13 Sep Razeena Omar Gutta and HANA’S HUNDREDS OF HIJABS plus a GIVEAWAY!

EL: I’m thrilled to welcome to Razeena Omar Gutta, all the way from Brisbane, Australia! She’s here to chat about her wonderful debut picture book, HANA’S HUNDREDS OF HIJABS. It’s coming out on September 20 and ready for pre-sale NOW! I  totally enjoyed reading this book, and you will too!

Razeena, please explain what a hijab is and why it is important to you.

RG: Hijab, in the modern interpretation of the word, is the scarf Muslim women wear on their heads. But it also includes wearing loose and modest clothing that covers certain parts of the body for both men and women.

Interestingly, hijab also includes conduct and behaviors, according to a moral code, for both men and women as well.

To me, the hijab is a part of my obligation as a Muslim woman – I wear it to fulfill criteria I believe are essential. I’ve worn it for over 20 years. It truly is a part of who I am and is as regular and normal as a pair of socks in winter!

EL: Without giving too much away, your protagonist, Hana, is quite creative with her hijabs. Are you as creative? If not, where did you get the idea?

RG: Not at all! In fact, I’m really quite plain and boring with my hijab. I’ve tried, over the years, to be a bit more creative, but it’s just not for me. My daughter is the one who is full of creativity and style – not only with the hijab, as she doesn’t wear it much, but just in general. She has many different collections of various things, can come up with incredible designs for her elaborate games, and is absolutely my inspiration for Hana.

EL: I think that makes the book even more special. The illustrations are beautiful. Will you tell us a bit about the illustrator, Manal Mirza, and your relationship with her? Did you get to see rough drafts of her work? Were the pictures a surprise?

RG: I don’t consider myself to be artistic necessarily (it is something I’d like to explore someday when I have the time), so I was really excited to see another person’s interpretation of Hana. I did see rough sketches and color palettes along the way, but I really couldn’t imagine it coming together the way it has. Manal’s characters and her attention to detail are what really make this story! Working with Barefoot Books was a dream – I was kept in the loop all along, and I am blown away by the final product. The art direction by Autumn Allen and Lisa Rosinsky was just amazing.

EL: It really is gorgeous. How long have you been writing? Always for children?

RG: I’ve been writing for children for 8 years. I self-published my first book in 2014 – a book I wanted for my children and just couldn’t find. And I’ve been learning the craft of writing for children ever since. I have a few more picture book ideas I’d like to see in the world before I try my hand at Middle Grade or Young Adult.

EL: That’s pretty ambitious, and I know you’ll do it! Do you have a specific writing routine? If so, explain, please.

RG: I wish I could say I did. Much of my writing routine involves staring into space and hoping ideas pop into my head. I have to let things become clear in my mind before I write them down, and sometimes that takes a long time!

EL: I can relate! Please explain your road to publication with this book.

RG: “Hana” is my debut, but not the book that landed me my agent. The initial manuscript that we signed on for took much longer than expected to be picked up – we did start submitting just before COVID hit! Hana took about 3 months on submission before we got that all-important yes. And it took about a year and a half to get us where are now – just a week from publication. It was a relatively smooth journey, which I am grateful for! The path to publication is so, so long, but when it finally happens, it’s very rewarding.

EL: I think all writers can relate to that, but most people are surprised about the time and the rocky road we travel. What do you feel is the most challenging thing about writing for kids? The easiest? 

I think the most challenging thing about picture books is having all the elements of a good story in the recommended word count. It’s tough to fit everything in, but feels magical when it works — when it’s short enough, captivating enough, and commercial enough to satisfy editors, it’s a great feeling.

The easiest is a tough one – I think that the easiest part of being on this writing journey has been the ability to connect with like-minded people. The kidlit community is one of the most supportive communities, and in an industry that is so slow and painstaking, connecting with other wonderful writers has been such a blessing (like you having me on your blog, thank you!) 

EL: You are more than welcome to be here! Happy to have you! And I agree. I know that if I didn’t have this community, I would have given up long ago. What brings you joy when it comes to writing for kids?

RG: I love picture books for their various qualities – I love how the stories are so compact and succinct, I love the details of illustrations and colour, and most of all, I love that picture books have the potential to be read a thousand times over… the thought that one book might become one child’s favourite – that gives me a lot of joy!

EL Great answer! What three words of inspiration can you give to aspiring kidlit writers?

RG: It’s worth it.

(The hours it takes, the difficulties within publishing, the years of waiting – eventually it’s all worth it!)

EL: Wow. Those are words we all need to remember when we doubt ourselves. Congrats on your beautiful book!

Here are a few places you can get HANA’S HUNDREDS OF HIJABS. 

https://bookshop.org/books/hana-s-hundred-of-hijabs/9781646866205

https://www.amazon.com/Hanas-Hundred-Hijabs-Razeena-Gutta/dp/1646866215

If you’re in the U.S, U.K, or Canada, you are eligible to win this beautiful book! Just comment on this blog, and let me know if you follow it or if you share this post. Doing either of those things will give you extra chances of winning. 

If you are interested in more about me, my books, or my school visits, please check out my website at https://ellenleventhal.com.

Until next time,

Ellen