We chat with author Uzma Jalaluddin about Much Ado about Nada, which is a sparkling second-chance romance inspired by Jane Austen’s Persuasion.
Hi, Uzma! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi! I’m a Toronto-based author, educator, and playwright. My latest novel, MUCH ADO ABOUT NADA, is out today! I also wrote HANA KHAN CARRIES ON (2021), which has been optioned by Amazon Studios and Mindy Kaling, and AYESHA AT LAST, a retelling of Pride and Prejudice. In addition to writing books, I’m a high school English teacher (which explains the slight obsession with Jane Austen and Shakespeare). And my first play, a family farce titled THE RISHTA, premiered this Spring in Montreal. I live just outside Toronto with my husband and my teenage sons. When I’m not writing, you can find me on the couch drinking chai and watching something funny on tv.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
My grade 2 teacher had our class write a short picture book, which she then laminated and bound. I still have my copy – my brief foray into children’s fiction is called “Icy Water’s Bad Day” and it follows the tragic tale of an ice cube who slowly dissolves inside a human stomach. Quite nihilistic for a 7 year old, but even then you could see my flair for the comedic. Though tbh, my love for writing was sparked by my love for reading. Reading remains my one true love, the only hobby that has stood the test of time. Through reading, I found myself, and now I write stories for others to enjoy.
Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!
The first book I remember reading was either an Amelia Bedelia, or a Frog and Toad picture book. But the most memorable experience I had was reading Anne of the Island when I was maybe 10 years old and home sick with the flu. I lay on the couch and devoured that book, only realizing when I was done that it was the third in a series! L.M Montgomery is now one of my all-time favourite authors. I think this sort of answers question 2, but also, there wasn’t any one book that made me want to become an author, but rather all of them. And a book I can’t stop thinking about is whatever book I happen to be obsessed with at the moment.
Your latest novel, Much Ado about Nada, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Persuasion-inspired second chance romance.
What can readers expect?
For my third novel, I tried to push myself as a writer by writing in flashbacks, which can be tricky, and also by focusing on the main love story. I wanted to write the most romantic, swoony, angst-filled second chance love story possible, set within a unique community readers might not be familiar with.
Where did the inspiration for Much Ado about Nada come from?
I find inspiration in all sorts of places – conversations, food, the news. For this book, I was inspired by one thematic question: what are some of the challenges South Asian and Muslim women face when they run full-tilt after their professional ambitions? I started writing, and then it turned into a romance that also answered my central question.
Were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I enjoyed writing Nada’s older brother Waqas and younger brother Jamal. They’re entirely different people, both facing difficult situations. Waqas, who has been divorced for a while, is navigating co-parenting, while also thinking about getting back into the dating scene. And younger brother Jamal, who uses a motorized wheelchair, is trying to navigate life as a young adult, and wants to break away from his overprotective parents.
This is your third novel! What are some of key lessons you’ve learnt as an author?
Oof I can hardly believe it! Three of my books are out in the world! What I’ve learned is that it doesn’t get any easier, but I can anticipate the emotional stages better. I’m writing this questionnaire the week before my novel comes out, and I know that the nerves I’m feeling are perfectly normal. It’s all part of the process, and I’ve just got to let the magic happen. The fact that I get to write books will never cease to feel like alchemy to me.
What’s next for you?
I have another novel coming out in September 2023, THREE HOLIDAYS AND A WEDDING, which I co-wrote with Toronto author Marissa Stapley. It’s a multi-faith holiday romcom set in the year 2000, when Christmas, Hanukkah and Eid all fell within days of each other. It’s a feel-good story. After that, I’m thinking of trying my hand at mystery.
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
I’m excited to read Sophie Irwin’s latest, as I loved A LADY’S GUIDE TO FORTUNE HUNTING. I adored Emily Henry’s HAPPY PLACE, and I’m a huge fan of Ausma Zehanat Khan’s latest stellar crime series, BLACKWATER FALLS.
