1. What inspired you to become the first Saudi woman to write in the science fiction and fantasy genres, and how did you approach these uncharted territories in Saudi literature?
First of all I am so happy to be hosted by The Luxury Network. I have always been a fan. second of all and i’m gonna be honest I chose this field of writing since this is what I have always loved to read as a child and an adult. Reading these kinds of stories took me always to the level of amazement and I always wondered how the writer managed to create a whole world with its people and one day I found myself doing the same. I guess the real reason is I love a good story so I worked to tell a good story
2. One of your novels ranked as the third most downloaded book on Amazon. How do you feel about the global reception of your work, and what role do you think digital platforms play in elevating Arabic literature?
Honestly, when that happened I could not believe my eyes. We are at a very privileged era in time where we are all connected one way in another and despite our differences we share the human experience with all its feelings, reactions, and adventures. Digital platforms gave up even a bigger stage
3. How did it feel to win the Ibn Arabi International Award for Arabic Literature in 2023, and what significance does this award hold for you and the Saudi literary community?
I felt humbled, happy but also responsible since I’m the first Saudi and a first woman to receive this award. but I Have achieved a bigger award which is people’s love and feedback. That is priceless and now I want to see many people win this award and more. This year 2024 I was a jury in the same award and it felt like a give back for me
4. What challenges did you face as a female writer in Saudi Arabia when entering the male-dominated fields of science fiction and fantasy, and how did you overcome them?
to be honest I have always been goal oriented. In every new challenge you will find some obstacles but the key is to look straight forward and keep doing what you are doing. Saudi in the past years has become a more and more empowering country for everyone and specially for women. The stage is big for whoever does his/her best. There will always be sporadic cases in every field but the goal is what matters to me.
5. Your work has been translated into Spanish and other languages. How do you feel about your stories reaching international readers, and how important do you believe translation is in promoting Saudi literature abroad
When I translated the novel I asked the translator to keep every detail of the story as is including the names of the people, and people. There are a lot of mentions of places in Jeddah and Makkah specially. Names of the characters were: Anas ,Mahmoud, Reem, Jameels. I believe it is important to have pride in our heritage and culture and spread that to the world and I am so happy that it worked well.
6. You’ve spoken at TEDx and other platforms as a Saudi literary ambassador. How do you see the evolving role of Saudi literature in the broader cultural renaissance happening in the Kingdom?
Saudi Arabia is rising in every aspect and field and the whole world is witnessing this. Literature is no different. To my pleasant surprise I knew about so many initiatives done by the ministry of culture in order to support the existing authors and also to have more writers in Saudi
7. Having served as the ambassador of the Arab Thought Foundation, how do you envision the future of Saudi literature, particularly in genres like science fiction and fantasy, on the international stage?
I think we are just getting started in that field. I have been meeting so many new writers who are excited to write about fantasy and sci-fi and the as I mentioned writers are having amazing support so we will notice in the coming years lots of literature advancements and many new names rising
8. What message do you want to send to the next generation of Saudi writers, especially women, who are inspired by your work and want to explore unconventional genres?
Go for it! you will never know how it will end up and i am living example of this. I want them to be ok with rejection and failure sometimes as they are part of the journey. There is a saying that I love: how will you sit to write when you haven’t stood up to live?!
9. What role do you think literature plays in shaping the new Saudi identity, particularly with the Kingdom undergoing significant cultural and societal changes?
Okay, if you ask anyone about Superman, Batman, Ironman, Star war… etc they will tell you the whole story and where each one happened, people even know imaginary cities in the US like Gptham. This is the power of literature. it makes you part of the story.. It makes you live in their streets, sleep in their bed and even think of their ideas.
10. What future projects or themes are you exploring in your writing, and can readers expect to see new novels, collaborations, or adaptations on the horizon?
I’m exploring writing a short movie at the moment, translating my last novel to other languages, and getting ready to launch my next novel. Ask me next year and I will have a different answer. I’m up for the fun
11. With your success both in Saudi Arabia and internationally, what drives you to continue breaking boundaries in literature, and how do you hope to influence the literary scene moving forward?
First and foremost is the trust that the country has on us. and my deep belief is that everyone is destined for greatness if they just broke the mental boundaries and believe in themselves, we are living this human experience for one time and that should be enough if you make a use of it properly.
