Guest Writer

Zubs J. Malik
Bookstagram Bonanza Edition

October 30, 2020

Dear Book Friends,

TGIF!!!! Today is the last day of The Dear Mr. Hemingway Guest Writers~ Bookstagram Bonanza Edition. I can’t believe how fast that went by. I am super excited to introduce you to today’s final writer…Zubs J. Malik.

Zubs is an award winning book blogger based in London and behind the account @zubscovered on Instagram. Over 20K book lovers (including me) are obsessed with her dreamy book account. Gorgeous book covers, cozy blankets, fresh flowers and awe inspiring content grace her Bookstagram page each day. Zubs loves highlighting indie authors, upcoming new releases and all the classic reads you can possibly imagine. When the going gets tough, head on over to Zubs. She is not afraid to have the hard conversations or to help her followers make sense of some of the more complicated issues surrounding us each day. She continues to bring awareness to racism, Black Lives Matter, #ownvoices, diverse reading and Covid-19 with sensitivity, dignity and grace.

Zubs lives in London with her husband and three sons (another boy mama🤗🤗). She initially embarked on a legal career but then decided to be a ‘stay at home’ mom (mum) when her first son was born in 2009. She is currently a High School/Secondary School English teacher and avid reader.

In January 2018 Zubs lost her mother and in a desperate attempt to cope with her loss she turned to books to offer her some form of escapism from her grief. With a gentle nudge from her husband towards Bookstagram, Zubscovered was born.

“My mum always told me that there was more to me than just being a wife, a mother and a daughter. She wanted me to ‘make waves’ in the world and always encouraged me not to waste myself. When she passed away, I felt like half of my heart died with her. But her passing also pushed me to find ME and I think that was her parting gift to me.”

When Zubs is not bookstagramming, teaching or raising babies she loves to run and cook delicious foods. In fact, she actually has stated before that she initially wanted to create a food account! She is an advocate for all things books and reading and all things good in this beautiful world. She is a true friend to all and I insist you check out her page and follow her on all of her bookish adventures.

Much Love and Reading,

Kelly

P.S. Zubs is a wicked fast reader. She typically can read a book from start to finish in under 5 hours 😮😮😮

Dear Mr Hemingway,

It has, in fact, taken me quite some time to finally put pen to paper and write this letter to you. Living in a world with so much uncertainty and fear I needed to really think about the ‘type’ of book that I put forward.

Would I choose a book that is full of humour and offers your readers a sense of escapism? Or would I opt for a narrative that deliciously satisfies the adrenaline one feels when reading a fast-paced thriller?

But, alas, I decided against them both. All seemed somewhat irrelevant and I thought perhaps what people need to read is simply – Hope.

That despite the improbability of our current situations, there is hope. There is always hope. We must believe it.

In a world where humans tend to make assumptions about race/religion/culture based on old news, media, preconceived notions and prejudice, books like this MUST be read.

Bianca Marais’ If You Want to Make God Laugh, is a fictitious tale with so much heart, but also educates its readers on a medical epidemic, the thoughts and feelings of its citizens post-apartheid and introducing the reader to the beauty of the country. Not just the beauty of a nation. The beauty of its people and how our very thread is connected without us even knowing.

I spent hours perusing post-apartheid SA and the Aid/HIV epidemic in the 90s. Did you know, Mr Hemmingway, that South Africa has the biggest HIV epidemic in the world? 7.1 million people living with HIV? Yes, nor did I. I read this book and then I researched. That’s how much it stayed with me.

I left my heart in South Africa 11 years ago and Bianca, took me back. She opened my eyes, she showed me a world that I did not know existed and more importantly Mr Hemingway, she gave me hope.

I hope she gives you hope too.

Much love,

Zubs

P.S. Click on the book pic below to purchase this incredible book from your local bookstore.