Asalaamu Alaikum

Wow! Its almost 3 years since I posted! Back then I had just joined IG and was writing my second book and there was not even a whisper of a plague,😷 subhanallah. My second book Tales from the Junk Drawer & More has been out since 2019 and debuted at SMArt Fair (Sarnia Muslim Art Fair) in October. I also traveled back to Malaysia in March 2019 alhumdullilah which seems like a dream and who knows when we will ever return or travel anywhere again. What have I been writing in the meantime? To be honest, not much. My writing friend called me recently and asked me and I said only two poems; COVID19 really shut me down with kids at home all the time and so much sad news. She said she had also only written two poems but one of them was put in a book. Alhumdullilah. I shared one of my poems called Inhale on IG, please do check it out. My two books are still for sale on my Etsy shop and locally at The Exmouth Pharmacy on Exmouth Street in Sarnia. Here's to hoping this year will be better in every way now that people are starting to be vaccinated. In the meantime stay home and hug your loved ones. Maybe this year I will start writing again, Allahu alim. May Allah lift this plague. Amin.

I'm on Instagram!

I'm on Instagram!

So, I've been missing in action for quite some time. What have I been up to? Well I told you about my new blog and about my Etsy shop, well now I'm on Instagram! I keep following my daughter Handmade Beginnings around on social media. She knows all the new cool things to sign up for. My name on Instagram is just like my name on my Etsy shop ChristineDupuisBooks. On Instagram I used link tree to add all my links. Its a good tool to use. I'm learning so much about how to use Instagram which is different from Facebook in many ways. I've put a highlight on my page which has book reviews. If you've read my book and have a review, send it to me here or share it on my Instagram and I will add it to the highlight. 

Right now I'm still working on my second book, an anthology again with my writing club. I have more stories this time and not only about myself. I've also joined a Muslim writing group on Facebook with Naima Roberts. So many Muslim writers around the world with so much experience under their belt. Its amazing to see them all come together in one group because in real life you don't come across them that often. She's giving writing prompts and doing facebook lives for motivation and q & a's. 

Another thing I've been up to is planning an Art Fair. I've named it SMArt fair. Sarnia Muslimah Art fair. There will be Muslim women presenting and selling all sorts of art including  writing/books and magazines, paintings, crafts, knitting, needlework, henna, cooking, baking, and also any businesses they are involved in. Its a great way to showcase the creativity of the local Muslimahs and bring awareness to the surrounding areas that Muslim women are engaged and productive.  This event will take place at the Sarnia Mosque on London Line on Saturday May 5th from 1-5 pm. 

So did you miss me? Add a comment below and come visit me on my new Instagram account. 

Logo Gift

No that isn't a typo! For Eid I was gifted a logo by my son and daughter. I also have a new website to promote my book and my writing! It was quite a shock on Eid when my son showed me my website on his TV screen in front of everyone! Who knew what these kids were up to? Apparently they did it quite quickly too. You can check it out at Christine Dupuis .com. After that they told me that they had contacted Farhana Faruq (you may know her as Sketched Soul from her blog)  to design a logo for me. All I had to do was collaborate with her and ta da, a new logo would be created. I played with the idea of using my blog name here and a logo with a shoe but then I thought my readers wouldn't really find me as they now knew me by my real name because of my book  and plus with my new website too, I decided to use my real name on the logo. So, then, I thought about what design details I would want in my logo. Of course I chose a book, but then, I needed something to show how it was written. I told her to give me samples of different writing implements along with a book. I chose what appealed to me and then I thought I wanted to show something about my kids, since I wasn't using the shoe anymore, so I came up with the idea of stars coming out of the book. We kept tweaking it with different sizes, colours, positions, fonts and experimenting with 2D vs 3D until after consultations with my family I finally made my choice. So voila!

Sarnia ArtWalk -June 3/17

I know talk about last minute! Today I will be at the Sarnia ArtWalk in front of the library from 3-5 pm selling my book BREEZES,CURRENTS and SIGHS. At the same time my daughter will be doing Henna tatoos. Come out and see us at the Sarnia Muslim Association booth.

My last booksigning was an awesome experience at RamadanFest. Not only did I have a booth where I signed and sold my booth next to two other authors including my friend Huda, but I also got to go on stage and read a selection from my book, microphone and all! It was a great chance to share my writing with the Muslim community in Mississauga.

Hope to see you today at ArtWalk!

Ramadan Festival Book Signing

I had my second book signing which took place at the library as snow fell even though its spring. Small turnout made for a cozy reading. Family and friends showed up.  I read one story and one poem. The book is now available at the library.

My third book signing insha Allah will be in Mississauga, hitting the big times now by going to the GTA! Its all happening at the Ramadan Festival on May 21st from 12-8 pm. Won't you stop by?

I Wrote a Book!!!

I've been very busy launching my new book this year alhumdullilah. Its an anthology with six other authors which is a compilation from our writing club. We've been working on this for over a year and for the other members even longer as they were part of the group before I was aware of it. Its a local writing club and I am the only Muslim among them. Strangely they insisted I write my coming to Islam story and so that's included as well! masha Allah. Some of the stories are fiction but my section is all non-fiction and includes some poetry as well. The title of the book is Breezes, Currents and Sighs,chosen by one of the writers.  We had a book signing already and our books are available for sale from that venue and next month we will be having a reading and signing at the local library. I have also been selling copies to family members (don't worry I didn't charge my parents!) and friends. I have copies floating around all over Ontario, Canada now. The book is getting great reviews, masha Allah.

Here is one : "I have to say you are so talented,great writing. You should think about doing this for a living. The writing was so smooth and engaging. I definitely wanted to read more. Please send me more stuff when you can. I really enjoyed your work.  " JD

and another "a collection of stories and poems by 7 authors from Ontario,Canada. Some are fiction and some are reflections, true accounts of life that resonates with many of us no matter where we are, portrayed in good honest to goodness words"  YH

The book is not for sale at any book store or online but if you want a copy, they are selling for $15 (Canadian) plus shipping (to be determined by your location). you can contact me at omwits at gmail.com, you can pay by e-transfer.

Our writing club is busy preparing to write another book this year. Readers can't wait for our next edition!

NaNoWriMo newb.

Do you know what NaNoWriMo is? I found out last year but didn't join. Lots of things going on last year.Well it stands for National Novel Writing Month. You are supposed to write a 50,000 word novel in the month of November. Its been a week and I've only written 1500 words but that's more than I've ever done before, so let's celebrate! Its a start and that's something I haven't done at all.  So what am I writing? My memoir. I don't know why I feel I have to write this or even why anyone would really care but maybe someone does and that's what counts. If I reach even one person then it matters. I know, so cliche but its how I'm feeling right now.

What else have I been writing? Well I just about completed all the writing for the anthology I will be a part of,which is due to come out soon. But wait, they also want me to write just one more thing. I'm a little busy right now though. They also asked us to write about who we think will win the American election. Anyone else feeling antsy on this election eve? I'm not even American but as its closest neighbour besides Mexico we are feeling the heat and we don't need more global warming. Well some people think that's fake, ahem. You know people who are into redecorating by putting up walls, just saying. Oh and about that anthology, I was in the paper for that along with my writing buddies.

Anyone else writing anything fabulous these days? Got a blog or a book? Let us know. Are you a Nanoer too?

Grandma in the shoe for the 6th time. Alhumdullilah.

Recently my daughter had a son and so now I have my first grandson, masha Allah. The Uncles are really happy! I kept boys clothes for so long from my son who will turn 10 this month but finally started to get rid of them last year or before that so now this grandson does not have any hand-me-downs! Clothing shortage, lol. But no worries, every baby comes with his own rizq. (provision). May Allah make his a righteous Muslim and grant him jannah. Amin.

Ramadan 2016-What's new in the shoe.

So as you all know by now I have MS. Alhumdullilah though, I've been able to fast. I recently read an article about a woman who couldn't. MS is a tricky disease it presents differently in different people and it fluctuates in different ways too. Everyone needs to take their own situation into consideration and of course consult their doctor if necessary. Lots of non-Muslim doctors have a knee-jerk reaction to fasting in general so you might want to consider asking a Muslim doctor.

Another great piece of news is that I have started a new dawah initiative; spreading Islam through my Little Free Library. I got this idea 2 years ago and then commissioned a carpenter to do it last year but it took a year for it to get done due to his unforeseen complications. Alhumdullilah its done in time for Ramadan this year and I am so grateful and just tickled pink. Yes its pink :)

A few years ago I gave out boxes for Ramadan in order to do dawah and this year my teenage daughter wanted to do it again so from her own funds she has gone out and purchased more supplies to make it happen again insha Allah.

I've also set up a convert iftar again for the 3rd year in a row. May this help the converts to feel included and helped with our new welcome boxes. (New Muslim Care). 

What's new for you this Ramadan?

Nobody Cares?

So the other day we got to talking about me and what I want to do with my life and I said writing of course and they said you should have a blog, and I told them I already have one. Then they said I can't just write about my life, nobody cares! What???!!! Harsh! Ok, I guess if you want to make money you have to pander to the majority, the trends etc. I'm not the kind of person to follow the lowest common denominator. I could care less about what most people care about lately like hijab tutorials or recipes (I have a few but certainly not obsessed). They were not impressed with my opinion. You see the reason I studied Advertising instead of Journalism is because I wanted to be creative. I didn't want people dictating what I could and could not write about. I like to be free to choose my own topics and present them the way I see fit, regardless if anyone is interested on a large scale. Even if I have to find a niche group that is fine. So I won't make millions I guess but I want to be true to myself in the end. I don't want to be a sellout. Not even for sales. So where does that leave me? Right here, I guess. But my intention is to write books because I love to and because so many people have told me I should, people from all walks of life. I'm sure there are people out there who are looking for a fresh voice and will CARE!

Old Grandma in the shoe for the 5th time!

Last night my son, my oldest, had a daughter (well my daughter-in-law did). This is their second daughter. For me its my fifth granddaughter. Good thing I don't have to fit them in the shoe too,lol. One day I will have more grandchildren than children which is an obvious thought but still mind-blowing to me. Alhumdullilah, masha Allah. May she grow up to be a righteous Muslimah and be the coolness of her parents eyes and be granted Jannah. Amin.

Nothing But Love - Book Review

Zaneefa Zaneer is the author of this new soon-to-be released title. Previously she was the author of Let Me Bloom and Rhythm of Love published in Sinhalese. Her new book is published in English.

Nothing But Love is set in Sri Lanka and follows the story of A.B. as she deals with her past and with her new future as a wife by name only. What has brought her to this point in her life? And what about her new husband, why is he settling for a sham marriage? This book will take you on a roller coaster of emotions dealing with topics like being an orphan,widowhood, wearing niqab,secrets, missed communication and misunderstandings.

This author's style is reminiscent of Umm Zakiyyah's. If you've ever read her books you will understand what I mean. Her books are good,clean,Islamic fiction but try to focus on real life problems.

I really felt the emotions of the characters in this book and enjoyed reading it. The only advice I gave to Zaneefa, was to include more information about Sri Lanka for readers who are not familiar with the country, such as myself. These updates may be in the final release.

If you are looking for a new, Muslimah author to read, then consider the book Nothing But Love, soon to be released on Amazon.com.