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saikaleysonia

Jan 201 min read

Exciting New Award!

It is a privilege to have provided a blurb for this new award in honor of esteemed author Naomi Shihab Nye. This essential prize will...

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May 23, 20231 min read

Book Review at the New York Journal of Books

Check out my review of "Sankofa" by Chibundu Onuzo at the New York Journal of Books: http://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-review/sankofa-...

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Jan 29, 20231 min read

Ottawa FACES Magazine Awards Nomination

It is wonderful to have been nominated under the category of Music & Art (Author) in the 2023 Ottawa FACES Magazine Awards. Thank you to...

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Nov 26, 20221 min read

I am very grateful

Thank you so much to everyone who stopped by my book table at the Fall Art Show. It was wonderful to meet new readers. Special thanks to...

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Oct 30, 20221 min read

A lovely afternoon filled with books and readers

I was fortunate to spend a lovely afternoon at Indigo South Keys in Ottawa. This is a charming store filled with books, book lovers and...

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Oct 1, 20221 min read

Butterflies of the Rice Fields shortlisted for the 2022 Guernica Prize for Literary Fiction

Congratulations to Ian Colford whose manuscript “The Confessions of Joseph Blanchard” won the Guernica Prize! Well-deserved. It was an...

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Jul 16, 20221 min read

Samantha's Sandwich Stand makes it on the Radio

I had a wonderful time at CBC Radio and I am so grateful to the delightful host Robyn Bresnahan, the Ottawa Morning team and Denise Fung...

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May 22, 20221 min read

Full Circle Moment

In the seventies and eighties, I was a student at Elgin Street Public School in Ottawa, Ontario and it was there my love of reading and...

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Nov 12, 20211 min read

Samantha's Sandwich Stand goes on Tour!

Many thanks to the amazing Suzy and the wonderful bloggers for taking "Samantha's Sandwich Stand" on tour in the New Year. So grateful....

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Jul 31, 20211 min read

Something uplifting

Happy weekend everyone! Check out the trailer of my forthcoming children’s picture book Samantha’s Sandwich Stand:...

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May 24, 20211 min read

Online Pre-Launch Party!

I am thrilled to announce that my first children’s picture book “Samantha’s Sandwich Stand” will be published by Renaissance Press this...

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Apr 26, 20211 min read

Poetry is in the air...

In honour of National Poetry Month, here’s a video of me reading from my poetry collection Turkish Delight, Montreal Winter. Special...

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Jan 11, 20211 min read

2021 Faces Magazine Ottawa Awards

I am so honoured to be nominated under the category of Music & Art (Author) in the 2021 Ottawa FACES Magazine Awards. Thank you to Faces...

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Dec 20, 20201 min read

Grazie, Lu, for everything!

Inanna Publications Editor-in-Chief Luciana Ricciutelli (19 February, 1958 – 14 December, 2020) http://www.inanna.ca/about/honouring-luci...

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Oct 31, 20201 min read

An evening of poetry and music

I am so thrilled to announce that my poem “Afternoon Baklava” was an honourable mention in the 2020 John Newlove Poetry Award. Many...

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Oct 24, 20201 min read

2020 Ottawa Book Awards - What an amazing evening!

Congratulations to Henry Beissel and his publisher Guernica Editions for the 2020 Ottawa Book Awards win! Well-deserved. It was an honour...

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Jul 26, 20201 min read

What a lovely surprise!

This lovely surprise arrived in the mail. I am so grateful to the IPPY Awards and to my wonderful publisher Inanna Publications. And, as...

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Feb 11, 20206 min read

A Valentine's Day Interview with Anita Kushwaha

On this Valentine’s Day, I think it is appropriate to share my love of books and, in particular, to share my admiration for the novel...

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Feb 1, 20201 min read

Afternoon Baklava

Many thanks to the wonderful Amanda Earl and her colleagues for including my poem “Afternoon Baklava” in the latest issue of Bywords....

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Jan 1, 20202 min read

New Year, New Decade

New Year’s Eve 2018, I was in the ER with one of my sisters who had become very ill and it would take her several months to recover and,...

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Dec 25, 20191 min read

Carving Images

Many thanks to the wonderful rob mclennan for giving me the opportunity to talk about my writing process. Check it out if the spirit...

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Nov 23, 20191 min read

A November Afternoon with Artisans

Thank you so much to all those who attended the Art in the Neighbourhood Fall Show 2019. It was lovely meeting new readers and chatting...

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Oct 27, 20191 min read

Books, chocolates and gratitude

So grateful to the wonderful people who took the time to stop and chat with me at Chapters Rideau. It was lovely meeting new readers and...

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Oct 18, 20191 min read

A beautiful autumn afternoon with a beautiful book club!

It was so wonderful to spend a beautiful autumn afternoon with avid readers discussing my novel "The Allspice Bath". Many thanks to the...

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Oct 18, 20191 min read

The Miramichi Reader reviews "The Allspice Bath"

So grateful to the wonderful James Fisher and The Miramichi Reader for this brilliant review of “The Allspice Bath”. Check it out:...

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Oct 18, 20191 min read

Reading from "The Allspice Bath" as part of the 2019 Government of Canada Workplace Charitable Campa

On October 16, 2019, I had the great opportunity of reading from my novel “The Allspice Bath” as part of the 2019 Government of Canada...

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Sep 22, 20191 min read

A wonderful book signing at Perfect Books

Huge thanks to everyone who made it out to Perfect Books on Elgin Street! It was lovely catching up with friends and meeting new fans ...

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Sep 15, 20191 min read

What a lovely evening!

I had the wonderful opportunity of recently joining this remarkable book club. Many thanks to the lovely members for having me over to...

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Sep 2, 20191 min read

Questions for Ancestors & notes to descendants

I am honoured to be the feature in Questions for Ancestors & notes to descendants. Many thanks to the wonderful Sheniz Janmohamed for...

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Aug 19, 20191 min read

Dream, young ones

Thank you so much to everyone who came out to Coles at the Billings Bridge Shopping Centre in Ottawa to support me! It was great chatting...

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Aug 5, 20191 min read

Celebrating my heritage

Thank you so much to everyone who came out to the Ottawa Lebanese Festival to support me! It was wonderful meeting new readers and...

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Jul 7, 20191 min read

The little drummer at my book signing

Thank you so much to everyone who made it out to Chapters Indigo at South Keys today! I had a wonderful time catching up with family and...

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Jun 27, 20191 min read

Belly dancing at the Ottawa Small Press Book Fair

Thanks so much to everyone who made it out to the Ottawa Small Press Book Fair! It was great catching up with fellow writers, chatting...

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Jun 18, 20191 min read

Huge thanks!

Thanks so much to everyone who made it out to celebrate my new novel "The Allspice Bath"! What a lovely evening! I am so grateful for...

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Jun 9, 20191 min read

A lovely shout-out for "The Allspice Bath"

Many thanks to Ottawa Life Magazine for this lovely shout-out for "The Allspice Bath": http://www.ottawalife.com/article/the-allspice-bat...

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Jun 9, 20191 min read

Question-and-Answer about "The Allspice Bath"

So grateful for the opportunity to chat with Paul Gessell. Check out the question-and-answer featured in the wonderful Artsfile:...

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Jun 2, 20191 min read

The Allspice Bath has entered the world!

On May 16, 2019 my sisters and I boarded a train to Toronto. It was a lovely ride with fascinating and friendly passengers, including the...

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May 14, 20191 min read

A lovely shout-out for "The Allspice Bath"

I am so honoured to have my novel "The Allspice Bath" in such great company! Gratitude to 49th Shelf and Inanna Publications. Check out...

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Feb 11, 20191 min read

Blue Leather Shoes and other poems

Grateful to have my poems included in the latest issue of ottawater. Bravo to everyone included in the issue and bravo and many thanks to...

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Dec 25, 20181 min read

Growing up

Many thanks to Bywords for including my poem "Growing Up" in the latest issue. If you are an Ottawa writer, check out their submission...

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Dec 15, 20181 min read

Anita Kushwaha's Book Launch for "Side by Side"

Thanks so much to all those who made it out to the launch of Anita Kushwaha’s new novel "Side by Side". I had an amazing time. Many...

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Nov 10, 20181 min read

Soldier joins Another Dysfunctional Cancer Poem Anthology

I am so grateful that my poem “Soldier” from my poetry collection “Turkish Delight, Montreal Winter” (http://mawenzihouse.com/Mawenzi_Tur...

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Oct 2, 20181 min read

Poetry on a rainy night

Thanks so much to all those who made it out in the rain to the Tree Reading Series! I am so grateful for your support. Thank you to Tree...

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Sep 2, 20181 min read

The Lebanese Dishwasher

Wonderful to see "The Lebanese Dishwasher" on this list! Thanks so much to Invisible Publishing. https://invisiblepublishing.com/2018/08/...

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Jul 27, 20181 min read

The Arabian Jasmine

Many thanks to the wonderful people at Rigorous for publishing my story "The Arabian Jasmine". Thank you for stopping by and for...

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May 6, 20181 min read

Basil, Not the Spice

So honoured to have my story "Basil, Not the Spice" published in the latest issue of the Maple Tree Literary Supplement. Many thanks to...

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Apr 7, 20181 min read

The Pink House Across the Road

Huge thanks to the wonderful Christal Ann Rice Cooper for featuring my poetry collection "A Samurai’s Pink House" on her insightful blog....

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Jan 24, 20181 min read

My Time in Matsushima

Thanks so much to the wonderful Christal Ann Rice Cooper for interviewing me on her blog! Check it out: http://chrisricecooper.blogspot.c...

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Nov 21, 20171 min read

Kibbeh nayeh meets Sushi

A real honour to have been interviewed by the wonderful Mo Duffy Cobb. Check out the interview and the amazing work in this issue. Many...

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Sep 30, 20171 min read

My Writing Day: Walking with my Characters

Check out my piece about my writing day. Many thanks to the wonderful Rob McLennan for this! https://mysmallpresswritingday.blogspot.ca/2...

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