Deonna Kelli Sayed

Summer greetings!

What a long, hot summer it is, indeed.  I don’t know about you, but it seems everyone I know is in some sort of transition.

Nonetheless, I’ve been up to some exciting things. In case you’ve missed this, I produce a storytelling project called, “A Little Podcast.” The series highlights intersections between personality, story, and community. The first episode features the role of independent bookstores in a community’s intellectual life. I interviewed Unicorn Press, a legendary small poetry press, for the second episode. I hope you take a listen!

For Loveinshallah.com, I continued my author interview podcast this summer with YA author, Aisha Saeed, about her book,Written in the Stars. Aisha also serves on the Executive Committee for We Need Diverse Books.  She dished about her “arranged marriage,” and how having a “quiet book” led her to the early days of the We Need Diverse Books Campaign.

I am very excited that August is the release of Faithfully Feminist: Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Feminists on Why We Stay.  My essay stands with other fabulous, inspiring voices. The book is garnering stellar endorsements from personalities such as The Big Bang Theory’s Mayim Bialik.  I hope to attend the Washington, DC. launch party, and I’ll pass along those details as soon as I know them!  Please come out and say hello if you are in the area.