The biggest misconception people have about foreigners is that they are in some fundamental ways different from themselves. This presumption is necessary before we are able to hurt, or even just ignore someone.
According to Kurdish-Canadian—and now American, Pacific Grove-based—writer Ava Homa, Yazidi people fell victims to ISIS in the mid-2010s because nobody knew who they were, as she observed in an interview with another acclaimed writer and feminist well known to American audiences, Roxane Gay.
In addition to being picked by Gay’s The Audacious Book Club, Homa’s debut novel, Daughters of Smoke and Fire, has captivated readers and critics alike, earning her the esteemed 2020 Silver Nautilus Award for fiction, and placing her as a finalist for the 2022 William Saroyan Writing Prize. Homa is the first female Kurdish author to publish a novel in English, her third language.
With lyrical prose, an authentic voice, and a deep exploration of the human experience, Homa's writing transcends boundaries. Through her accessible narratives, she skillfully sheds light on complex social issues, igniting dialogue and fostering understanding.
Things have changed in Kurdistan and in Iran since Homa published Daughters of Smoke and Fire. In September 2022, the death of a young Kurdish young woman, Jîna Aminî, set Kurdistan, and then the whole Iran, on fire. Since then, the protests have been continuing for almost a year, and Homa has been a frequent commentator on the issue for both local and international media outlets.
Ava Homa’s previous collection of short stories, Echoes from the Other Land, was published in 2010. It delves into the lives of contemporary Iranian women and garnered a nomination for the 2011 Frank O'Connor Short Story Prize. Homa’s articles have appeared in the pages of: the Globe and Mail, BBC, Toronto Star, Literary Hub, and Literary Review of Canada. She holds a master's degree in creative writing from the University of Windsor in Canada.
Homa will discuss her past and future work at 12:30pm on Thursday, July 6 at The Press Club, in an interview with Monterey County Weekly Staff Writer Agata Popęda. There will be time for Q&A after the interview.
To read the Weekly’s past coverage of Homa and her novel, click here. To read her recent opinion pieces in the Weekly about the rising protest movement in Iran, click here and here.