1. This book has beautiful descriptions of Istanbul and a great sense of place. How did you create such vividness in your writing?
I love creative writing, and when I was in school, I often got in trouble for writing too much descriptive prose and not enough action for the plot. I’m also a fan of poetry, especially the classics and poems from the Arab world, which are very flowery in language. When you pair those two characteristics with the fact that I’ve spent nearly every summer of my life in Istanbul, the book practically comes alive by itself!
2. This book is named after a Turkish sweet. A delicious one may I add! What are your favourite sweets?
I adore sweets. Anyone who knows me understands how much I love to bake and show love through sharing food. Any dessert with a balance of sweet and sour are my favourites, like chocolate mousse with raspberries, or a lemon loaf. In the Turkish summer heat, I especially go for ice cream, and my go-to flavours are pistachio, chocolate, and sour cherry.
3. This book is centered on community and the importance of storytelling. Where do you seek community? Are there moments that make you crave connection?
I crave community connection constantly, especially as someone who spends most of the year in Canada and misses the warmth of Istanbul a lot. I always look for people that share my values, cultural background or have a similar upbringing. Especially around Ramadan and celebrations, but also during times of intense difficulty, I rely on my own community’s support and feel better when I can be present for them too. I find it to be most important that community is reciprocated. I’m blessed to be a part of many communities and in diverse shapes, which I’ve met through my volunteering, work, gym, my mentors, my mentees, hobbies, etc. Thankfully, I keep close a collective of people who are very colourful, understanding, and willing to be fully present for me as I try to be for them.
4. You also are a museum and archives professional. How has that job influenced what you write about?
I’ve had the privilege to work in several museums, archives, libraries, art galleries, archaeological sites, and generally, community spaces that highlight cultural expressions. My work allows me to practice sharing stories in a creative way, and continues to teach me the ways in which culture is valued by our communities. I do a lot of “unlearning” in my profession, as well as critical thinking around meaning-making, which greatly support my personal goals of self-growth and strengthening mental health. These are all subjects that are explored in the novel, so my work certainly influences my writing.
5. With this being your debut novel what advice would you give to aspiring writers or those that are soon to debut?
Obviously I’m not a seasoned expert here, but I have a thought about the publishing process: Take a moment for yourself to celebrate privately – just you, no one else. Writing forces us to take the long road, and because it feels never-ending, so we don’t always realize when we’ve arrived at the destination. It requires perseverance, patience, starting over and over. A friend of mine, a fellow writer, pulled me aside during my book’s launch party at a time when I was all caught up in the chaos of the event. She made me stop running around, looked me right in the eyes and told me she was proud of how I made it to that day. In that instant, I remembered the countless writing sessions, revision after revision, crashing computer files, late-night edits. Not everyone can do all of that. I barely held back my tears when the realization hit me, and this was weeks after the novel’s debut. I finally did it, and you will too. Gift yourself that moment of pride.