Interview with Dr. Samiha Zubair, Poet, and a doctor.

• Tell us about yourself?

I think it's the most difficult question as still, I need to know a lot about myself. I belong to a middle-class family brought up by decent parents and I am great full to them. I completed my primary from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. At a young age left for Pakistan and completed my Medical training as a doctor.  My first write-up was rather an opinion for how to keep city clean which came out in Dawn's Young World. After that was busy in studies. I started writing again though with fits and starts from 2013

• Why did you choose to write poetry?

I think it's like poetry chose me, this genre of writing was new for me too and u will be surprised to know that I have lots of books which adorn my shelf and borrowed from friends too but none is the book of poetry. Though if I was reading poetry as part of my grade course I would be mesmerized with words.

• When did you start working on your book?

I was writing mainly for relaxation just to vent out my feelings but credit for it goes to some of my colleagues who after reading my poems so much liked it that they encouraged me to go for a compilation of my writings and that's how it came in my mind. I submitted poems in two competitions for one I was selected among commendable writers. I then compiled and sent a rough draft around April 2016 and there was no looking back.

• Who are you currently reading?

I am currently reading the book version of  Miss Peregrine's Home for The Peculiar Children penned by Ransom Riggs. It's a light fantasy read.

• How do you manage to write with your profession keeping you busy?

I think it's a lot about prioritizing. As my profession takes up a lot of my time. I feel for some poetry is practiced and learned but for me, its borne out of situations I see, feel or experience so I cannot particularly slot time that this time is for writing poetry. It depends on my mood.

• Tell us about your upcoming book?

My upcoming book is Reneging Quiescence, the concoction of different experiences and common message in one way or other and that is a refusal to be silenced by wrong things. Sometimes we are aggressive in certain situations to criticize but where we can really help we just turn a blind eye.

• What are your plans for this book?

I hope this book is able to reach out to maximum readers out there and also help those who are not voracious readers but can read it to get an inspiration. It will be released on Amazon first and then as a paperback.

• Why do you think the culture of book reading declining in Pakistan?

There are obvious reasons like education being too much expensive so increase in illiteracy, from childhood not encouraged to read books, different aspects of social media like the net ,- television to keep families occupied so no one interested. Books fairs are being arranged in Karachi where a lot of old books exchanged but usually fewer crowds are willing to stand beneath the sun to buy books.

• Do you prefer Ebook or Paperback?

For me, the magic of Paper book cannot be compared with an Ebook ever. At Least for now and maybe in the future. Sitting on the computer for a long time is also damaging for eyes, your posture also.

• As a writer and a poet, what is your message to the world?

My message to the world is happy it's your right as long as it doesn't hurt anyone. Don't stop dreaming. Be good where everywhere there seems to be so much rush its like time has bought us.

N remember as I said before AS WE LABEL THE SKY SO WE SET ITS LIMITS.

I want to thank Irum CEO of the publishing house and an  author in her write for asking me for her blog interview.

You can buy her book by placing an order here: beyondsanitybooks@gmail.com

Know more about her Here.

Know about Beyond Sanity Publishing 

Tales Of Crucified Blunt

#TheTalesOfCrucifiedBlunt by
#AreeshFatmee will hit the stores this week!!

Book your signed copy now!
Irumzahraofficial@gmail.com

Work Of Art- Invictus

Why would you trust your heart?

Its a piece of meat.
Trust your brain maybe?  It has electricity running through the nerves and the neurons and there is a universe inside your head.

But... the heart?

The beautiful work of art?

God created it for you to make it stronger not weaker and fragile. Make it stone cold if you have to. Diamond hard if you have to. But make it acceptable to the one person thriving on the beats of its music.

At the end of the day, love your heart.

#Invictus
Copyright 2015

Invictus By Irum Zahra

 

Every sunset defines a story. Every cloud blurs and dies tells a way of life. It shows us how unusual life is. How unpredictable reality is. And exactly how stubborn we are to its changes.

It shows us how we keep thinking that sunset is the same when it isn't and it is actually screaming at us. Yelling that another day has passed and we haven't lived. We haven't loved and we haven't dreamt.

If we have, then not enough.

Sunsets and Other Regrets, Invictus
Copyright@ 2015 Irum Zahra

Review Of Psychaotic By Laraib Hassan

5 of 5 stars

Psychaotic is a collection of beautiful Gothic poetry, this book engraves all those feelings which every person feels in their life one day or another. Each and every poem truly touches the soul. The poet describes so many feelings, events and problems a person faces in the most perfect words. It couldn't be better. Although each and every poem of this book gave me shivers made me happy and sad at times.
But the poem "Sea of Life", This one won my heart.

...For you have lived many storms before
run or crawl and find the sea
dive in the pleasure
let it set you free.
-Sea of Life

Mirrored Voices: Best Contemporary Poets

I'm very Happy and Honored to announce that the third installment of the Poetry Anthology Series, ‪‎Mirrored Voices:

Mirrored Voices: Best Contemporary Poets

‬ is Published! It has writers and Poets featured from around the globe.
I am lucky and honored to be in it as well.
I have 4 books on my credit now. Congratulations to all the authors who are featured in this literary history making event.

This combined poetic anthology embraces free thinking of the untapped mind and spirit. The vast array of best contemporary poets from around the globe share their voices together in harmony. Various styles and thoughts flourish amongst the pages, bringing emotions to life and creating beauty from nothingness. The writers included in this collection have been selectively chosen to represent the best modern talent of the age. The list of extraordinary poets featured within include such great talent as:

Paul Morabito, Aric Cushing, Jason P. Hein, Laura Madeline Wiseman, Regina Puckett, Laura Crean, R.M Romarney, Clarissa Simmens, Mark Green, Irum Zahra, Laura A. Lord, Regis McCafferty, Roberto Carlos Martinez, Linda Dobinson, Robert G. Brown, Carolyn O'Connell, Sherry Rentschler, Ben Ditmars, Christopher Meesto Erato, Jill Roberts, Dr. Leesa Abbott, Nichia Morales, Andrea McKenzie Raine, Koyel Mitra, Helle Gade, Terri Cannon, Jerome Michael Bailey, Harika Kottakota, Hafsa Idrees and Kristy Rulebreaker.

Here is the Amazon Link:

http://www.amazon.com/Mirrored-Voices-Best-Contemporary-Poetry/dp/1514323966/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1435018247&sr=1-4&keywords=paul+morabito

Ariel by Irum Zahra

My Dear Ariel

I was there when you were born

Red and little, so fragile

So beautiful

You were my angel

And my companion

My pillar of hope

And all that I wanted

I taught you how to ride a bicycle

And fell and broke your arm

I was sorry but you got better

And I knew no one can do you harm

One day our toys broke

And all our story books got soaked in the rain

We went to live under the sun

With glass walls around us

There were people who wanted to hurt you

And I kept all of them away

We prayed for a roof of our own

And God showed us a new way

I bought colors and pages for you

And you drew us and a cozy weather

You built new toys and I watched you play

Our walls started to grow weak

And we had to leave again

We had grown past the plants

And the kittens born in our yard

They were no longer little

They had lives of their own

I taught you how to smile

When you felt like hell inside

We made golden masks

With smiles fixed on them

We fooled everyone

Our friends and our foes

We sold all our toys

And started having fun

Day by day we lost

Every little part of us

And the masks became us

We stayed by each other

And you taught me how to stay me

I broke my walls like you broke your arm

I fixed myself too, but I was never that strong

Hush, dear rabbit

We’ll be okay

When the world crashes

And the glass walls shatter

We would still have each other

Arm in arm and it would be better

We’ll buy new toys for us

And we can’t afford them,

We’ll learn how to make them by ourselves

We’ll cry every night to sleep

And drink coffee everyday

You’ll be stronger than me

And I’ll lean on you then

When I’ll lose myself 

You can pull me from the river

We’ll stay up all night

And pray to the All Giver

I’ll always love you

As you will love me

We’ll cry together just as we laugh together

We won’t let the stones shatter our glass house

Even if they do

My dear Ariel

I’ll let no stone touch you.

Hush, dear flower

You’re my only hope in this world.

May you always find love,

In places I didn't

And may you get all your toys back

Along with your childhood

Psychaotic: See The World In Red And Black

Psychaotic Review By Colin Andersen

Colin Andersen rated it 5 of 5 stars

In this enticing debut collection, Irum Zahra gives us lyrical poems that seem to evolve straight from the heart. In her writing Irum talks about life, love and the hurt that accompanies human beings, and the anguishes a young woman often has to endure while traveling through life. The writings offered in the collection are evidence of the author's poetic strength and depth of expression.

Almost all the poems are enjoyable and it's hard to resist quoting lines that are examples of splendid poetry, like the ones below:

I speak, I cry, I read, I write,
I like, I hate, I scar, I bleed,
I drown, I feel, I run, I sing,
I say, I yell, I make, I break
"Psychaotic: See The World In Red" is sprinkled with many other gems like the above. Once you complete the book you realize Irum Zahra is a writer capable of delivering poetry which is passionate but does not disintegrate in cheap sentimentality. I highly recommend the collection, it's a must read for poetry lovers.

Review of Psychaotic By Author Holly Newhouse

Irum Zahra's Psychaotic: See the world in red and black, Book Review "20 out of 20 Stars"

By Author Holly Newhouse for Eternal Book Reviews

Just as devotees of certain television shows wish for longer seasons and more episodes, readers of poetry long to have poems that touch their hearts and souls. In this regard, Irum Zahra has been more than accommodating. In her debut book of poetry "Psychaotic: See the world in black and red," Irum Zahra writes in such a way that readers can feel as if they are looking right into her very soul. this is a trait she shares in common with some of history's greatest poets.

As I read the well written and descriptive prose contained within this amazing book, I was struck by the variety of emotions this fantastic poet was able to evoke within myself. As someone who only reads poetry by poets of the Renaissance era and earlier, I was extremely fascinated by the depth of the poetry contained within the lines of this book for which the author has insight-fully named. The poetry she writes, contains themes of darkness, pain, despair, abuse, chaos, misery and disorder that occurred at times in her life when the poems were written and yet, they also contain themes of happiness, love, wonder, perception, and the transformation and change that can occur within a person. All of these these resonated with this reviewer and will resonate with readers worldwide as everyone in life at one time or another has experienced or felt these emotions and themes in their lives as all of these themes make up the human psyche and the human experience. They will resonate more so with those that are misunderstood and suffer or have suffered with mental illness and who wear a mask in public for fear of ridicule or being stereotyped, a very complex issue in the world today and one I deal with on a daily basis as a victim traumatologist. It is an issue that is the dark times within oneself that is rarely shown and suffered with, alone.

"Like a horror story being told, I felt the winds change their course...." is an example of this poet's unique ability in realistic and raw description that hits and resonates with this reviewers very soul.

The poem that affected me the most was called "Musings Underwater." This particular poem speaks about a girl who is empty, cold and alone in a broken home, who questions herself and who she has become, and her current existence. She is a soul, lost, in the reality of her world and present circumstances at the time the poem was written.

This exceptional book of poetry, while deep and dark in some of its themes, is perceived by this reviewer as being therapeutic for the author. This book and her poems are perhaps a way for the author to let go of a painful at times, past and at the same time, it helps the reader to understand complex issues as the poet bares her soul to the world, just as so many amazing poets before her, have done.

It is often said that a truly amazing poet always gives a part of him or herself in the writing of their poetry and it is very clear to this reviewer that Irum Zahra has clearly accomplished just that. The reader does not merely read words on a page with this book, but gets an in depth look into Zahra's soul at the time the poem was written.

I highly recommend this book to lovers of poetry who seek out beloved poets that can deeply move them. Although, if you're not a fan of poetry and it's unique prose then this book is probably not for you. 

I definitely give this book 20 stars which is my highest praise for any book because it is just that good!