Meet Heba Subeh-Hyder: Author

We had the good fortune of connecting with Heba Subeh-Hyder and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Heba, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
I learned that people were leaving religions in droves because they were angry at God due to the injustices happening all over the globe. Sometimes people don’t understand that God doesn’t commit these atrocities, people do. It broke my heart to think that my children, or anyone else’s children for that matter, could ever leave Islam. I wanted to spread the knowledge of who God is the way I know Him; All-Loving, All-Merciful, All-Compassionate.

I’ve always been passionate about my religion (Islam) and writing so I decided to combine the two and write a children’s series highlighting God’s attributes as we know them in Islam and tell them through fun stories, stories that are engaging for small children. I wrote them in a way they can comprehend and relate to, and that will ultimately increase their conviction in who they are as Muslims in America, and familiarize them more and more with God. My aim is to nourish the love that is already in their hearts for Him.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am the author of a Muslim children’s book series that follows a little girl named Maymunah as she discovers God through His beautiful attributes and goes on many adventures along the way. Maymunah is a girl of mixed race (Black American mother, Indonesian father) and I did this consciously because I wanted her to represent the many Muslim children I know and see. Muslim children are a plethora of different beautiful races, and we must highlight those races and be inclusive.

It takes hard work to become an author and the work is not done once your book is released. It is just beginning. The marketing is unreal and takes up a bulk of the time. I had to learn to network and collaborate with the right type of people that make up my target market. I have to be very efficient and strategic in the way I do things or I’ll be immersed in marketing with no productivity. It takes some getting used to, but once you get the hang of it, it grows on you!

I want the world to know that there is a beauty in religion. Oftentimes, we shun it and want to separate it from everything else, when in fact, having faith carries one through the difficulties in life. I want our children to get back to relying on God and their faith, and I want to normalize the idea of that. I want everyone to know that Muslims are just like everyone else. We are children, we are parents, we are friends.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Being more of a homebody, I wouldn’t have many places to suggest. However, I do love a good Karaoke night so I’d take her to Round One Karaoke in Rowland Heights for a night full of singing our lungs out and dancing! I’d take her to Phoenix restaurant in the same city for some great garlic spicy wings, and finally we’d go to a mom and pop cafe and have a great cup of coffee! Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My biggest shout-out goes to my husband, who’s my champion and cheerleader! Then comes the rest of my family and friends for supporting my work, and motivating me to do more.

And a very special shoutout goes to my publisher, other authors, editors, and small business owners along the way who have supported me in stocking my books, and given me invaluable advice to help me improve in my line of work.

Website: www.maymunahsmusings.com

Instagram: @maymunahsmusings

Facebook: Maymunah’s Musings