Got some more accolades for King for a Day!

It got a fabulous review at Book Dragon , and this review really mentions what I was trying to do with the story! Shows that Malik, the main character (which means king in Arabic) has all the properties of a really good one!

Loved this line:

… By highlighting Malik’s many other strengths and talents, author Rukhsana Khan seamlessly presents a hero who is much more than his physical challenges: His patience and skill prove stronger than any bully’s cruelty and greed….

And now another piece of good news! It’s been shortlisted for an award–already!

Drum roll please…

King for a Day has been shorlisted for the Bank Street College Irma Black award!

It’s an award that will eventually be decided by child readers!

I’m one of 16 finalists! Yowza!

Hmm, I could get used to this!

Write a book, and people actually pay attention! It gets noticed!

So why am I feeling so anxious???

Gotta relax and enjoy the ride.

Just breathe.

Perhaps it’s a new reality that I just have to get used to.

I’ve been working all these years for it…and now that it’s here it’s absolutely ridiculous that I should be scared in any way.

Stop asking yourself, “What do you do to top it???” Stop asking, “What if you never write another thing again???”

Just relax!

It will come, insha Allah.

It will come!

See that’s why I always liked having a book in the works.

It was like a security blanket of sorts.

And now for the first time in more than fifteen years…nada, zip, zilch.

Just breathe.