An Author's Image

Photographs taken by Mizan Ahmed, www.envythis.co.uk

Why is an author's image so important? It is significant for those who are curious about the person behind a piece of written work. But it is not ANY image that portrays the essence of an author. On the contrary, the image must look professional, natural and display a sort of 'author etiquette.'

I think Mizan Ahmed did a great job capturing my personality in these images. He gave as much attention to my candid/posed behaviour as he did to my book and signature. Therefore, an author's image is not limited to his/her attire or makeup, or even whether or not the picture is gray-scale or in-colour; it takes a great photographer to shoot a great image.

As a public figure, the author can use images for interviews, fan pages (ie. Facebook/Twitter) and personal website. It is for those readers, out there, who are curious to know the essence of an author, if unable to know him/her personally. The best advice I can give to any aspiring author who is ready for an image... 'Be yourself.'

Does the Plot Make a Good Read?

You could give birth to an amazing plot, out of the most vivid imagination and describe it verbally to anyone. For example, 'A girl was murdered in the park, her body's like all over the snow, right?' But, does that plot make for a good read? I was posed this question last night and felt a need to share my thoughts with you.

If you were to read, 'A girl was murdered in the park....' would the line have honestly gripped you, pulled at your heartstrings to a point where you want to read further? Sure! Maybe...if it's in a straight-forward, to-the-point news article.

But, would that same line have gripped you if it was written in novel-format?

Let's say that you read this one line, then you picked up another crime fiction novel and it read something along the lines of, "The pristine white snow was not the same as it once was, etched by the stains of Sabrina's blood."

I made that line up and I'm hoping that it gripped you a lot better than the original one. There's colour mentioned, the victim has a name, and words like 'pristine' and 'etched' sound a lot better to me than 'clean' and 'marked.' I could have also used the terms, 'pure' and 'smeared.'

I always say that every story is worth telling, but when posed the question of whether or not a 'good plot' makes for a 'good read,' I'd say that the challenge is how to write it. Description is key.

When it comes to crime fiction masterpieces, there's Agatha Christie, Henning Mankell, or Stieg Larsson, experts on transforming their fantasies into written format and describing the plot as picturesquely as a movie clip.

Being a fan of the Swedish TV series, 'Wallander,' which was introduced to me by my husband, who was born and raised in Sweden, we've been reading one of the greatest crime fiction novelists of our time, Henning Mankell. And if you like Mankell, you'll love Larsson's Millennium Trilogy.

Practice will never make perfect as every writer, like any artist, is a perfectionist, knowing fully well that achieving perfection is impossible. BUT, practice can certainly make for excellent writing potential.

Walk a Straight Line!

I just finished editing my first chapter. I realized the importance of consistency, walking a straight path instead of a zig-zag, or walking on a smooth road instead of a bumpy one!

Italics

CAPITAL LETTERS

" 'Quotation Marks' "

How you choose to write the name or title of something is crucial.

For example, if at one point, you write 'Friends' and you're happy with it, don't write Friends.

If at one point you write Her Feet Chime, then don't write 'Her Feet Chime' and write all novel/book titles in italics.

Writing is an art and you, as the artist, must make choices on your own personal style for your canvas...blank page/Word doc.

I'm sure you understand the importance of consistency. I know I do; hence why, I have a separate document called 'Notes' in which I write all of the important words and notes to refer back to when I murmur to myself,

Wait a minute, did I italicize that word in the first paragraph or use quotation marks around it?

The Biggest Burden-The Biggest Hope

The biggest burden in life can be 'compromise' because it forces us to conform with the circumstances.

The biggest hope in life can be 'compromise' because it forces us to seek peace.

Compromise is like a tight rope, one can be stuck in the middle of it for a long time before deciding which 'end to meet.'

It can be painstaking, heart-trending, or...alleviating, heart-warming.

The biggest challenge in life is 'compromise;' it requires mental, physical and emotional strength; it makes us powerful and hopefully, worth a reward in the end.

Bangladesh Independence

In Greenwich, London, recently, there was an incredible Multi-cultural event. Among the attendees and presenters were some relatives of mine, who I prepped for the performance. I hope you enjoy the videos below:






Also, I recommend the following book if anyone would like to know more about Bangladeshi Independence. It's an extraordinary and gripping work of fiction based on a very real event that took place in 1971.

The Writing for a Writer will Never be Right

I've been editing my novel, about 20 pages more to go before I send it off for more editing and review by my two secondary school English expert teachers. But as I was editing, I could not help but think 'Oh, if I was to read through it again (I've already edited it two times), I would drive myself insane.' The thing is that you'll always find something wrong with it, want to rephrase a word or a sentence, want to delete some things, add some things, it's just an infinite process. That's when you get others to review it for you; for a writer, your writing will never be 'right,' there will always be something that could be 'tweaked.'

Just a few months ago, someone said something along the lines of, 'I like writing, but I'm not sure how to write good enough to draw a picture in the reader's mind.' I said something along the lines of 'Think of new ways to describe things; use words of impact. Instead of saying that the sky is blue, say that the sky is sapphire.' So, here's a picture I found online that was 'spot-on' with my experience and I hope it helps you too:

Tribute to AWO

A few months ago, you may remember my blog about how incredible working for AWO (Asian Wedding Online) Magazine was. It gave me an opportunity of a lifetime to share my wedding planning experiences with Asian brides and grooms-to-be worldwide.

Well...during my stay in USA, I was notified of news that hit me like an anvil. AWO is no more.

AWO encouraged me to learn video-editing and broadcasting.

I've got a stock load of video presentations for my portfolio which will no longer be on AWO TV (which is no more) but will be up on my personal youtube channel soon. In the meantime, enjoy this last piece that I wrote for AWO:

AT HOME IN STOCKHOLM


Ladies and gentlemen, including hikers, cruisers, history and art lovers, architects, and shopoholics, I present to you my experiences in Stockholm, a city that is all grandly green and beautifully blue. It is also the biggest city in Sweden, the most populated in all of Scandinavia and home to the beloved character, Pippi Longstockings. It is a city for all types of people, including families, lovers and most importantly, honeymooners. There’s something for everyone.




Hikers and Cruisers:

Consider walking around Stockholm as opposed to taking the train or car so much. There’s something exciting to see at every corner and crossroad.
Wilderness blooms all around; in fact, at the centre of the city, there’s a row of cherry blossoms in ‘Conste Gordon.’ Right at the end of it is a TGI Friday’s Restaurant, which gave me the giggles considering it’s an American franchise. And surrounding the garden are corporate buildings. Yet, you lose yourself in the garden and those corporate buildings disappear in your mind.
Cruisers can take ferries across the waters of Stockholm or even the Viking Line, which is a large ship, famous for its trips to Helsinki, Turku, Tallinn and Aland Islands.
History and Art Lovers:

Stockholm is full of history, architecture and art. The National Museum, for one, has an extended exhibition of Art and is located right across the Stockholm Palace or Kungliga Slottet.

Right outside of the Slussen train station, there’s the Stads Museum, an entire interactive history of Stockholm within; admission is free.
Another palace is Drottningholm Palace, surrounded by greenery and quaint animals. I even spotted a pair of goats.

Near where the Viking Line is located, there is a place called, Ersta Terrace, which allows you to get an entire view of the city. It’s sort of a hidden location, but if you find it, it’s worth the visit; not to mention, incredibly romantic.

Shopoholics

When taking the train station, you will notice that the underground stations were built under mountains and have cellphone/mobile service! But what’s right outside of every station is every shopoholic’s dream-come-true: a shopping centre (a.k.a. ‘Centrum’ in Swedish).
Even more, there is Kista Mall, Skarholmen Mall, and the designer shopping centre which is equivalent to NYC’s Macy’s and London’s Harrods, Nordiska Kompaniet (NK for short).
Perhaps the most interesting shopping area is Gamla Stan, a small village-like area with charming alleyways and shops (souvenir & fashion). The buildings are all historic so the shop interiors take you ‘back to the future.’ I think it’s best to get off at Slussen Station and walk through a tunnel into Gamla Stan. You will get an amazing view of the city from within the tunnel.

Hungry?

Do not forget to bring back Swedish chocolate, the most famous of which is Marabou coming in varying flavours including their newest one, Mango!
Coffee-drinking is a great Swedish tradition. Those of you who watched the series, Wallander, may have noted the term ‘café,’ Swedish for coffee, mentioned profusely. Even more, Stieg Larson (author of the Millenium Trilogy, the first of which is The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) mentioned coffee in his novels.
Round yellow table, yellow flowers in a pot at the centre and a ceiling adorned with pretzels, ‘Gunnarsons’ is a quaint little café. Make sure to taste Sweden’s most famous cake, ‘Princess Torte.’

Happy 22nd Birthday Robin!

Dreams vs. Reality

When I was a kid, I used to dream about silly things...things out of fairytale books. Every time I closed my eyes, I'd envision unicorns, rainbows and I'd be a princess in my own little land.

Then I hit the teenage years when I dreamed about things more 'real.' What do I want to be when I grow up? What University should I go to? I saw myself sitting in cafes and libraries, hanging out with faceless friends.

Then I hit University and studied English. When I closed my eyes, I saw a faceless stranger, a man with whom I would fall in love and marry, my 'dream' guy so-to-speak. I dreamed about a future with this stranger, marriage.



Then I hit the career world, got married to a wonderful man, had my first novel published and thought I'm thankful for all of this, every time I go to bed and close my eyes, I now see fog...mist. I see myself stranded in the middle of an open field, filled with grass, no beginning...no end and no roads. I'm not sure if that's a bad thing or a good thing. I'm still striving for things so I'm not sure why that is.

Then it hit me...reality hit me...REAL life. The most difficult thing for us is to live in the present because we're all dreamers. The reality is that living in the present would protect us from expectations, thereby possible disappointment.

Apologies if my tone is morbid and if any of these comments offend anyone. I'm not saying dreaming is bad nor reality; I'm just exploring my own thoughts and venting them to you. I welcome your comments on dreaming vs. reality.

I made a video blog about this and wanted to post it for you. But for some reason the file was too big, but only 3 minutes long : /...strange. So I posted it on facebook.

My Brother's Story

Will God be angry with me for NOT asking for anything for MYSELF?

When I see my brother on that hospital bed, I think to myself that I am very content with how my life is-marriage, a house, a job. It’s the life I know my brother wishes every single day that he had, but all I see is NOT a hint of envy in him; rather, his blessings.

It’s been 14 days since 21-year-old Robin was admitted into the hospital for a collapsed lung due to his already weakening muscles as a result of a Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. For three days straight, he was unconscious; for a few days following, he was half-awake. For the past four days, he’s been fully awake and there are times when he smiles and laughs. There are times when he gets emotional (he would kill me if he knew I wrote that). There are times when he gazes off behind the wall in front of him as if joy is hidden behind them. When asking him if he's thinking about something or worried, he denies it.

The day before my arrival to the USA, after over a year of living abroad, not only did my brother and I make plans on family outings together, but also, I had lost my USB disk. Within that disk is the saved edited version of my psychological complex thriller novel. It was meant to be that I lose it. It was meant to be that my brother become unexpectedly MORE ill than he already was while I'm still in the USA. AND…it was meant to be that I finally think about what he had said to me the second day of my visit, “In the future, you’re going to write my story, right?”

Those words are familiar to me because at least once a year, that question rings in my ear. In response, I hesitantly say, ‘If God wills me to write it.' What I don’t say is, ‘I’m afraid…I’m afraid of writing your story, of writing it from my point-of-view, of dwelling upon the emotions that I try so hard to suppress, and most of all, of revealing them to the world.’

I don't like to cry in front of my parents and my brother. I don’t want them to see me helpless when THEY are; I want to be strong FOR them. Even more, I want to keep pretending that everything is going to be okay, that life is more normal than it really is for us. I want to be blissfully ignorant, while still being somewhat aware of what's happening.

I can’t pretend anymore; it’s time to write my brother’s story.

Selling point? He has no super powers (I just lost hundreds of dollars/pounds?); he hasn’t built the world’s tallest building (I just lost thousands?) or brainstormed some brilliant invention (I lost millions already?).

Invaluable-He graduated from high school, was part of the high school choir with his opera-like voice (no longer the same after surgery), has the most amazing collection of model cars, is a sociable person, and once having met you, he will always remember the way you looked and exactly how the conversation went. Basically, Robin is living LIFE.

National Newspaper Out

The Ramadan Issue of THE MUSLIM PAPER (www.themuslimpaper.com) is finally being released this week. This is an EXCITING issue, at 20 pages, bigger than the previous ones.

Our front cover was designed by Teakster, an artist whose creativity evidently thrives from the realm of his faith. This cover is different, it captures the eye and most of all, it shows something that most Muslim newspapers do not show as much-an appreciation for art.

The Editor-in-Chief, Khalid Sharif and designer, Emran Mohammed, have worked day and night, their fingers tap-dancing away at the keys, creating a harmonious tune from the 'T' 'H' and 'E' to the 'P' 'A' 'P' 'E' 'R,' all musical notes that complete the name of the orchestra, the Muslims of Today.

It has been one tough, yet rewarding year for this media resource. There were times when I nearly gave up hope in my abilities as Deputy Editor, not because I had no faith in The Muslim Paper's (already rising) popularity, but because, being a wife, a daughter-in-law, a sister-in-law, an employee, time constraints and priorities had cascaded over my head and down to my shoulders-necessitating severe massage sessions or acupuncture (though I had none). I appreciate the strain, still there, but alleviated somewhat; it reminds me of how rewarding the end result has become and insh'Allah, will continue to become.

Khalid is a very patient, hardworking and hopeful man. He makes you WANT to work harder and reach higher; that is why I am still with The Muslim Paper.

Grab your copy of this national newspaper at YOUR local mosque.

How can you be a ‘Cinderella?’

An article I wrote for London Bangla in May 2010

Most young girls, if not, all girls, have that ‘Cinderella dream’: Meet a handsome prince, get married, and live happily-ever-after,’ not really thinking of what that ‘ever-after’ consists of. Of course, once these girls become women, they will realise and perhaps will be unprepared for, REALITY.

Many women are single, divorced, or unhappily married. But some of us, like moi, have fortunately reached that ‘Cinderella dream.’ So, what is wrong with today’s society? Society-such a general term; in fact, one of my University English Professors from the USA, told me that when I say ‘society,’ I should state what sort of society I mean.

The fact is that there is no categorisation in this case; ‘Western,’ ‘Asian,’ ‘African,’ ‘Caribbean,’ and ‘Latino’ societies all face the previously-mentioned unhappiness of experiencing or realising that not everyone can reach that ‘Cinderella dream.’ It’s all circumstantial.

Take ‘Sex and the City,’ for example-the movie, not the series. Carrie and Mr. Big are happily living together, but Carrie wants to bind this relationship with a legal contract called, marriage. However, Mr. Big, who wants to live with Carrie forever, suddenly gets nervous about marriage. I thought he wanted to be with her. It’s only a contract and he said that if it makes Carrie happy, then he’ll do it. Anyway, he stands her up at the altar and Carrie loses faith, yet again, in ALL men.

Faith is such a beautiful word, yet so difficult to obtain and maintain these days. Could lack of faith be the core of all relationship issues and by relationship, for those who are single, I mean, the relationship within one’s self, faith in one’s self?

I don’t’ mean to brag, but no matter how many men I am acquainted with for business purposes or how many times I’m late coming home (late for me is 9ish), the hubster does not complain or interrogate me. He trusts me wholeheartedly and that is the core of our relationship. One must have faith within one’s self and within others. Of course, if one’s trust has been broken many times, as was the case with Carrie, it is difficult to stand up again.

So, what should one look for in a potential husband?

1.Sensitivity, however, if he cries during ‘The Titanic,’ I’d question his sexual preference.

2.Understanding: He lets you punch him to release your anger, but his silence might only make you more angry. He takes it anyway.

3.Family Values: This doesn’t mean that you have to live with his family (though I do, but that might not be everybody’s cup-of-tea). When a man is family-oriented, it means he loves spending time with them and he wants you to share those moments with him. He also, in turn, will get along with your family. Chances are, in this case, there will be no ‘monster-in-law.’ Remember that it was that family who shaped the man you love so much.

4.Faithfulness: ‘How can I tell?’ you ask. The most innocent-SEEMING man might be a ‘Tiger Wood.’ You can tell he is faithful when he rushes home to you, when he doesn’t get jealous if you talk to other men, when he praises your beauty and your intelligence, when he looks into your eyes and tells you that he loves you (a factual cliché), and when he comes closer to you every time you push him away.

5.Flaw-ful: He’s not flawless. He has bad habits as in cutting toe nails on top of the bed or leaving the toilet seat up. He might have had a horrible past. He is not perfect and that makes him REAL. We all need REAL men, who have flaws that we can learn to love because we have flaws too.

I’m no psychologist or therapist, but I’m a married woman and I was in search of a life partner once too. Fortunately, I’ve bloomed into a ‘Cinderella’ and I hope that the five qualities I’ve outlined above help you to become one too. One more thing, if the guy is a ‘Fonsie’ (character in ‘Happy Days’), he’s not husband-material.

The Tree

I've moved more than ten times in my life.

When I was no taller than a pinky finger...exaggeration...I lived in a dainty Bronx flat and outside of the sitting room window, there resided a rather grand tree, the web of branches through which I grew acquainted with my neighbours.

I was a spy. The girl, within whom I would find myself a peer in an all-girls private Catholic high school, used to hang out with her friends outside of our building. I was not sure where she lived or any of my neighbours at that; however, I knew them. I did not know what they liked to eat or where they shopped, but I kind of, sort of, knew them. This was MY neighbourhood. I did not own it, but I felt some sort of attachment to it.

That girl was Michelle. She was a Spanish girl, whose dirty blonde hair ran all the down to her buttocks. Her hair was beautiful; it reminded me of the medieval Lady of Shallot who boated down the lake to her death. Michelle is two years older than I am and we used to take the bus together to school. I never told her that I had seen her before...I guess I didn't want to freak her out. Imagine being told that you were observed through someone's window many times....

Then, there was the dancer. She lived across the building from us. By now, you probably find me a little creepy, but every writer is inspired by his or her surroundings and I will never forget how much I wanted to be a dancer because of this unknown individual. I did not discover her name nor did I ask; the only reason why I knew Michelle was because of a formal acquaintance via school.

The ballerina had brunette hair, always tied up in a ponytail. Her window was directly across from my bedroom window and I could see her prancing grace. I was about 9-years-old, thinking how cool it would be to be a dancer. I pretended to be one. I played the music in my head and danced, hoping that someone, somewhere, would notice me dancing and be inspired by me.

There were many others who I recognised, chatting away at the corner of our block. Every time I went outside and saw them, I wanted to say 'Hey, I know you.' But that never happened because I was conscious about looking foolish.

When it rained and there were heavy thunderstorms accompanied by crackling lightening flashes, I left the sitting room window open and watched the drops pound against the emerald and trickling down until it falls off the point, the point of the leaves of that tree, the tree that made me feel at home...the one that introduced me to my neighbours.

I'm now in London; there is a tree across the street from me which reminds me of what a home is. I look at its proud appearance through my large rectangular window and it just makes me want to paint it. However, that rectangular window and that tree is already like a live canvas. Why paint something that is already real, a rare portrait?

Our neighbourhood is quiet and none of our neighbours appear to like the outdoors.... How will I get to know them? Knock at the door? But, then again, what's the fun in that? There will be no mystery behind each person. So, in a way, knowing Michelle, who her boyfriend was, what her favourite boy band was...disappointed me. No enigma meant that I really did not know my neighbours.... I liked imagining what each one's life was like; was he her brother? Was she married? Did they have loving families or troubled ones? I did not want to KNOW.... I do these things even today, on the train on my way to work, when I look at the people gliding along beside me or sitting across from me.

The tree is still there and when I visit the Bronx once a year, I see it there and I see my old window. I grow so sad looking at it.... I grow sad thinking about how many people the tree has gotten to know and how many have moved away. I grow sad knowing that life is a one-way journey; there are no round trips and what remains in reminiscence gradually fades away, becomes a fog and then...no more.

When I saw the tree in front of my current house, I smiled as if saying, 'Hello Watson' to it.

Haunted-Durham Rise

Perched atop a hill is a white corner house, splendid-looking and towering above all. Five large bedrooms, a glorious sitting room, and above all, a big kitchen and dining, any woman's dream for dinner parties. It sounds beautiful and it was beautiful until...

Hark, who goes there? An unforseen figure, a figure that cannot be seen at all...a figure or...figures? We were not alone; there were others living with us...invisible others...others who instilled fear within us, whose voices and movements unnerved us, who did not want us there.

Subtlety was an unknown term to them, perhaps it still is. At night, there was sound of furniture moving around and being picked up and dropped down, awaking us from our slumbers. However, it did not matter to them whether there was sunshine or moonlight.

One morning, I was cleaning the sitting room table when I heard the rustling sound of dishes and utensils in the kitchen, adjacent to the sitting room. 'Baba,' I called out to my father-in-law, who I thought might have been in the kitchen. I peered in to see no one.

During Ramadan, 2008, my mother-in-law and I shut the sitting room door because footsteps pounded through the hallway and up the staircase outside of the room. We also raised the volume of the television, hoping the sound would muffle the noise upstairs-they lurked around upstairs, moving THEIR invisible furniture around. We also wanted to muffle the giggling of children around the sitting room. I knocked next door only to find that a single man was living there with no children....

I went into the toilet, saw the shower turn on and off in front of me. My mother-in-law heard it turn on and off many times as she passed by. One day, the door locked on me and I was stuck inside the toilet. I thought my brother-in-law had locked the door from outside as a joke. He said he didn't. Somehow, the door had locked on its own and they had to unscrew the doorknob to get me out. A few days later, my cousins from Bristol came down; I told them the story and my cousin went into the toilet immediately afterwards, only to experience what I had just told them-she got locked in!

Footsteps and a man's voice was constantly heard upstairs-everyday, we lived with this. Perhaps because we prayed, they could not harm us. In fact, one day, I was passing by my mother-in-laws bedroom when I heard someone running toward me from behind; I turned around; there was no one there, but the footsteps halted right front of me. It was as if I was face-to-face with IT. One night, my mother-in-law was praying, but heard the same footsteps coming toward her room, the door slightly opened on its own and banged against the footboard of her bed. Nobody was outside. Bare in mind that we did not share our stories with one another; these experiences just happened.

Things went missing and reappeared in the most strange places around the house; my nose stud which I had lost in the car one night was on the carpet floor in the basement-I had not gone to the basement after returning home the night that I lost it so how did it suddenly end up there the next day?

My husband did not believe me until he heard the footsteps and voices.... We had to move out as soon as massive blotches of black mould swarmed all over the walls; fur starting growing on it; the smell was unbearable-perhaps, the others wanted us out!

Where are we now? 2009, we moved into a maisonette (renting) and now, we've finally bought a house, Alhumdulilah.

Sometimes, we actually miss Durham Rise so we drive past it-it was to be sold and now, it's to be let... (smirk). We know one thing for sure...THEY'RE living in pure felicity-nobody is disturbing THEM, the JINN.

BBC Mosaic Event

On the 30th of March, I, along with the Editor-in-Chief (THE MUSLIM PAPER), Khalid Sharif, attended the BBC Mosaic Networking event. It was an opportunity to meet people who not only share similar media experiences and exchange business cards, but also understand what BBC, particularly Mosaic Media, is about-promoting diversity in media. In fact, they have done everything from minority youth workshops in screenwriting to including Muslims within their television series, thereby breaking the boundaries of the traditional (medical/engineering)career choice and clarifying misconceptions about Islam. In fact, 'Eastenders' in the new year of 2010, had its first Asian (Muslim) wedding. If you read London Bangla in February, I interviewed Pavan Ahluwalia, the world's fastest henna artist, who also did the henna for the 'Eastenders' bride.

At the Mosaic event, I finally had a chance to put a face to a name. I personally met Rabina Khan, author of Ayesha's Rainbow, with whom I had been exchanging e-mails. ALSO, I met the BBC Presenter, Mishal Husain, a sweet character, and Head of Religion at BBC, Aqeel Ahmed, a respectable man.

Recently, I am employed with WAMY (Word Assembly Muslim Youth) on two projects. The first is to write a booklet on Islam and Science (what the Qur'an says and Muslim contribution to Science since before the Medieval times). Did you know that Muslims were responsible for creating the clock, chess, and trigonometry? That's not all; there are 1001 inventions made and some of them are currently on display at the Science Museum in London.

The second project is an overall position as a project manager. I will be helping WAMY with their various dawah events, Islam awareness.

Essay Writing Tips

Taking from previous tutoring experience, I would like to provide students with some essay-writing tips (plus practice, myself, for future tutoring/teaching necessities):

1.Planning: Whether it is a persuasive essay or a comparison between two or more poems/two stories, planning is a crucial part of developing a student's personal idea of how he or she wishes to write the essay. It also provides the student with excellent organisational skills. If it is comparing two poems, for example, it is important that the essay compares and contrasts poetic techniques and concepts by creating a chart/table (labelling two columns 'comparisons' and 'contrasts,' for example; each student has his or her own techniques). Not only charts, but also bullet points under proposed section breaks may be another planning technique.

2.Construction/Structure: Structure gives clarity to the essay. Sometimes, section breaks make the essay appear neat.

3.Development: Most students might find it easier to write the body of the essay before developing the introduction.

4.Conclusion: It usually sums up the entire essay.

Generally, an essay is five paragraphs long. A student should avoid saying, 'I think,' or 'In my opinion' because the reader is well aware of the student's opinion as the essay is written accordingly. It is important to use transition terms like 'similarly,' 'therefore,' 'on the contrary,' 'on the other hand,' 'otherwise,' and 'likewise,' 'moreover,' and 'furthermore.' Transition words help the essay flow well. A student must not be afraid to express his or her opinions (providing evidence). Sometimes, a question might be asking the student to write what he or she 'thinks' is happening; this is where students become most confused; they always think there is a 'right' or 'wrong' answer, when sometimes there really isn't one. I always tell the students, 'don't be afraid to give your opinion; there is no right or wrong answer.' Also, students should write as if they are writing for someone who knows NOTHING about the topic at hand so instead of imagining that they are writing for their teacher, it is important to write for someone who is simply doing research on the topic they are writing about.

Chick Flicks 101

CHICK FLICKS 101 is the headline for my next Women's page story in London Bangla Newspaper. I'm really excited about this as I'm interested in seeing women's perspectives on the story (to print this coming Friday, 26/03/10). The following is my intro, a sneak peek:

Chick Flicks: The RIGHT of a woman to wear her frumpiest, yet most comfortable pyjamas and slippers, while munching on a selection of chocolate delectables and ice cream delights; not to mention, those ever so scrumptious desserts (strawberry cheescake topped off with whipped cream or chocolate fudgecake with chocolate syrup sliding across the surface and dripping down to the side). It's THE opportunity to forget the relationship issues, to eliminate the stress of work/coursework and to sink into the sofa with a remote control in one hand and edible delights on the other. What could be more desirable than slipping a Chick Flick into your DVD Player and losing yourself to it?

If you have any story tips or comments (on already-published stories) for either The Muslim Paper or London Bangla, contact me via rumki@themuslimpaper.com or rumki@londonbangla.co.uk

The Muslim Paper and London Bangla Newspaper are TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT NEWSPAPERS, not part of the same company. However, I am so grateful that The Muslim Paper has no problem with my writing for London Bangla and vice versa.

One small step for man and one giant leap for mankind!

GUINNESS WORLD RECORD BROKEN: Wednesday, 4th of March 2010, 6:00 p.m. at London Muslim Centre in Whitechapel, London, MOST CHILDREN READING WITH AN ADULT! And, I was honoured to be amongst the readers to participate. For more details, see



I'm on 2.31 :)

Politics and Fairytales....

On the 21st of February in 2010, at the Idea Store in Whitechapel, I had a book signing!

I began by giving a synopsis of HER FEET CHIME, talked about my publishing history, a little bit about International Mother Language Day, and then read an excerpt. It was the Q&A Session that burned HOT.

POLITICS! That was the hot topic of today. How does one get politics from a Cinderella story?

A lovely 94-year-old man spoke out when I said that I was not that into Politics or knew much about it. He made a point to convince me that Politics was important for us; that it was a crucial part of our being. I, of course, could not argue against the significance of politics...my dilemma was 'HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO RELATE THIS BACK TO MY NOVELLA?'

Thank God for a renowned British-Bangladeshi artist who said that politics is not everything and that my standing in front of everyone is a means of contributing to the community and that Politics was not necessarily the ONLY way.

Then, another woman jumped in, saying that writing is a means by which people spread news and raise awareness about certain issues and that joining the Labour Party was not necessarily the ONLY way to be involved.

Of course, these two women had sweet enough tones not to seem like they were ganging up on the elderly man. And the man, in turn, I'm not quite sure...agreed with them? or disagreed with them? BUT, he was ADAMENT on making sure that we ALL KNEW THE IMPORTANCE OF POLITICS.

I signed copies of my novella. I appreciate the support! AND, I thank that man, in particular, for adding fervour to the discussion. He was the life of the signing!

Book Signing

SUNDAY-21st of February, 4th Floor of Whitechapel Idea Store, London, 2:00 p.m. I will be signing copies of HER FEET CHIME 8 pounds. I will be giving a speech on International Language Day (Bangla language) and talk a little bit about my book. I will also be reading an excerpt (most likely Chapter 2).

I am currently on the hunt for a LITERARY AGENT or PUBLISHING COMPANY interested in a psychological complex thriller with supernatural suspense!

Yesterday was my last day volunteer-teaching years 7 to 11 (GCSE Level) at a Private Muslim school. TWO WEEKS felt like two months; I had grown quite attached to the girls and vice versa. It was a great experience assisting the teacher and even teaching the class for her when she was ill. The teacher and I have become good friends. Why volunteer at a school? I'm applying for the PGCE and PhD (Allah knows which one I'm destined for).

Visit www.londonbangla.com, page 13, to see my interview with one of the world's most beautiful women, Gulzaeb Beg-Ali.

Two weeks later, keep an eye out for my interview with FAMOUS SCULPTOR, RANA BEGUM (www.ranabegum.com) who is here from Dubai, doing an exhibit of her works.