That terrorist attacks have become less shocking recently? When I heard about the Berlin Christmas market attack on Monday, the first thing I thought was ‘Oh no!’, the second think I thought was ironically, it had been a while. Like it was almost expected one would come. And the third thing I wondered was how […]

Hi Everyone! I’m developing my youtube channel and I just put up a new video book talk of my very first book Bedtime Ba-a-a-lk. I want to make it an excellent resource for teachers and educators to use. I hope you enjoy it! Please like and share.

I just got back from Atlanta, Georgia having presented two sessions at the National Council of Teachers of English convention. My goodness what an exciting trip it was! But it took its toll, because I am sick, sick, sick! I’d been through Atlanta’s airport on the way to other places, but this was the first […]

I just received a very special book in the mail! A year and a half ago, when I was conducting workshops at Fairview Public Library, a young girl came in my writing workshop and submitted her work in progress a novel called My Demon’s Name is ED. ED stands for ‘eating disorder’. She had been […]

It’s been a day and a half since I returned from Malaysia, the other side of the world, yup twelve hour time zone difference and I’m powering through the jet lag. Alhamdu lillah, it was a fabulous trip. My hosts were were so hospitable!!! Almost too hospitable, need to shed some of the pounds I […]

I’ve had some strange experiences recently. I’m not sure if I mentioned this one, but I went to lunch with some old friends and a kid recognized me and wanted a selfie. Then went to a wedding and a teacher who works with disabled kids, told me how she’d been at a school where the […]

It’s funny how many adults and educators assume that children only want to laugh. They only want to have fun. I did too. When I first began school presentations I assumed that the funny stories would be the ones that would reach the children the best. That perhaps I’d have to coax them into being […]

First I must apologize for not blogging for so long. It was due to health issues and circumstances beyond my control. Here’s what I wrote while on tour:   February 16, Islamabad, Pakistan I think the most singular advantage I might have is the storytelling background. There’s something about my training as a storyteller that […]

It’s so weird to have something so consume your daily attention and be so completely oblivious to the world at large. Here I am, in the midst of preparations, this year it’s our turn to host Eid and the logistics of doing that are tough to say the least! But one day at a time, […]

I finished reading this little gem of a book a little while ago, and some of the themes are still reverberating within me. It’s about 9/11 from the perspective of a boy named Jake who lives in Florida. His best friend is Sam. And I thought the story evoked a lot of nuances between the […]