Shereen Malherbe's Blog, page 23

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News and Reviews

Jasmine Falling, the debut novel by writer, Shereen Malherbe is currently listed 22/138 best books by Muslim women. Specialising in the representation of Muslim women in the media and in Western societies, Shereen wrote Jasmine Falling after exploring her heritage homeland in Palestine. An advocate and speaker for own voices fiction and the need for diverse narratives in literature, Shereen’s debut novel is reaching audiences worldwide. Jasmine Falling has an average of 4.5 stars via Goodreads and has featured on TV programmes, magazines and literary journals worldwide. It currently ranks number 2 by Goodreads voters on books representing Muslims in literature.

‘…a solid debut…looking forward to reading more from Ms.Malherbe’ Blue Minaret Literary Journal

‘Jasmine Falling is also a rich Middle Eastern tale that makes us fall for a land ripped between war and other social ills. The beauty and the richness of the land are still present no matter what it went through and still goes through as shows through the pages that Malherbe penned so well.’ Sisters Magazine

‘Jasmine Falling bleeds poetic and mesmerizing moments profusely.’ RDP Amazon reader

‘My rating: 5 of 5 stars. I found Jasmine Falling a beautiful work of art which was emotionally moving and will stay with me for some time to come. Magnificent.’ Indie Author Advocate

‘This book may be particularly poignant for people who grew up outside of their parents’ culture, or who have parents from two different cultures but only lived in one. It certainly made me realize how important it is to acknowledge and celebrate all of the cultures of those who reared me, lest I feel incomplete’ Muslimah Media Watch

Note from the author.

‘Good story telling should be devoid of labels and categories. It should cross boundaries and open up new perspectives of the humanity we all share as people.’

To read more visit Jasmine Falling homepage or Goodreads.

 

Catch the sunlight

Loved this capturing of a new dawn

madeehah writes

In these early hours of the morning, when all the dreams and wishes of the world lay in the palm of your hand, everything seems possible. Sunrise stretches over this ancient earth, but each morning it feels as soft and supple as a newborn baby,  like fresh snow awaiting footprints to carve a path into its canvas.

Push past the dreary remnants of sleep, the exhaustion that fills your bones, and the dread of the coming day. Push it all to the side. Listen to the songs of the morning birds, those that are ready to chase their purpose with every fibre in their tiny feathers. Those that chase the sunlight.

Spread the prayer rug out and let your forehead touch the worn fabric. Whisper words of wishes and hopes, to the only One who listens. Listens to the fears of frightened souls who have hearts too fragile to hold the world’s pain.

Go…

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Why You Need a Book Poster

Independent authors are faced with many unique challenges, and one of the most daunting is promotion. Seeing your book in print for the first time is a special moment that soon gives way to the sob…

Source: Why You Need a Book Poster

Jasmine Falling arrives at Universities in Palestine

It was always my intention that my book should return to the country and to the people who inspired it. Thank you for your generosity, warmth, strength and for sharing your stories. For anyone who wishes to read a copy of Jasmine Falling in Palestine, you can now loan from the following university libraries below.

Bethlehem University
An-Najah University (Coming Soon)
Al Quds University, Jerusalem
BirZeit University

More universities and schools will be added soon.

Click to view slideshow.

Writing between two worlds

Writing between two worlds

Published in Sister-Hood Magazine
27th September 2016 |by Shereen Malherbe |@MalherbeGirl |Share this article:

I often reminisce about sun-drenched afternoons in Palestine when we had the time to sit and share stories. We would walk home at dusk. Our conversations became about hope and expectations as we tried to find our own place in the world. The worries of the Occupation would temporarily fade into the background to be replaced with life and its opportunities, despite the many restrictions. This however, was not my childhood. I was born and raised in England, with minimal contact with my Palestinian family except for the odd trip there as a child. The joining of our two worlds, which happened on that afternoon in my twenties, and has led me on the start of my own journey.

During those months spent in Palestine, I began collecting stories, those most in danger of being eroded by the passage of time, and each one with differing meanings to a new generation. I knew I had to capture them, and find a way to tell them. This rich history was intertwined with my own. I thought about how losing it would equal a loss of what my family had fought for, what they had lived through and died for. It was compounded by the fact that it is Palestine; a country shifting so dramatically that I did not know what I would return to even a year later, let alone in my children’s lifetime.

Blood Ties

As I explored both sides of my heritage, it became harder to maintain the detachment I had maintained my whole life. I wept with them through their struggles, I walked through the apartheid wall where we were herded like cattle, and I was kept at the border for hours, under suspicion because of my Palestinian association. When you have blood ties to a land you consider how every word you write will be received by your family who live there. I considered rewriting my characters and my book multiple times. But, then I would remember the newness and hope I had felt that afternoon many years before. I realized that my narrative could work as bridge between the two worlds, allowing me to share a new generation’s optimism, and my own.

Family Expectations

I received many comments and emails about what to include, and what I should have as the front cover. The writing of this book became a beacon for what ‘I could show the West’ and ranged from the political, to the religious to everything in between. I thanked them for their faith, passion and strength: traits I have seen throughout every aspect of their lives, but my book remained largely unchanged.  I returned to England and printed off the manuscript for my novel.

Being misunderstood

Being judged back in the UK based on the newly discovered side of my Palestinian heritage was new for me. My first experience was in a typed letter from a literary agent telling me that, ‘My character’s Palestinian background jarred’ with the women’s fiction category I was writing for. My work centres around the lack of representation of Muslim women in the media and literature, and the effects of this exclusion. Whether it is slowly beginning to change with new initiatives on diversity remains to be seen, but with reports of authors being told to write fiction ‘conforming to a stereotypical view of their communities’ or to risk not being published, there are more changes that need to happen before diversity becomes part of the mainstream.

Celebrating heritages.

Since my novel has been published, the responses from readers have reinforced the need for more representation. They have shared how they feel about celebrating and discovering who they are, and the importance of exploring their multiple heritages, ‘lest they should feel incomplete’. It is a constant reminder that our differences are what make us. Don’t let the lack of representation silence your voice, as Toni Morrison says, ‘If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.’  And now when I return to those summer afternoons with my family in Palestine, will they be welcoming my narrative of our shared homeland? I hope so.

Why I began Literary Revolution Writers Group

Writing is an often isolated endeavor. Ticking away in the back of your mind as you fight with your own thoughts and articulate them to become a polished, quality book that succinctly portrays an alternative view of the world.

It is a dream of many to write. When I began to write, I was shy about telling people that I was writer. What does it mean to be a writer? A paid writer? A published author? During the last five years I have studied English Literature and creative writing and I have written non-fiction articles, short stories, poetry and alongside it all, my novel.

Behind the book, are four years worth of paper stacks covered in red marks, tears, hundreds of unanswered emails, rejections and unsigned contracts. But the book sitting on the shelf is a testament that if you keep writing, the words on the page can form a physical object that has the ability to become what you want it to be. Jasmine Falling, is now ranked number 2/112 books representing Muslims in lit via Goodreads. A testament that true representation is needed and supported in the literary world.

It is hard to find support when you are writing to represent a marginalized or misunderstood group. I am often asked ‘how to’ questions on writing and publishing so in response, I have begun Literary Revolution Writers Group (LRWG). I believe people want to read authentic narratives of  own voices. I also believe we need to write our own history and I want to help you do that.

LRWG group is a relaxed, support group where we can share ideas on writing, request feedback, ask questions on how to present & publish and all the other questions you may have as you embark on this journey. It is designed to remove formal barriers to create a welcoming environment that gives you the confidence you need to write. If you feel you can benefit from this, then please apply to join via www.ShereenMalherbe.com/Literary-Revolution and sign up so your words can tell the story you want it to.

 

 

 

 

 

Decoding the Stars: How I Determine My Book Ratings

Bird [Un]Caged

I plan on writing reviews more so I can remember the content of the books I read and how I feel about them, but perhaps my reviews will prove useful to other people as well. In order for my review to be of any service, though, I feel it necessary to provide some standard by which I am measuring the books, even if that standard is mostly based on subjective factors.

The first area of critique is word choice. A one-star rating suggests the author exhibits extremely poor word choice while a five-star rating suggests phenomenal word choice. Authors of lower scoring books tend to make simple and/or repetitive word choices. Most books, however, tend to fall into the three-star category, meaning I didn’t take particular notice of the novel’s vocabulary. The words in a three-star book are fairly average and easy to read, but probably aren’t the most interesting.

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I’ve Been Nominated for a Liebster Award

Bird [Un]Caged

First off, I’d like to thank Noor for nominating me! After reading all the wonderful poems and prose of the other nominees, I don’t feel worthy, ha.  The nomination came at a great time, actually. I’ve got a lot of ideas for the future. Perhaps this will be the push I need to finally start writing everything. Again, thank you.

Here are the questions she gave me:

If you could speak another language, which language would you pick and why?

I actually already speak Mandarin and French as second and third languages (although my French could use some help). I’m obsessed with learning languages and have clear goals- I want to speak at least 7 languages by 2020. I’ve got Arabic and Hindi in my sights next.  I’m working on them at the same time, which may or may not be a wise idea. I want to learn Hindi because…

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Horror: One Palestinian child has been killed by Israel every 3 days for the past 13 years — Uprootedpalestinians’s Blog

Source Official statistics from the Ministry of Information in Ramallah have revealed that 1,518 Palestinian children were killed by Israel’s occupation forces from the outbreak of the second Intifada in September 2000 up to April 2013. That’s the equivalent of one Palestinian child killed by Israel every 3 days for almost 13 years. The ministry […]

via Horror: One Palestinian child has been killed by Israel every 3 days for the past 13 years — Uprootedpalestinians’s Blog

#Review: Jasmine Falling — Bird [Un]Caged

Jasmine Falling By: Shereen Malherbe This review was originally published on Muslimah Media Watch. Jasmine Falling by Muslimah Media Watch’s Shereen Malherbe recounts the story of Jasmine, a young English girl who, in order to receive her inheritance after her mother dies, searches for her father in his native Palestine and winds up discovering not only […]

via #Review: Jasmine Falling — Bird [Un]Caged