Toronto Launch of A THOUSAND NIGHTS, with Ardo Omer and Heba Helmy

ABOUT THE ANTHOLOGY

In the mold of Arabian Nights, this groundbreaking YA anthology—featuring seventeen Muslim women writers—links together fantastical stories that a group of refugees tell one another within a riveting frame story. On her way across the desert, fleeing the soldiers who have destroyed all she knows, one refugee meets another. And another and another. As they travel together, on a journey in search of safety, they take turns telling one another stories—stories woven in the imagination; tales with echoes of the reality they face now. Tales of young people stolen away by jinn and tales of siblings rescuing one another; tales of lands encroached on by settlers and abandoned by rain; tales of magic found in caves, deserts, mountains, lakes, and, above all, in people, community, and faith. With a frame story written by Nafiza Azad and Intisar Khanani interwoven with stories from fifteen additional authors of various backgrounds, drawing on the mythologies and legends of their cultures, this extraordinary collection will appeal to lovers of fantasy and to those looking for books that centre refugees and diverse narratives.

ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS

Egyptian-born and Canadian raised, Heba Helmy holds an MA in English Literature and a Ph.D. in Language and Literacies. Her academic practice focuses on culturally sustaining narratives and her creative one is all about storytelling that centres love.

Ardo Omer is a Somali Canadian writer based in Toronto. She's the writer of two short comics and the short story, "Sagal, the Witch-in-Training", published by Augur Magazine. She's the Director of Youth Programming at FOLD, a literary festival based in Brampton.