Nice blog ma sha Allah. :) Keep up the good work.
p.s. Umm Junayd, your blog comment showed up on my old blog address. Please visit http://optimizeitdesigns.wordpress.com for our new blog. You can leave a comment there in sha Allah. :)

What's Missing On Muslim Bookshop Shelves?

I agree with coments already made. What is missing is Islamic fiction, specificaly in the English language and for readers in the youth, teen, and adult reading groups. Muslim authored books with quality stories and book production values!

I am a Muslim publisher and the focus of my publishing is Islamic Fiction books in these sorely needed reading groups. I have also published 2 "modern" books of poetry One for youth which is upbeat and focuses on Urban Youth and teens while the other is a color illustrated and African themed illustrated book of rhyming poems focusing on 20 of Allah's Names.

But it is extremely difficult for me as a publisher of mostly Islamic fiction authors and their fantastic writing. Why? There are several reasons discussed more fully at a website I created just for Islamic Fiction at www.IslamicFictionBooks.com At this website you will find a list of authors and the Islamic fiction books they have somehow managed to get published!

There are four main impediments to our having more Islamic Fiction available:

1. Most Muslim publishers refuse to publish this type of literature. Is it because they don't think they will profit from doing so? Is it because they don't know quality-Islamic fiction books are truly needed for students and that the books can and do teach in a non preachie way important Islamic values?
2. Most Muslim retailers refuse to buy the Islamic Fiction books that are published and make them available to Muslim readers. Is profits their only motivator? Do they just don't understand what Islamic fiction is?
3. Many Muslim schools don't support Islamic Fiction and purposely sponsor and promote in our Islamic schools and to parents and students secular fiction written and published by non Muslims. Looking for cheap books or saying you (teachers) don't have time to review books are poor excuses for giving preference to buying and promoting secular fiction books!
4. Many Muslims wll pay without complaint the cost of secular fiction books, but complain loudly and often won't spend to buy and support Muslim authors...I ask myself why?... but cannot get any reasonable responses from school admins and parents... so I ask readers who read this.....Why?

One Muslim retailer who has had the courage to use the word "fiction" on its website and who has unfailingly promoted and sponsored Islamic Fiction books by listing them and making them available for sale to Muslims is IslamicBookstore.com. We need many more such Muslim retailers supporting Muslim authored novels for youth/teens/adults!

We need more Muslims speaking out. Going to Muslim retailers and putting pressure on them to stock and sell Islamic fiction books. We need to put our Islamic schools on notice that we want Muslim authored books in our schools for our children, youth, and teens! Demand they stop promoting secular authors and publishers while acting as if Muslims don't know how to write and publish quality fiction stories! And finally write to Muslim publishers and demand they publish the kinds of books we want to read and our children, youth and teens need in their Language Arts programs at school!

Fiction books set in modern times and poetry that is relevant to Muslims today is sorely needed and it is Muslims who must get out there and make their voices heard to publishers, retailers and Muslim readers!

Just my 2 cents and thank you Umm'Junayd for providing a place for me to rant on about my primary focus for writing and publishing.

Widad AKA Linda D. Delgado