In episode eight, the final ep of the season, Nicole kicks it with Markowitz Award–winning and Astounding Award-nominated author Naseem Jamnia (they/them). Naseem writes speculative fiction for adults, teens, and kids. Their adult fantasy novella The Bruising of Qilwa was nominated for the Crawford, Locus, and World Fantasy awards, and they contributed to the YA horror anthology The White Guy Dies First: 13 Scary Stories of Fear and Power. A Persian-Chicagoan, former neuroscientist, and current educator and pro-library activist, Naseem currently lives outside Reno, Nevada, with their husband and four furred creatures. The Glade (May 27, 2025, Aladdin, SimonKIDS) is their middle-grade debut. Find out more at NaseemWrites.com, and join their newsletter NaseemWrites.Kit.Com/SignUp.
In this conversation, Naseem reflects on their cultural identity, family dynamics, and the impact of childhood experiences on their adult life. They discuss the complexities of friendships, the challenges of navigating community, and the importance of inclusive storytelling. Naseem shares insights into their literary achievements, creative processes, and the significance of world-building in their writing. The discussion also touches on the metaphorical monsters that shape personal narratives and the role of literature in addressing societal issues.
Purchase The Glade, Naseem's middle-grade horror fantasy debut, and The Bruising of Qilwa, Naseem's adult fantasy novella debut.
Oracle Card: "Friendship," from the Classic Horror Oracle Deck.
Chapters
00:00 The Complexity of Friendships
03:24 Navigating Loyalty and Boundaries
06:50 Building Community and Connection
07:38 Childhood Influences and Cultural Identity
15:24 The Journey to Neuroscience and Writing
19:56 Navigating Family Dynamics and Personal Growth
20:38 Childhood Monsters and Emotional Neglect
27:11 Cultural Identity and Queerness
34:13 The Journey of Writing and Creative Expression
51:05 The Plague's Arrival in Kilwa
52:38 Feroz's Journey and Anxieties
55:48 Exploring The Glade: A Middle Grade Horror Fantasy
57:20 The Process of Writing The Glade
59:59 Inclusive World Building in Fantasy
01:12:56 Crafting Secondary Worlds in Speculative Fiction
01:20:03 OF MONSTERS Rapid Fire Questions
Of Monsters: A podcast with Nicole Shawan Junior features intimate chats with speculative fiction masterminds and the characters they create.
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Written and performed by Nicole Shawan Junior, the Of Monsters intro music was created by Ben Ford, produced by Caits Meissner, and engineered by Tatenda Dizha.
