about fasting during daylight hours during Ramadan we made it a point to only have water or tea with her during our lunch time together with her.
I would enjoy winning this book because it sounds thoughtful - I heard about it on a friend's blog (Life is Just a Bowl of Chicken). I do not know what school Medeia teaches at, but I went to school in Miami.
I think I have just made your 31 July deadline!
Thank you for your interview with Medeia, it was very interesting.
Throughout my college and graduate school years, during my studies about women's issues, my biggest passion was to study the situation of Muslim women within their own culture and their way of preserving their values and beliefs while living in the West. I never had the pleasure of reading a book exclusively about Ramadan; the far I always get every year is through reports I get from my friend living in Dubai :)
Looking forward to this book!
Thanks, Silvina.
I always found Ramadan to be an interesting holiday, but sadly without a perspective from someone who grew up celebrating it. Even though I'm still in America, I am determined expand my mixed identity and meeting other identities too. This book is a great push towards redefining the world of YA literature and the Muslim teen, I can feel it! Congratulations for walking uncharted ground! I'd love to read this work and review it (don't worry, it will be heartfelt and honest)!
Me too! I have a valid U.S. address!
I know a handful of Muslim parents who are raising children in the U.K. They have a hard time getting them to accept Muslim values and culture, and I know there must be a lot of people struggling with the same issues in the States. Your book will be useful for them, and it will help educate those of us who don't know what Ramadan is. Plus, it just sounds like a good read, and quirky -- a girl growing up Muslim (however marginally), who can use the word 'chonga'.
(Happy Ramadan!)
Thanks, Mary.
This sounds like a fabulous story. I've been wanting to read it for awhile and learn more about the Muslim culture. :)
nicnac63 AT hotmail DOT com
Thanks, C.E.
I'm looking forward to reading this book. I'd love to win a copy!
Thanks, Maryanne.
I love that you break down a stereotype and remind readers that a Muslim teenager is still a teenager. I am a teacher in a rural school with no diversity. I think your book would be a wonderful way of showing some of my students that just because a girl is Muslim, she is not so different from them!
Thanks, Jen. I believe because of stereotypes some people overlook the teenage side of Muslim teenagers.
Loved the interview!! Congrats on the book -it's great to see more literature dealing with American Muslim life!
Thanks, Marocmama.
I'd love to win a copy as I have four Muslim children just transplanted to Australia and I think it would be great for the two teenagers.
This is something they'll relate to, Robyn.
This sounds like a really fun book! Congratulations on your first publication! Another book I'd love to read is the one (to be written?) about an Islamic girl in a non-diverse suburb who's into Sylvia Plath and Ouja boards. :-)
Ha ha, Suzanne. Yes, to-be-written. :)
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