Some times you’re so busy just trying to write the next book that you forget that your work is out there in the world.

Someone might be reading it even as I’m writing this and it’s having an impact. Insha Allah it’s having an impact.

It’s not like I haven’t received fan mail over the years.

And I often receive it at a time when I’m feeling low, my confidence isn’t at its best.

But this time was special.

I had just begun a new novel, and it wasn’t going well. I kept getting stuck, which usually means I’m not coming at it from the right angle.

So I was writing bits and pieces that I thought were quite good and then reaching dead ends, when I received a lovely email from a mother of four children.

And she told me how much my book Muslim Child had impacted her children who were mostly grown up by now.

And then she sent me a video link of her daughter doing a TED talk for a private affiliated group. I guess TED talks have a new category where private groups can use the format or something.

But her daughter had quoted from Muslim Child for her TED talk, and boy was she ever cute! The video brought tears to my eyes.

This is such an up and down biz.

I also got news that I received my visa for Pakistan so the trip is definitely on insha Allah. I’ll be keynoting the Children’s Literature Festival in Karachi and also going up to Islamabad in the second half of February. I’d received a travel grant from the Canada Arts Council for the trip and the locals will be covering my ground expenses.

So everything is good!

Here’s the video of the girl Maryam Elassar. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!