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| Laila's interest in an unexpected topic opens up the doors to an unexpected lesson. After a quick fleeting thought to do something she had never thought of doing before, a new friend flies into the scene to save her day! |
As Salaamu Alaikum and Welcome. I would love to introduce you to author, Rania Marwan and her book, Laila and Pesto the Fly.
Welcome Rania, please tell us a little bit about
yourself?
I am the proud mother of three kids, two beautiful
girls 13 and 11 years old, and a 4 year old young boy, and I consider this to
be my greatest accomplishment in life. I had my Bachelor's degree in
Economics in 1998 and my Masters degree in Public Administration in 2005 both
from the American University in Cairo.
What were your earliest memories of
writing?
My earliest memories in writing were in my 6th grade, we
were writing a short story as an in-class assignment, and the next day my
English teacher (Miss Gillian) called my name and the whole class
clapped their hands because of my well written story. I
remember my teacher's words very clearly, she said: "Rania, this is very
good". I also used to write my diary, and was very good at
communicating with the rest of the family via letters (hahaha!).
What was your favorite children’s
book growing up?
I do not remember a favorite children's book as I
grew up, but I would have to say that my father's limitless imagination, and
the stories that he told me when I was young would have to be the main source
of inspiration to me, and were it compiled in a single children's book, that
would have been my favorite one.
Were you encouraged to write or was
it something that came natural?
I was not encouraged to write, it just came natural,
I could always express myself better in writing.
What inspired you to write
"Laila and Pesto the Fly "?
My daughters inspired me to write "Laila and Pesto the
Fly". I was looking for a way to convey to them the beauty of Islamic
ethics in a non-conventional fictional way, and so I decided to write a story
in an attempt to grasp their attention towards the beauty of Islam. I
ended up writing "Laila and Pesto the Fly" but I did not
know what to do with the story, one day I decided to send it to a fellow member
in MWA (Muslimah writer's Alliance), Sister Isahah, and she was kind enough to
tell me about my current publisher (Creative Education and Publishing).
Tell us a little bit about your
story?
Laila and Pesto the Fly is a story about a young girl who was on
the verge of cheating on her Math test, but due to the intervention of a
devoted fly, she refrained from doing so, and was taught a lovely
lesson about the hadith that said: "He that deceives us is not one of
us."
What has the road to publishing your
books been like for you? Does it ever get easier?
The road was not very bumpy. I am a strong believer that if
one's intentions were purely for the sake of Allah, then everything will go as
smooth as can be. "Laila and Pesto the Fly" remained on my
desktop for a whole year, I never gave up, and I never felt bad about the lack
of response from the different publishers around the world that I sent the
story to. It took only one e-mail to sister Isahah Grant, and it was my
breakthrough IHL. The story was published, the director of MWA Sister
Aishah Schwartz graciously invited me to share my story on Al Jazeerah channel,
and I became one very satisfied writer. I only ask Allah swt to accept
all the deeds for his sake only, and none other, and assist me in making
a minuscule difference in this world ISA.
What do you hope children and adults
will take away from your book?
I ask Allah swt that children and adults would come to realize
that Islam is a religion of ethics, and that our Islamic heritage is full of
rich stories that support this. I wish I could help in conveying that
message in a fun, interesting, intriguing way.
How can your book be used in the
classroom?
The world is full of cutting edge technologies that
are used as substitutes to the good old method of holding a book and just
simply reading it. The simple process of reading and letting one's
imagination loose and transforming the words into mind images
is irreplaceable, and very educative.
What do you feel is the most
challenging obstacle in the publishing industry?
I would have to say it is marketing the books, and getting the
greatest amount of people to benefit from them.
What has been your most rewarding
experience since being published?
The most rewarding experience for me is to know that I can get
people young and old to appreciate the beauty of Islam.
What do you do when you’re not
writing or promoting your books?
I read. I love reading!
Are you working on a new book?
My books are a part of a series on Islamic ethics, and every
book talks about a specific theme, so I am currently preparing for the fourth
book, and waiting for the release of the third one ISA
What advice would you give parents on
selecting the right books for their children to read?
I would advise them to have a clear vision of
the message that they want to convey to their kids through the book,
and definitely read it themselves.
What advice would you like give to
new writers who wish to follow in your publishing footsteps?
My advice would be since you have a bigger purpose in life which
is to serve Allah SWT, so never give up, just keep on pushing and trying and
knocking on all the doors that you can find, you are bound to find a way
through :)
