The BKBF Interview continues this week with bestselling author Aisha Saeed. This weekly series of Q&As features some of this year’s YA Out Loud authors. BKBF interviews Aisha Saeed, co-author with Becky Albertalli of Yes No Maybe So. Tune in on Saturday, October 3 as Aisha Saeed joins fellow young adult novelists in a BKBF panel discussion.
Where is your favorite place to read and why?
I love reading curled up on my couch with a blanket and a cup of tea in reach. There is a warmth and coziness to reading, especially these days when the world feels especially scary, and it makes taking the time to read in my favorite space even more important.
Who made reading important to you?
Literature was always important to my parents, and I grew up surrounded by books. We went to the library every weekend, and I read any chance I could get. I appreciate that my parents encouraged me to read all sorts of different stories, genres, and forms. I credit that to my lifelong love and appreciation for the written word.
What is your favorite book to give an adult or a child?
My favorite book to give both adults and children is Jacqueline Woodson’s memoir, Brown Girl Dreaming. This book is beautiful and accessible to all ages. I love lingering over different passages and lines. It is a book that I come back to again and again.
What books are currently piled in your “To Be Read” stack … and where can the stack be found in your home?
I have TBR piles stacked all over the house. On my coffee table. Next to the chaise in my kid’s playroom. On my nightstand and also on my iPad’s e-reader. I love to read and I really can’t get enough of it. The next two books in my TBR pile are: an advance copy of Jasmin Kaur’s next book, If I Tell You The Truth, and Teach Your Own by John Holt about homeschooling.
What is the last book that kept you up past your bedtime?
I have three young kids who have been home with me full-time since the pandemic hit, so getting my sleep and time to recharge is very important to me, but when I began Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid, I could not put it down. The book explores race and class, and delves into the nature of motherhood. Kiley rendered completely believable and relatable characters and I had to finish the book in one sitting to know exactly what happened to them. I was a bit tired the next morning, but it was totally worth it.
Aisha Saeed is the New York Times bestselling author of the critically acclaimed Amal Unbound. Her other novels include Yes No Maybe So (co-written with Becky Albertalli), and Written in the Stars. Aisha’s forthcoming books include Far from Agrabah and picture book Bilal Cooks Daal. In addition to writing, Aisha is a founding member of the nonprofit We Need Diverse Books™. She has been featured on networks like MTV, Huffington Post, and more. Her writings have also appeared in numerous publications. Aisha lives in Atlanta with her husband and sons. You can find her on Twitter @aishacs, or on her website at http://www.aishasaeed.com.
