Fantasy and Faith: Muslim Fantasy, Myth & Meaning

Season 3 of the Fantasy and Faith Podcast kicks of with writer M D Ndogo and his debut novel Daughter of Samarkand, which launches on Monday 12th Jan 2026. In this episode, we discuss what inspired M D Ndogo to go with a female protagonist and set his book in medieval Samarkand.

Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Daughter-Samarkand-Ink-Gold-Book-ebook/dp/B0GBXBZLPW/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3FEYWB4KXVIJC&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.zvbGKqGuWJTG-uhCd-NQuQ.o_8I3arHYGVD3If-kbNSZ0eGFWg8lllDFMeoZcIFhRc&dib_tag=se&keywords=daughter+of+samarkand&qid=1767732915&sprefix=daughter+of+samarkand%2Caps%2C152&sr=8-1

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Authors often portray the cost of Magic in different ways. But in Muslim Fantasy the cost is more than physical.

My thoughts on the British Fantasy Society panel: Between Crescent and Quill

During Season 2 of Fantasy & Faith, I interviewed a number of writers. This video is a compilation of their writing rituals. Featuring: Adrian Tchaikovsky, Anna Smith Spark, Rehan Khan, Ibrahim Moustafa and Ismaik Karolia.

A colleague and fellow writer asked me why I'm writing a middle grade novel. That got me reflecting.

Its been a week of NewNoWrMo.

Day 6 of New November Writing Month - 8200 words total

The World Fantasy Con is the biggest event for genre fiction and this year its taking place in Brighton. To talk about why writers and readers should make the journey, I am joined by the British Fantasy Society’s David Green and Robin C M Duncan. We discuss all the different genre conventions that take place in the UK and talk about what makes World Fantasy Con so different. You can get your day ticket for World Fantsay Con 2025 here: https://worldfantasy2025.co.uk/shop/

Episode 9, Season 2. Ismail Karolia is studying Worldbuilding in Speculative Fiction for his PhD and lectures at University of Lancashire.

Award-winning comic book writer and artist Ibrahim Moustafa (Marvel, DC, Humanoids) joins Fantasy and Faith to discuss his journey from drawing iconic superheroes to crafting acclaimed original graphic novels like Count and Retroactive. In this exclusive interview, Ibrahim shares behind-the-scenes insights from working with #marvelcomics and #dccomics, the creative freedom of his #humanoidsInc. projects, and how his #EgyptianAmerican heritage and Muslim faith influence his storytelling. We dive into the challenges of representation in the comics industry, the future of graphic storytelling, and advice for aspiring creators. Ibrahim's Links YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ibrahim_m?si=wriZTXLjLrHrVJmm

The critically acclaimed Anna Smith Spark, the Queen of Grimdark, a PhD in English Literature and multi-nominee of various awards (including Gemmell Award and the British Fantasy Award), talks about her role in shaping the Grimdark subgenre and her thoughts on religion in fantasy fiction. You can preorder the book from:

Flame Tree Publishing: https://www.flametreepublishing.com/a-sword-of-gold-and-ruin-isbn-9781787589704.html

Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/a-sword-of-gold-and-ruin-special-edition/anna-smith-spark/9781787589698

What happens when a former editor of New Scientist turns her gaze from cutting-edge science to the ancient myths of the world’s first civilization? In this episode, we sit down with Emily H. Wilson, author of the lyrical and gripping Sumerian Trilogy—a retelling of the Epic of Gilgamesh, the descent of Inanna, and the cosmic clash of gods and mortals. Website: https://www.emilyhwilson.com/

Inana, Gilgamesh and Ninshubar are available from all good bookshops (and evil ones like Amazon too).

My guest today is Farhana Shaikh, founder of The Asian Writer and Dahlia Books. She is also the author of No Place for a Young Woman, which was longlisted for the Women’s Prize Discoveries 2023. She started Dahlia Books (https://www.dahliapublishing.co.uk/) from her kitchen table and is also a lecturer in Marketing at DeMontfort University. Dahlia Books are doing a physical launch of their recent poetry collection Bring Me Gold: Fifty Poem for Palestine (https://www.dahliapublishing.co.uk/product/poems-for-palestine) on 20th September 2025 in Leicester.

What does it mean to truly believe something – and how should that shape a character’s every breath?

Recently, I interviewed Arthur C. Clarke and Hugo Award winning author, Adrian Tchaikovsky in which we discussed his recent book Bee Speaker and the Dogs of War series. During the conversation the matter of faith and religion came up as it inevitable does in my podcast. Adrian said something to the effect that many fictional characters wear their beliefs like costumes. Real belief, especially religious belief, should be fully embodied by the character, in every action, thought and perspective. Join...

I’m joined by Adrian Tchaikovsky, author of the Hugo Award winning Children of Time Series, Shadow of the Apt Series, Echoes of the Fall Series, Dogs of War Series, The Tyrant Philosophers Series, The Final Architecture Series, and a large number of standalone novels. He won the Arthur C. Clarke Award for Children of Time, the British Fantasy Award for The Tiger and the Wolf, and has won the BSFA Award 5 times. His latest books Bee Speaker came out in June 2025 and the Hungry Gods is out today.

https://adriantchaikovsky.com/

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In this post, I will be examining how rituals and rhythms can be used to enhance the creative process. I will also be providing an update on all the writing projects I have planned, sharing my thoughts on Season 1 of Fantasy & Faith coming to a close and providing you with a taste of what’s to come in Season 2.

From ancient traditions to modern practices, rituals and rhythms have always played a key role in human creativity.

What are rituals? Rituals are regular tasks and events that we take part in to the point that th...

Introduction

Tales of the fantastic have always been intertwined with faith and religion. No doubt the genesis story in the Bible and the origins of the universe in mythologies of ancient times have inspired many a writer to come up with belief systems for the peoples of their world(s). Early fantasy writers such as Tolkien and C. S. Lewis are known for their religious symbolism.

Religion is the word to describe the sociocultural systems that help organise beliefs, worldviews and what is holy and unholy. Faith is the belief that one has about the...

Coming up with new characters for a story is one of the most fun and also daunting tasks for any author. Sometimes it comes easily, with a main character already cast in your mind with your initial idea. Other times its like trying to squeeze out that last bit of toothpaste. Let’s start by looking at some of the common characters you get in almost every story.

The Protagonist (Hero, main character)

This is a Greek word that means first actor. The protagonists is your main point-of-view character, or the one the st...

Also available as written posts on Substack, check out the Muslamantasy page for more.

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This is my very first ever podcast. Its a little stop/start and a I’m a little nervous about it, but I hope you enjoy this new format on my Substack. Please do give me your constructive criticisms and feedback and share any ideas you may have for future podcasts. If you are interested in joining me on a podcast, please drop me a message or leave a comment and I’ll get in touch with you.