Today we’d like to introduce you to Amina Akhtar.
Hi Amina, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’m a former fashion editor from New York. I helped launch the Cut for NYmag, worked for Elle, Vogue, etc. After losing my mom to pancreatic cancer and getting laid off, I started writing fiction. I wrote a wild, slightly unhinged thriller set in the fashion world called Fashion Victim. At the same time, my dad was living out in Northern Arizona and was by himself so I decided to come out here and spend time with him. I figured it would be six months. It’s turned into 10 years!
I’ve since written two more books–Kismet, a thriller set in Sedona, and Almost Surely Dead which was published by Mindy Kaling’s imprint–and I spend my time hanging out with ravens and coyotes. I joke but that’s pretty much my life out here. A far cry from running around in Manolos in Manhattan.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Life is never a smooth road! My first book got rejected by every publisher for two years for being too crazy! It’s written in first person from the perspective of the killer, who happens to be a woman. And at the time, they all thought it was too much. Had it come out now I think it wouldn’t be an issue, but back in 2018 it was deemed risky. But it took one yes for it to get made. And the book has a cult following now. So never give up on what you believe in doing.
After my third book, I caught covid and unfortunately I ended up with long covid and some pretty bad neuro side effects. So writing my next book has taken much longer. But I’m still doing it and not giving up. It’s been an uphill battle but I’m determined. My fourth book is getting there, I just have to take a few weeks off at a time to rest.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m really proud of being resilient and not giving up and for being uniquely myself. I’ve always wanted to write, but growing up I thought the best way was to go into journalism. (It was the nineties, back then journalism existed!) So I went into fashion. But working every day with copy made me hate writing. I ended up not doing anything creative at all until I left the industry in my mid thirties. And I only started writing again out of a need to find myself. And that was the best decision I ever made.
Now, nothing will stop me from writing. I don’t care how tired I am, I will eventually finish my book. My voice is so different from other authors. That’s what I love about writing. Two authors can have the same concept, but their execution and voices will be entirely different. I’m a very voicey writer. And my books are a little weird and have a touch of the supernatural in them (talking ravens, jinn). You never know what you’re going to get with me.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Do not compare your journey to anyone else’s!
You don’t know what anyone else is facing or has faced, and your path is very different. It may look like that other person has had it easy and is scoring all the book deals, but you don’t know what they’ve gone through. Just focus on you and your work. You will get there. This applies to any creative field. Comparison is the thief of joy is such an apt saying.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.aminaakhtar.work/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drrramina
Image Credits
Orlando Pelagio
