A fresh spin on the cult-classic Election meets Darius the Great Is Not Okay in Jasmine Zumideh Needs a Win when an international incident crashes into a high school election, and Jasmine is caught between doing the right thing and chasing her dream.
We chat with Susan all about her new release, along with writing, book recommendations, and more!
Hi, Susan! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
I am an Iranian American author who writes young adult fiction featuring Iranian American heroines I never encountered growing up! I studied screenwriting at UCLA and then pivoted to publishing about five years ago. JASMINE ZUMIDEH NEEDS A WIN is my young adult debut. I live in the Coachella Valley (yes! not far from the outdoor music festival) with my husband, Wayne, and our Pug mix, Teddy. Our son, Alec, lives in New York.
When did you first discover your love for writing?
My grandmother taught me to read after my older sister went off to kindergarten (I was super jealous). I’ve loved words ever since! I entered an essay contest in fourth grade and won a trip to Knott’s Berry Farm theme park, but I got duped! It was only to see the fake Liberty Bell.
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!
I read the Beezus and Ramona series by Beverly Cleary when I was little. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton was one of the first books I read that seemed like it was written *by* a young adult *for* young adults and that made me think, as a teenager, I can do this! Of course, it wasn’t written by a teenager, but that’s the secret to good YA!
I always think about how unbelievable it is that it took until 2018 to encounter my first Iranian American young adult main character in Darius the Great Is Not Okay (not that they weren’t others prior, I had simply never seen them).
Your debut novel, Jasmine Zumideh Needs a Win, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
International incident intrudes on election.
What can readers expect?
A fresh spin on the cult-classic Election meets Darius the Great Is Not Okay in Jasmine Zumideh Needs a Win when an international incident crashes into a high school election, and Jasmine is caught between doing the right thing and chasing her dream. A disaster MC along the lines of Devi from Never Have I Ever.
Where did the inspiration for Jasmine Zumideh Needs a Win come from?
I wanted to write a book about an Iranian American heroine reckoning with her secret shame around her identity. After the freak-out over Barack Hussein Obama running for president, inspiration struck: Jasmine would run for senior class president just as the hostage crisis dominates the headlines and her opponent stirs up anti-Iranian hysteria similar to what happened to Muslims after 9/11. She is so determined to win, she runs away from her heritage as she runs for president!
Can you tell us a bit about the challenges you faced while writing and how you were able to overcome them?
It took a long, loooong time to get from the first glimmer of inspiration to a published book! In early drafts, Jasmine was not active enough. She let her campaign managers direct her to do things that were unethical. Over many drafts, she became not only more active but also her motives became more understandable. To Jasmine, her life is over if she doesn’t win this election.
Were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
Jasmine’s outspoken brother, Ali, has turned into a fan favorite, and he was very fun to write. He provides the ethical contrast to Jasmine.
What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
Long and winding! I am making my 2022 debut with 50 in the rearview and am proof that if you never give up, your time will come!
What’s next for you?
I have another young adult novel slated for release in in fall 2023. It’s a bit of a gear shift for me. I can’t wait to tell the world about it!
Lastly, what have been some of your favourite 2022 reads? Any 2023 releases our readers should look out for?
There are so many! In YA, I loved Seton Girls by Charlene Thomas, The Second Death of Edie and Violet Bond by Amanda Glaze, The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen by Isaac Bloom, The Summer of Bitter and Sweet by Jen Ferguson, Drizzle, Dreams, and Lovestruck Things by Maya Prasad, How to Excavate a Heart by Jake Maia Arlow, and The Turning Pointe by Vanessa L. Torres.
In 2023, be on the lookout for The Love Match by Priyanka Taslim and You Wouldn’t Dare by Samantha Markum!
