By Julie Kish
Local author S.K. Ali says her secret wish is to be interviewed for the Centennial News. She’s a big fan of the newspaper and loves how it connects people in the community. She has been interviewed extensively and has appeared on the talk show “The Social,” but Ali is particularly excited to be featured in her neighbourhood newspaper. Ali has lived in the Centennial area since 2013 and says she wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.
Ali is best known for her Young Adult romance novels featuring Muslim teenagers. Her first novel, Saints and Misfits (Simon and Schuster, 2017), was nominated for multiple awards. Her second novel, Love From A to Z (Simon and Schuster, 2019), is about finding love in a time of Islamophobia and was the first Young Adult title chosen to be part of the Today Show’s “Read with Jenna” book club.
Following the success of her first two novels, she has published two additional Young Adult romances, two middle-grade books and three illustrated children’s books, including The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2019), which was on the New York Times Bestseller list.
Ali’s most recent novel, Fledgling (Kokila, 2024), is a Young Adult dystopian fantasy, a departure from her usual genre. “I write to explore questions that I want answered,” says Ali. “I wanted to explore the inequities of the world and the devastation of our environment. The dystopian/sci-fi genre is the best place to do this.”
Ali was born in India and came to Canada with her family at the age of three when her father was pursuing his PhD at McGill University. When Ali was in the seventh grade her teacher praised her writing skills, which gave her the encouragement she needed to consider being a writer. Before this, she didn’t think it was a possibility. “Being from a community that didn’t often get represented in novels, I had a strong sense that doors were closed to me.” Ali was thrilled when the teacher accepted an invitation to the launch event for her first novel.
After completing a creative writing degree at York University and teacher’s college, Ali spent the next 20 years teaching elementary school and raising her family. Writing was not a priority during this time, but Ali never gave up on her dream. Despite self-doubt, she persevered, driven by the desire to show her children the importance of finishing what you start. Soon after the publication of her first novel, she resigned from teaching and began writing full-time.
Ali’s creative journey is far from over. She is currently working on another exciting Young Adult romance, as well as the sequel to her dystopian novel, Fledgling. In addition, she is venturing into the world of adult romance. “I love writing for the challenge of it and I don’t want to stay in one lane,” says Ali, her excitement about her future projects palpable.
“I love the possibilities that go with writing and the possibilities of stories,” she says with a smile. Her passion for her craft is evident, and it’s this love that drives her to continue exploring new genres and pushing the boundaries of her storytelling.