Author Interview: Nevien Shaabneh
Nevien Shaabneh is an Arab-American writer, teacher, and speaker who s
trongly believes in the power of literature and the arts. Shaabneh graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a bachelor’s in English Education and from Saint Xavier with a Masters in Arts. Shaabneh’s novel, Secrets Under the Olive Tree, has been picked up by Nortia Press, a mainstream publisher of literary fiction. Her book is available on Amazon.
Q. Tell us something about your book, it’s inspiration and background. What do you want your readers to take away from it? Secrets Under the Olive Tree chronicles the life of a young Palestinian girl, Layla, and her family. The characters are not meant to represent the typical Palestinian family nor are they meant to represent Muslims. The characters in the novel have their demons and flaws. Some make egregious mistakes while others struggle to accept the consequences of not only their own actions but the actions of others. It is in Layla’s young adulthood, that she is forced to confront her cultural limitations while trying to navigate through life’s complexities. Ultimately, these decisions shape her future and affect all those around her. Stripped down to its core, it is a story about human struggles such as acceptance and repentance. We all have our own stories to tell. The message that resonates most with readers is that one can fall, even numerous times, and yet there is always room for getting back up-I think it is a powerful message. 
Q. How did you get started in writing? What has your writing journey been like? Writing as a dream started many years ago and thousands of miles away near Jerusalem where I was born. When I was five, my parents with my sister and I emigrated to Chicago. I remember very little about Palestine. I remember pomegranates, grape vines, olive trees, a cool day breeze that carried with it the indulgent scent of warm bread… These were years before the wall, when the landscape was open like the palms of God and hope in peace talks was still possible.
My family’s connection to the land was visceral, and I recall how difficult it was for my parents to leave. They left to offer my sister and me a better education, a safer environment, and what they viewed as a land of unlimited opportunities. The weight of that exchange rested heavily on my shoulders growing up. Here, in America, I had to fulfill their dreams of possibilities and success.
My earliest writings were in Palestine and technically, I began writing before I was able to write. I sat for hours and wrote stories and letters to relatives that I would hand deliver. I just made circles, yet, they meant something to me. I could read those circles as a young child, and they represented my first stories. As I matured, my notebooks actually held real words, and over the years, they stacked up in my room. I put them aside when I graduated high school. I shoved them in a corner as I received my bachelor’s in English Education from UIC and my Masters in Arts from Saint Xavier. I tossed them under my bed when I had my children. I chucked them in the storage as I moved into my first home, planned my children’s birthday parties, and taught literature to hundreds of teenagers.
Then, one day, I brushed the dust off one of my manuscripts and decided not to put it away. I sent it in and that made all the difference.
Q. What is in your writing future? Any new books on the horizon? I am finishing up my second novel. The book chronicles the life of an upscale Palestinian family living in New York City. It is primarily about the defining decisions that shape our lives. The book has many twists and turns, like Secrets Under the Olive Tree, that I hope will keep the readers guessing! I will announce more information about its release on my Facebook page and website. I am excited to share this next novel with my readers!
Q. What would you say are the challenges of being an author and what would you say are some of the joys? Writing is one of the greatest joys in my life. Connecting with readers, hearing their stories, and having real conversations about the novel are the most rewarding aspects of writing. I absolutely love it! The greatest challenge about writing is not the writing per se, but waiting for an acceptance letter. The wait can feel daunting and discouraging, but is well worth it!
Q. What advice would you give to Muslim writers wanting to get published? Be authentic, be honest, be fearless. Stay true to your beliefs and morals, yet do not be afraid to create dynamic and interesting characters. Most of all, write if you love writing. If you don’t, move on to something else. Only people who love it will stick with it. Ernest Hemingway put it best when he stated “There is nothing to writing, all you do is sit at a typewriter and bleed.”