Leila Tualla: Mama, Writer, & Advocate
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I didn’t begin writing with the intention of publishing books.
I wrote to survive seasons that demanded words before they demanded answers. Each of these works belongs to a different chapter of my life—times when my body, my motherhood, my faith, or my identity required language before clarity. They are not separate from who I am now; they are the groundwork. This space is not an archive. It is a record of becoming.
​

REVIEW: Smile Back by Fida Islaih

5/22/2017

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Smile Back is a series of six-word stories that follows a Muslim girl's journey. It covers the struggles of wearing the headscarf to loving nature. There is a battle between negative space and finding positivity. She is learning to love herself.

~ My Review ~

I'll say it again that authors are "wordy." That may or may not be a word, but bear with me. It takes pages upon pages to get to the point of the story when surely it could be done with a couple of short sentences. This is the thing I'm finding about poems. A poet doesn't need pages to build an entire world, she can create, build up, and tear down worlds using only six words. 
I follow poet Fida Islaih on Twitter and Instagram. I've seen her, and been on the receiving end of, her encouragement and support for her fellow poets. If I could hear her speak, I'm guessing she's probably soft spoken but her voice would convey firmness, truths and give away her own convictions. I would love to hear her recite her poems to see if I'm right!
This six word series takes you on a quick journey that'll make you think, make you pause for a moment about what it's like to be in her shoes, and offers a few pieces here and there that makes you just Smile Back. 

About the Author

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​Fida Islaih is a multicultural Muslim blogger and poet. She writes about her strong love for her faith and country. She shares her experiences with her faith and other life events. She loves to read realistic and historical fiction. Her other loves are chocolate and her two cats.

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  • HOME
  • Motherhood in the in-between
  • Notes from a writer's life
    • publications & interviews
    • Books >
      • Letters to Lenora
      • Love, Defined
    • Poetry >
      • PMDD & me (poetry chapbook)
      • Storm of Hope
    • Anthologies >
      • Stained
      • Poetry Marathon 2022
      • The Sacred Feminine II
      • The Poetry Marathon 2021
      • Remnants of Home
      • Poetica II
  • ADVOCACY
    • RESOURCES for PMDD warriors >
      • IAPMD
    • Community resources for moms >
      • Pregnancy and Postpartum Support
      • 2020 Mom
      • Preeclampsia
      • Momma's Voices
      • Shades of Blue Project
  • contact