Welcome to The Violet Vulture! In this episode, we have a super special guest on the podcast, Naseem Jamnia (they/them). Naseem is a Persian, queer, nonbinary, writer, neuroscientist, baker, and nerd. Peppered throughout, we explore themes, topics, and inspirations surrounding Naseem's debut novella, The Bruising of Qilwa (now available wherever you buy your books!). We spend some time unpacking the beast that can be the MFA writer's workshop and spend some time dreaming of what a better world for QTBIPOC writers could look like. We also dig a bit into the decision to leave science and pursue writing full-time and how doing so honored Naseem's shadow in so many gorgeous, gorgeous ways.
I've known Naseem for quite some time, so there's also plenty of riffing as only old friends can do, so stay tuned.