The Worm Hole Podcast Episode 85: Tasneem Abdur-Rashid (Finding Mr Perfectly Fine)
Posted 23rd October 2023
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Charlie and Tasneem Abdur-Rashid (Finding Mr Perfectly Fine) discuss writing a story that hadn’t yet been told in novels and working with getting the balance and choices right when it came to writing for British Bengali Muslims, Muslims from other cultures, and other readers. We also discuss the guys she cut from the first draft, why she decided to finish her rom-com on the somewhat controversial note she did, oh and if you’re looking for a great Turkish restaurant in North London, we’ve got you covered.
Please note that there is swearing and discussion of rape in this episode.
Not Another Mum Pod (‘Was My Husband Gay?’ is episode 6)
Tasneem’s ‘he’s a 10 but…’ TikTok video
Capital Restaurant, Wood Green
Hala, Green Lanes
Gokyuzu
Antepliler
Tasneem’s Instagram
Release details: recorded 17th July 2023; published 23rd October 2023
Where to find Tasneem online: Twitter || Instagram || TikTok
Where to find Charlie online: Twitter || Instagram
You can contact the show at books@carnelianvalley.com
Go back to the list of episodes
Discussions
01:44 The inspiration for Finding Mr Perfectly Fine
04:33 About Zara, Adam, and Hamza
08:48 How Tasneem wrote and planned the book, and balancing the different audiences she was writing for
13:30 Wherein Tasneem’s dad bought her a computer for writing on when she was 10 years old
17:17 Deleted sections of the book – Zara met a lot more people!
20:16 Writing from a specific Muslim perspective (British Bengali) and pushback; also the Sylheti dialect
24:12 On the part where Yasmin wears hijab to cover her beauty when chaperoning Zara on a meet up
27:04 Hamza and Zara’s lack of thinking about how controlling he is whereas others can see it
31:47 The Tariq plotline and backstory
33:26 Adam and Zara’s mismatched values and working them out, Hamza, and the decisions Tasneem made for the ending
42:02 What happens beyond the ending pages
43:17 The possibility of a book about Amina
44:03 Further info about Tasneem’s next book
47:31 On North London Turkish restaurants
49:47 On Tasneem’s podcast, Not Another Mum Pod
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