Curious about indie publishing? Physician Paria Hassouri shares her debut journey to publish Harvesting Rosewater, centering a woman's midlife awakening.

If you’ve ever been interested in the independent publishing process, you’re not alone. Today’s revealing conversation with Paria Hassouri, a pediatrician, whose debut, Harvesting Rosewater, recently hit bookstores, takes readers inside her remarkable publishing process. Discover how Paria balances medicine and storytelling in today's under-the-radar debut feature, which centers on a physician's midlife awakening that I guarantee you will not be able to put down.

In our illuminating conversation, we explore:

• Independent Publishing Adventures- Paria opens up about her unique indie publishing path, sharing how she navigated editing, securing book blurbs, and the creative freedom that comes with going her own way—plus the surprises that made the process both challenging and rewarding.
• Uncovering Autofiction Elements From Paria's Life- Drawing on her own childhood in Iran during the Islamic Revolution, Paria shares personal memories and reflections from this challenging period in her young life in her story. She shares how blending real-life experiences with fiction has allowed her to explore her own identity, belonging, and what she hopes readers will take away from her book.
• The Women's Life Freedom Movement- We explore how themes of women’s rights and resistance shaped this story, offering readers deeper insight into lives under restrictive systems and the tragedy that sparked the movement.

📚 As a bonus for listeners, don't miss this week's companion list: Compelling Books About Doctors Every Reader Should Read. Explore 24 novels on practicing medicine, from historical fiction to romance - there is a little something for every kind of reader. Patrons will also receive today's printable checklist to bring on their next visit to the library.

Meet Paria Hassouri

Paria Hassouri is an author and pediatrician whose essays have appeared in The New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and Huffington Post. Her memoir, Found in Transition: A Mother's Evolution During Her Child's Gender Change, was published in 2020. She has shared stories on stage with Expressing Motherhood, taught writing and advocacy classes at UCLA, and been featured widely for her work. A proud Iranian-American and mother of three, she lives in Los Angeles, where she continues to provide gender-affirming care for trans and gender-diverse youth.

Mentioned in this episode:

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NEW BOOK LIST: 24 Compelling Books About Doctors Every Reader Should Read

Join the September Book Club Chat TONIGHT (Rust & Stardust by T. Greenwood)

Harvesting Rosewater by Paria Hassouri

Found in Transition by Paria Hassouri

Slanting Towards the Sea bu Lidija Hilje

The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali

Penitence by Kristin Koval

Sandwich by Catherine Newman

All Fours by Miranda July

Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

What Could Be Saved by Liese O’Halloran Schwarz

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

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