My Debut

The journey to my debut began when I was a senior in high school, sitting in my AP Language class. My teacher assigned us to read the short story “The Lady or the Tiger?” by Frank R. Stockton. I was immediately inspired. 

It was a story of an impossible decision, with a killer ending, and after reading it, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. The short story left much to the imagination, and I found myself enraptured by the spoiled princess and her forbidden lover. 

What door would she send him to? The lady or the tiger? There were clues strewn throughout the text that alluded to either choice. She won either way; she lost either way. But more than the ending, I found myself captivated by her story: how did she come to her final decision? What led her there? I needed to know. 

So I began the story myself: I started writing The Lady or the Lion. (The alteration of title is simply because I’m a sucker for alliteration.) I began drafting initial notes right then, in the spring of 2016. I began crafting the background, the world my characters would inhabit. Coincidentally, I had just come back from a trip to Pakistan, and while I stayed in Islamabad and Rawalpindi when I was there, we had taken a trip north to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with its gorgeous mountains and lush scenery. 

I was inspired and realized I wanted to incorporate the country I loved so dearly into my book. And why not? There weren't any young adult novels I could think of that drew upon Pakistan’s beauty and customs, on its food and clothing and culture. So I would write one. For myself and for everyone else. I wanted the world to love my country just as much as I did.

The story marinated in my mind, but I didn't make much progress on the draft as I had just started college that fall. I became busy with schoolwork and the like. Additionally, while I had configured the politics and world-building of my story, the emotional heart wasn’t quite there. 

Then, in the summer of 2017, I went to Pakistan again, this time for six weeks. I had it in my mind to tackle the draft while I was there, or at the very least, take good notes. I did the latter when we spent a week driving from Islamabad all the way to the Pak-China border. Once again, I was captivated by the breathtaking beauty of Pakistan. Everyday I would write down snippets of descriptions on my phone, archiving them away to be placed into my story.

Our trip came to an end, but a draft still wasn't coming together. There is a lot of pressure in the publishing industry to get published and get published fast; it seems the younger you are when you publish, the more talented, or successful, you will be perceived as. I used to believe it, as well, but now I know it’s a fallacy. My draft wasn’t coming together because I couldn’t write about certain things; I needed to experience life and grow and learn. 

And I did. 

Then in the late summer of 2018, I started writing and writing and writing. In the fall, I reached my finish line. I began querying and got a plot of positive feedback, but no offers. Agents were enthusiastic about the #OwnVoices narrative and the Pakistani setting, but ultimately, weren’t connecting with the voice, or it was “too niche”, or had too many Urdu words. 

While these comments were disheartening to hear in an industry that needs so much work towards diversifying its products, I pushed through. I was in contact with some agents who gave me incredible feedback and honest criticism that genuinely helped my writing without discouraging me. 

I spent a few months doing intense revisions based off of agent advice. Then, I resubmitted. From November 2018 - November 2019, I sent about 132 queries. I received about 18 full and partial requests -- but no offers. 

I had just about given up on this manuscript by then. I was already working with an editor at another publishing house for a different manuscript of mine, as well as querying a new project, so I decided I could revisit it later. 

Then, in April 2020, when #DVPit came around, I figured it couldn’t hurt to pitch it. Why not?

I ended up getting likes from two agents and a like from an editor at a new indie publishing house I had never heard of. Not letting my hopes get too high, I prepped my materials and sent them over the next day. 

Then, in August 2020, out of the blue, I received an email. They wanted to set up a call. Warily, I agreed, and it was on the call that my publisher told me they loved my manuscript and  wanted to publish it. 

“You can scream now!” she told me. But I was in shock. I couldn't believe it. Those were the words I had been waiting to hear for years, and they were finally here.