How a UAE-Based Book Influencer Became a Famous Writer
The 25-year-old Bangladeshi author based in the UAE became a social media sensation this year for her debut novel ‘Anti-Romantic’.
“Reading is like breathing in, and writing is like breathing out,” said UAE-based author Samama Reza when asked about her love for books and writing.
The 25-year-old Bangladeshi author became a social media sensation this year for her debut novel ‘Anti-Romantic’ and its sequel ‘Malfunctioned Love’.
Image source: @samama.reads.
However, Reza's relationship with fiction had a rough start because as a child she struggled with dyslexia. Nonetheless, when she started reading, it opened up a new world for her. “The first ten years of my life, my dream was to know how to read, so when I was finally able to, I just went crazy…I would read all day every day.”
This love for reading is what made her start her bookstagram. “And that is where I found a lot of reader friends. First, it was international and just a few years ago, [UAE-based readers joined] as well.”
She also runs a UAE-based book club called ‘Bookworms of UAE’. Alongside being a book influencer, the author works for the Sharjah Book Authority and moderates their social media and book club.
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Her love for books piqued her interest in writing even before she became social media famous. “I used to write short stories as a teenager and I would give them to my siblings.”
Although, she shared her stories with her loved ones, Reza struggled with self-doubt. “As a kid that was very hard for me to write...for the next few years I was like, writing is too difficult. I may not be able to do this.”
Despite her inhibitions, the writer started submitting her articles to local news outlets. “One day, they started accepting my articles, and I was like, oh my God, a news portal thought my writing was good enough for publication? That kind of gave me the confidence [to keep writing].”
However, it was Reza’s first visit to Emirates Lit Fest in 2019 that pushed her to write her first novel. “I saw how the authors were being appreciated by their readers, by the whole society. I wanted that love, you know. So that is why I started the first chapter of the first book.”
It was hard at first, Reza shared how she did not like the first chapter she wrote, but she was determined to write her story. “I wanted to leave a mark on this earth…and eventually…I got used to the comfort [of] writing.”
Not only did the author find comfort in writing, she also found emotional relief. “It's a way to let go,” she said. The emotions that Samama Reza let go during the process were captured in her desi romance novel ‘Anti-Romantic’. The novel is about Zainab and Sara; Zainab is in love with a man her father disapproves of, while Sara fears heartbreak.
Image source: @samama.reads.
With ‘Anti-Romantic’, Samama Reza showcased desi representation that she found limited in the literature and films around her. “There was this wish inside me where I wanted to see myself in a book. I wanted to see a Bengali, with glasses, brown, who falls in love with a very cool guy…so that is why I made it fully desi.”
The novel shows a different side to the Middle East, which has been hard to find in mainstream media. Reza shared, “I wanted [to showcase] the Middle Eastern life. It's not all dark or sad. We are living a very good life. We are happy. We have freedom…People internationally do not know that, so that is one thing I wanted to portray through my book.”
The author added, “I did not go with the flash and glam of UAE, I went for the cozy Sharjah environment...I tried to show the normalcy and the comfort we feel here as expats.”
After putting her heart and soul into ‘Anti-Romantic’, Samama Reza worked towards getting her book published. However, she faced some difficulties during the process, “International publishers don’t give opportunities to Asian authors a lot.”
After learning about the limited opportunities for Asian writers in the international publishing industry, the Bangladeshi author decided to take matters into her own hands. “I took eight months to understand the book industry…[but], I realized that the universe is telling me to do things on my own.”
Samama Reza did everything on her own, from editing to printing and investing her earnings into her book. “Honestly, it was a bit tough…but sometimes your Lord gives you the power to do something and you just storm through it.”
Although the author wrote ‘Anti-Romantic’ for UAE-based readers, the book became a social media sensation and is now available in the US, the UK, and even in South Korea.
Readers were all praises for Reza’s book with one fan sharing a voice note, revealing that she cried while reading the novel. Upon seeing this reaction, the author’s family was truly impressed. “My dad said you have written Devdas, a popular Bengali story that made many people cry,” the writer shared.
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Although she had received immense love online, meeting her fans in person at the 2024 Emirates Lit Fest was a truly special moment for Reza. “It was surreal,” she shared. “It felt unbelievable…Like people were buying my book. They were asking for my autograph; they were asking questions. They were telling me how proud they are of me.”
Being the star of the moment was one thing for Reza, but sharing it with her favorite author Cecelia Ahern was something else. “The fun part was that she sat next to me at the book signing…it was such a fan moment for me. I sat there a few extra minutes so that people could take my picture [with her].”
From being a popular book influencer to becoming a famous author, Samama Reza’s journey has become so much more than her wildest dreams and it does not stop here. She is working on her next novel and the details are still under wraps, but fans can be assured that another UAE-based desi romance is in the works.
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