Back when I was doing interviews for my YA novel YOUR HEART AFTER DARK, I was constantly asked about my inspirations for the story and I distanced myself from the subject like it was COVID-19. real examples of Mahtab Hermit I'm not used to talking about myself. It makes me anxious, like I'll accidentally reveal … Continue reading [Post] Sometimes Dark, Always Cautious: Inner Turmoil & The Inactive Protagonist →

*(Some quotes have been edited for brevity/clarity.) Despite the uproar over the lack of diversity in books, the traditional publishing industry has done little to genuinely work towards inclusiveness. Lackluster surface-level initiatives offer little in the way of concrete change, and this performative support serves to merely deflect further criticism and demands for diversity. "We've … Continue reading [Article] POC In Publishing: Seeds Of Change →

YOUR HEART AFTER DARK By Mahtab Rohan Chapter 1 [maria] God’s house is supposed to offer redemption and peace, but all it offers me these days is an eerie silence. I keep waiting to feel the rock in my chest move, for some great wave of divine mercy to finally wash away the heaviness that’s … Continue reading CHAPTER PREVIEW: “Your Heart After Dark” →

After a year of living in a prissy suburb, Maria Chaudhry is back downtown. Back to what she never wanted to leave. But she can’t really enjoy it since neither the living nor the dead will leave her in peace. JC’s death still keeps her up at night and Ehmet’s sudden ambivalence isn’t helping. Maybe … Continue reading ANNOUNCEMENT: My debut YA novel! Muslim werewolf! Desi rep! OwnVoices! →