Episode 09: Zaina Arafat
Zaina talks with Matthew Jaber Stiffler about her writing process and growing up as one of the only Arab Americans in her community.
She reads from, and discusses, her 2020 debut novel You Exist Too Much.
About Zaina Arafat:
Zaina Arafat is an LGBTQ Arab/Muslim-American fiction and nonfiction writer. Her stories and essays have appeared in publications including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, The Christian Science Monitor, BuzzFeed, VICE, Guernica, Literary Hub and NPR. In recognition of her work, she was awarded the Arab Women/Migrants from the Middle East fellowship at Jack Jones Literary Arts. She holds an M.A. in international affairs from Columbia University and an M.F.A. from Iowa.
Her debut novel, You Exist Too Much, was selected as a most anticipated book for 2020 by O, The Oprah Magazine, Good Morning America, Vogue, Elle and Harper's Bazaar. She lives in Brooklyn and is currently at work on a collection of essays.
