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Ramiza Shamoun Koya's debut novel follows the lives of an evolutionary biologist and her ten-year-old nephew in post-9/11 Washington, D.C. Omar's mother is white, his first-generation American father never walks to talk about India or what it means to be Muslim, and Omar struggles to find a cultural identity that fits. When Amina arrives from the West Coast for a hybrid zone lab job, Omar's parents begin relying on her for childcare. Despite the demands of her male-dominated workplace and her preference for solitude, she becomes close to her nephew. As Amina's hesitant romance with a Sikh cricket coach blossoms, Omar's parents' marriage fractures and leaves him vulnerable to finding answers in dangerous places.
The Royal Abduls, a family drama about the lives of secular Muslims post-9/11, engages with the difficulties of maintaining relationships in a fragmented America.
About the author
Ramiza Shamoun Koya has an MFA from Sarah Lawrence College and her fiction and nonfiction has appeared in publications such as Columbia Review, Lumina, Washington Square Review, and Mutha Magazine. She has been a fellow at both MacDowell Colony and Blue Mountain Center. Her father was born in Fiji, her mother in Texas, and she was born in California. She lives with her daughter and two cats.
Summary
Ramiza Shamoun Koya reveals the devastating cost of anti-Muslim sentiment in The Royal Abduls, her debut novel about an Indian-America family. Evolutionary biologist Amina Abdul accepts a post-doc in Washington, DC, choosing her career studying hybrid zones over a faltering West Coast romance. Her brother and sister-in-law welcome her to the city,
Foreword
Distribution of early galleys (starting in summer 2019) and ARCs (starting fall 2019) to media outlets, reviewers, bloggers, magazines, and key booksellers and librarians
Coverage targeting the 9/11 20th anniversary, with a focus on news outlets seeking topics that are related to Muslims living in the U.S.
Reviews targeting Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, Library Journal, Booklist, The Bookforum, O Magazine, People, and others
Advertising including PNBA Holiday Catalog, PNBA bookseller promotions, and regional direct-to-reader advertising
Bookseller outreach, including ABA Advance Access, PNBA appearance, and galley mailings to booksellers who have enjoyed other titles
Pacific Northwest tour with a focus on bookstores, libraries, local and reading series
Chosen for two panels at AWP 2020 in San Antonio, Texas; those appearances and related media will grow her literary fan base
Other appearances in the works
Regional coverage targeting Portland-area media, including the Oregonian, Portland Mercury, Portland Monthly, Portland Tribune, Eugene Register-Guard, Willamette Week, KBOO’s “Between the Covers,” and OPB’s State of Wonder
Other coverage targeting The Rumpus, Entropy Magazine, Huff Post, Fiction Writers Review, Writing Under Pressure, Lit Reactor, and more
Author will write and pitch essays to HuffPost, Bustle, Narratively and others
Excerpts of The Royal Abduls targeted to magazines and websites
Book club outreach with a focus on social justice and diversity, equity, and inclusion
Author interviews: radio, TV, print, and online venues
NetGalley, Edelweiss, and Goodreads ARC giveaways
Social media including blog appearances, excerpts, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram
Promotions on author's website, ramizashamounkoya.com (TK), and the publisher's website, forestavenuepress.com
Publicity and promotion in conjunction with author's speaking engagements
