Samira Ahmed is an American author of

young adult fiction Young adult literature (YA) is typically written for readers aged 12 to 18 and includes most of the themes found in adult fiction, such as family dysfunction, substance abuse, alcoholism, and sexuality. It is characterized by simpler world build ...

poetry Poetry (from the Greek language, Greek word ''poiesis'', "making") is a form of literature, literary art that uses aesthetics, aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language to evoke meaning (linguistics), meanings in addition to, or in ...

, and

non-fiction Non-fiction (or nonfiction) is any document or content (media), media content that attempts, in good faith, to convey information only about the real life, real world, rather than being grounded in imagination. Non-fiction typically aims to pre ...

, best known for her ''

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' best selling novels ''Love, Hate & Other Filters'' and ''Internment''.

Early life

Ahmed was born in

Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...

, India, and grew up in

Batavia, Illinois Batavia () is a city mainly in Kane County, Illinois, Kane County and partly in DuPage County, Illinois, DuPage County in the U.S. state of Illinois. Located in the Chicago metropolitan area, it was founded in 1833 and is the oldest city in Kan ...

. She has a degree from the

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, or UChi) is a Private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its main campus is in the Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, Chic ...

, taught high school English for seven years, and worked in nonprofit before publishing her first novel in 2018.

Career

Her young adult debut novel ''Love, Hate & Other Filter''s, about a Muslim Indian-American teen filmmaker making plans about her future while dealing with

islamophobia Islamophobia is the irrational fear of, hostility towards, or hatred against the religion of Islam or Muslims in general. Islamophobia is primarily a form of religious or cultural bigotry; and people who harbour such sentiments often stereot ...

, debuted on #8 of the New York Times Young Adult Hardcover bestseller list and received starred reviews from

Booklist ''Booklist'' is a publication of the American Library Association that provides critical reviews of books and audiovisual materials for all ages. ''Booklist''s primary audience consists of libraries, educators, and booksellers. The magazine is ...

Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of ...

, and

School Library Journal ''School Library Journal'' (''SLJ'') is an American monthly magazine containing reviews and other articles for school librarians, media specialists, and public librarians who work with young people. Articles cover a wide variety of topics, wi ...

. Her 2019 sophomore novel ''Internment,'' set in near-future America where Muslims are sent to internment camps following a law enacted by the Islamophobic president, received a starred review from

Kirkus Reviews ''Kirkus Reviews'' is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus. The magazine's publisher, Kirkus Media, is headquartered in New York City. ''Kirkus Reviews'' confers the annual Kirkus Prize to authors of fiction, no ...

and debuted on the New York Times Young Adult Hardcover bestseller list at #4. ''Internment'' has been described as one of the "most politically urgent reads of 2019" by ''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...

''. It has also been optioned for film by

Gotham Group Gotham Group is an American diversified management film and television production company in the entertainment industry. The company was founded by Ellen Goldsmith-Vein in 1994. Goldsmith-Vein and her company have produced such projects as ''The ...

and Chariot Entertainment prior to its release. Ahmed made her comics writing debut with '' Ms. Marvel: Beyond the Limit''; it was illustrated by Andrés Genolet and published by

Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is a New York City–based comic book publishing, publisher, a property of the Walt Disney Company since December 31, 2009, and a subsidiary of Disney Publishing Worldwide since March 2023. Marvel was founded in 1939 by Martin G ...

. The

limited series In the field of comic books, and particularly in the United States, a limited series is a comics series with a predetermined number of issues. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is finite and determined ...

ran for five issues from December 2021 to April 2022. ''Entertainment Weekly'' highlighted that "''Ms. Marvel'' comics have only been written by Muslim writers so far .. But Samira Ahmed will be the first South Asian female writer to write a ''Ms. Marvel'' series". Avery Kaplan, in her review of ''Ms. Marvel: Beyond the Limit'' for '' The Beat'', wrote that "''Beyond the Limit'' was a fun and interesting story that went to some unexpected places, all while allowing Kamala plenty of time to shine (and to make a lot of funny food jokes)". The trade paperback collecting the five issues was published in June 2022 – ''

Bleeding Cool ''Bleeding Cool'' is an Internet news site, focusing on comics, television, film, board games, and video games. Owned by Avatar Press, it was launched by Rich Johnston in 2009. Avatar Press also publishes an associated magazine, also called ''B ...

'' commented that this coincides with the premiere of the '' Ms. Marvel'' television

miniseries In the United States, a miniseries or mini-series is a television show or series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. Many miniseries can also be referred to, and shown, as a television film. " Limited series" is ...

Bibliography

Novels

*''Love, Hate & Other Filters'' (

Soho Teen Soho Press is a New York City-based publisher founded by Juris Jurjevics and Laura Hruska in 1986 and currently headed by Bronwen Hruska. It specializes in literary fiction and international crime series. Other works include published by it inclu ...

, 2018, ). * ''Internment'' (

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers Little, Brown and Company is an American publishing company founded in 1837 by Charles Coffin Little and James Brown in Boston. For close to two centuries, it has published fiction and nonfiction by American authors. Early lists featured Emily ...

, 2019, ). * ''Mad, Bad & Dangerous to Know'' (Soho Teen, 2020, ). * ''Hollow Fires'' (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2022, ).

Comics

* ''Ms. Marvel: Beyond the Limit'' #1-5 (with Andrés Genolet, limited series, Marvel Comics, 2021–2022). ** ''Ms. Marvel: Beyond the Limit'' (collects #1-5, trade paperback, June 2022, ) *''Ms. Marvel: Bottled Up'' #1 (with Ramon Bachs,

one-shot One shot may refer to: Film and television * One-shot film, a feature film shot in one long take with no edits, or manufactured to look like so * ''One Shot'' (2005 film), a Sri Lankan action film directed by Ranjan Ramanayake * ''One Shot'', a ...

Marvel Unlimited Marvel Unlimited (formerly known as Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited) is an American online service owned by Marvel Comics that distributes their comic books via the internet. The service launched on November 13, 2007, and now has more than 30,000 ...

, 2022)

Short stories

* Brains Don't Smell (Entropy Mag, 2016) * Red Thread (The Fem, 2016) *''Color Outside the Lines'' (Soho Teen, 2019) (with stories by

Adam Silvera Adam Silvera (born June 7, 1990) is an American author of young adult fiction novels, known for his bestselling novels '' They Both Die at the End'', '' More Happy Than Not'', and '' History Is All You Left Me.'' Early life Adam Silvera was bor ...

, Anna-Marie McLemore, Sangu Mandanna, Elsie Chapman, Caroline Tung Richmond, Kelly Zekas, Tarun Shanker, Eric Smith, Lori M. Lee). *''Take the Mic: Fictional Stories of Everyday Resistance'' (

Arthur A. Levine Books Scholastic Corporation is an American multinational publishing, education, and media company that publishes and distributes books, comics, and educational materials for schools, teachers, parents, children, and other educational institutions. P ...

, 2019) (with stories by

Jason Reynolds Jason Reynolds (born December 6, 1983) is an American author of Novelist, novels and poetry for Young adult literature, young adult and Middle grade literature, middle grade audiences. Born in Washington, D.C., and raised in neighboring Oxon Hill ...

, Sofia Quintero, Yamile Saied Méndez, Bethany C. Morrow). *''Vampires Never Get Old'' (Imprint, 2020) (with stories by

Dhonielle Clayton Dhonielle Clayton (born 1983) is an American author and chief operating officer of We Need Diverse Books. She has written multiple book series, including '' The Belles'' (2018-2023). She also collaborated with Tiffany D. Jackson, Angie Thomas, N ...

Zoraida Córdova Zoraida Córdova is an Ecuadorian-American author of children's books and romance, best known for her ''Brooklyn Brujas'' series. She also writes romance as Zoey Castile. Personal life Córdova was born in Guayaquil, Ecuador and came to the Unite ...

, Heidi Heilig, Julie Murphy, Mark Oshiro,

Rebecca Roanhorse Rebecca Roanhorse (born 23 September 1971) is an American science fiction and fantasy writer from New Mexico. She has written short stories and science fiction novels featuring Navajo characters.Kerry Lengel"Navajo legends come to life in Rebecca ...

Laura Ruby Laura Ruby is an American author of twelve books, including '' Bone Gap'' (2015), winner of the 2016 Michael L. Printz Award and finalist for the 2015 National Book Award for Young People's Literature. She is also a professor at Hamline Universit ...

, Victoria Schwab). *''Come On In'' ( Inkyard Press, 2020) (with stories by

Adi Alsaid Adi Alsaid (born June 30, 1987) is a Mexican-born author of young adult fiction. His debut novel, ''Let's Get Lost'', was a YALSA Teens' Top Ten Nominee in 2015. His second stand-alone novel, ''Never Always Sometimes'', was nominated as a ''Kirk ...

, Zoraida Córdova,

Alaya Dawn Johnson Alaya Dawn Johnson (born 1982) () is an American writer of speculative fiction. Career Apart from short fiction, Johnson has published two urban fantasy novels about "vampire suffragette" Zephyr Hollis set in an alternate 1920s New York City, and ...

Maurene Goo Maurene Goo is a Korean-American author of young adult fiction and comics. Her books have been translated into twelve languages and two of her novels, ''I Believe in a Thing Called Love'' and ''Somewhere Only We Know'', have been optioned to be ma ...

Justine Larbalestier Justine Larbalestier ( ; born 23 September 1967) is an Australian writer of young adult fiction best known for her 2009 novel, '' Liar''. Personal life Larbalestier was born and raised in Sydney. She now alternates residence between Sydney and ...

, Sona Charaipotra). *''A Universe of Wishes'' (

Crown Books for Young Readers The Crown Publishing Group is a subsidiary of Penguin Random House that publishes across several fiction and non-fiction categories. Originally founded in 1933 as a remaindered books wholesaler called Outlet Book Company, the firm expanded into ...

, 2020) (with stories by

, Tara Sim, Natalie C. Parker,

Libba Bray Martha Elizabeth "Libba" Bray (March 11, 1964) is an American people, American writer of young adult novels including the Gemma Doyle Trilogy, ''Going Bovine'', ''Beauty Queens'', ''The Diviners (Bray novel), The Diviners'' series, and ''Under the ...

, Anna-Marie McLemore, Kwame Mbalia, V.E. Schwab,

Nic Stone Andrea Nicole Livingstone (born July 10, 1985), known as Nic Stone, is an American author of young adult fiction and middle grade fiction, best known for her debut novel ''Dear Martin'' and her middle grade debut, ''Clean Getaway''. Her novels ...

, Jenni Balch, Mark Oshiro,

Samira Ahmed Samira Ahmed (born 15 June 1968) is a British journalist, writer and broadcaster at the BBC, where she presents '' Front Row'' on Radio 4 and '' Newswatch'' on the BBC News channel and BBC One during '' BBC Breakfast'', and regularly present ...

, Tessa Gratton,

Tochi Onyebuchi Tochi Onyebuchi (born October 4, 1987) is an American science fiction and fantasy writer and former civil rights lawyer. His 2020 novella, '' Riot Baby'', received an Alex Award from the American Library Association and the World Fantasy Award ...

Poetry

* Low Light (Claudius Speaks, 2016) *''Ink Knows No Borders'' (

Seven Stories Seven Stories, the National Centre for Children's Books is a museum and visitor centre dedicated to children's literature and based in the Ouseburn Valley, Newcastle upon Tyne, close to the city's regenerated Quayside. The renovated Victorian ...

, 2019) (with poems by

Elizabeth Acevedo Elizabeth Acevedo is an American poet and author. In September 2022, the Poetry Foundation named her the year's Young People's Poet Laureate. Acevedo is the author of the young adult novels '' The Poet X'', '' With the Fire on High'', and ''Clap W ...

Erika L. Sánchez Erika may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Hayasaka Erika (''Megatokyo)'' * Erika (''Friends'') * Erika (''Pokémon'') * Erika (''Underworld'') * Erika Itsumi ''(Girls und Panzer)'' * ''Erika'' (film), a 1971 Italian thriller film * Eri ...

Ocean Vuong Ocean Vuong (born , ; born October 14, 1988) is a Vietnamese American poet, essayist, and novelist. He is the recipient of the 2014 Ruth Lilly and Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Poetry Fellowship from the Poetry Foundation, 2016 Whiting Award, an ...

Fatimah Asghar Fatimah Asghar is a South Asian American poet, director and screenwriter. Co-creator and writer for the Emmy-nominated webseries '' Brown Girls'', their work has appeared in ''Poetry'', ''Gulf Coast'', ''BuzzFeed Reader'', ''The Margins'', ''The ...

Chen Chen Chen Chen may refer to: * Chen Chen (actress) (born 1948) * Chen Chen (host) (born 1979) * Chen Chen (poet) (born 1989) {{hndis ...

Ada Limón Ada Limón (born March 28, 1976) is an American poet. On July 12, 2022, she was named the 24th United States Poet Laureate, Poet Laureate of the United States by the Librarian of Congress. This made her the first Latinas, Latina to be Poet Laurea ...

Kaveh Akbar Kaveh Akbar (b. 15 January 1989; Persian language, Persian: کاوه اکبر) is an Iranian American poet, novelist, and editor. He is the author of the poetry collections ''Calling a Wolf a Wolf'' and ''Pilgrim Bell'' and of the novel ''Martyr ...

Hala Alyan Hala Alyan (born July 27, 1986) is a Palestinian-American writer, poet, and clinical psychologist who specializes in trauma, addiction, and cross-cultural behavior. Her writing covers aspects of identity and the effects of displacement, particula ...

, Safia Elhillo, and Bao Phi).

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ahmed, Samira Year of birth missing (living people) Living people American women writers of young adult literature American writers of young adult literature Writers from Mumbai 21st-century American women writers American women poets Indian emigrants to the United States Schoolteachers from Illinois 21st-century American women educators 21st-century American educators University of Chicago alumni People from Batavia, Illinois