20th Anniversary Spotlight: Hana Shafi
Our 20th-anniversary celebrations continue with another Author Spotlight interview. Today, we’re shining a light on he multi-talented Hana Shafi. We’ve had the great honour of publishing three books of writing and illustrations by Hana, including the poetry collections It Begins With the Body and People You Know, Place You’ve Been, as well as the inspiring book of essays Small, Broke, and Kind of Dirty: Affirmations for the Real World. We are so grateful for the fateful email we received many moons ago from Vivek Shraya encouraging us to meet with Hana to talk about her writing. Upon our introduction, Hana’s empathy and unique worldview totally won us over, marking the beginnings of a beautiful creative partnership.
In our Q&A with Hana, she shares what it means to be part of the Book*hug author family, highlights a title by fellow Book*hug author Michael V. Smith that has left a lasting impression on her, and reflects on indie vs major publishing houses! Happy reading!
B*: What does being part of the Book*hug Press author family mean to you? Please share an anecdote, reflection, or backstory about your publishing experience?
Being part of the Book*hug family was life-changing for me. They published my very first book, and I felt empowered to continue telling my own stories because of their support (which is why I stuck around and published two more books with them!!). And I’ve had the chance to meet so many amazing authors as a result; we’ve shared rides to gigs, or met up at literary festivals, shared our stories and our journeys as authors. It’s an honour to be a part of such a diverse roster of enormously talented people.
B*: Can you share another title from the Book*hug Press catalogue that has left a lasting impression on you as a reader? Tell us about a book that has been a touchstone for you, one that you found meaningful, interesting, or simply loved.
Queers Like Me by Michael V. Smith. One of my favourite things about this book, and in Michael’s other writing, is how it can make me laugh while still feeling like an emotional gut punch. There’s something really special about that. When I first heard him read a poem from Queers Like Me, I’m pretty sure I gasped at one of the lines. If you’re gasping at a poem, it’s obviously going to leave a lasting impression on you.
When we see more large publisher consolidations and huge conglomerates dominating the marketplace, what does it mean to you to be published by an independent publisher like Book*hug Press?
I’m so proud to be an author with an indie publisher, particularly in times like these when parts of the publishing world feel extremely corporate. I believe indie publishers are at the forefront of inclusivity and equity in the writing world, and that indie presses really strengthen arts and culture in the communities they touch. I probably wouldn’t be a published author if it weren’t for indie publishers. Book*hug and other publishers like them help amplify voices that have not yet been heard at large, and allow us to tell stories that are new and exciting and thought-provoking.
