is an established Egyptian Canadian novelist, and Associate professor of Cinema and Arabic Studies at the University of Ottawa, Canada. She has been awarded the prestigious Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters from the French Republic in recognition of her long-lasting contributions to literature and culture.
Her first novel Duniazad published in 1997 was translated into eight languages and received Egyptian and international awards. Her creative work include Repetitive Sculpture (short stories, 1995); Mental Betrayals (short stories, 1999); Heliopolis (novel, 2000); Gates of Paradise (diaries, 2009), Acappella (novel, 2012); Magic Eye (short stories, 2016), Everyone Says I Love you (novel, 2021), Many Ways to Travel (diaries, 2024) and Echo of a Last Day (novel, co-authored with Edwar el Kharrat, 2024). Aside from her PhD La Hara dans le Cinéma Egyptien: Quartier populaire et identité nationale, she co-edited Counterpoints: Edward Said's Legacy (Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2010) and co-authored The Last Hammams of Cairo (American University in Cairo Press, 2011).
is a author known for his four novels, notably "The Scalpel," and ten other nonfiction and critical works. He is a novelist, journalist, broadcaster, and human rights activist. Riahi serves as a Guest Lecturer at the University of Toronto and is the initiator and founder of the "House of Novel." He has conducted workshops on creative writing, journalism, and critical writing in Tunisia and across the Arab world.
An award-winning author, Riahi has garnered prestigious accolades, including the Ibn Battuta Prize for Diary in 2018, the Academia Prize for the best Tunisian cultural TV show, and the Hay Festival Prize for the 39 best Arab writers. Additionally, he received the Comar d'Or Prize for the best Tunisian Novel in 2007. Notably, he was the only Tunisian writer in 'Beirut 39' in 2009 and was selected as one of the five best writers under 40 for the IPA.
Is a professional writer with more than a decade of experience in the field of Film & TV as well as literature and non-fiction. She is a bi-lingual creator, screenwriter, storyteller, creativity coach, writing instructor, consultant, coffee-drinker and over-thinker. Currently based in both Los Angeles and Beirut, Nadia has produced more than four successful regional TV series and her show ‘Awake’ has been broadcast across all continents, most recently picked up by ARTE. She wrote and directed a fictionalized short film in the Internationally Emmy nominated series Beirut: 607. Nadia has published a book on the creative process called “Harness Your Creativity”. She writes both fiction and non-fiction, in addition to her outstanding scriptwriting skills.
When she's not creating her own films and tv series, she mentors writers so that they can find their voices and shine through their stories.
is a publisher, professional editor, author, journalist, and teacher at the Ecole Superieure des Affaires. She co-founded the publishing house Tamyras, which she led for 15 years. She is the author of 8 books: "Beyrouth By Day," a book about the neighborhoods of the Lebanese capital; "Lebanon & On," a book on Lebanese traditions; a notebook on the objects of the National Museum of Beirut; three children's books from the "Living Together" collection; "Phoenicia," a hotel in history; and "Positive Lebanon," a book on positive Lebanese initiatives. Currently, she is a publishing advisor, writing coach at all stages of writing, proofreader, and editor. She also founded H, a platform that organizes writing and bibliotherapy workshops.
Azza Tawil is a Lebanese writer based in Canada. Her novel “Not Entirely Black” was published in 2024.
Tawil holds a Ph.D. in Marketing and book consumer behavior from Grenoble, France. With two decades of experience in the publishing industry, she currently offers consultancy services to prominent companies specializing in publishing and media. For 15 years, she served as the managing director of a publishing and distribution company, overseeing the Arabic publication and distribution of works by renowned authors worldwide, including Marguerite Duras, Haruki Murakami, José Saramago, Toni Morrison, Mo Yan, Kenzaburō Ōe, Nawal El Saadawi, Rawi Hage, Luiz Ruffato, Paulo Coelho, and many others.
From nurturing emerging talent to guiding seasoned writers, she empowers writers to hone their craft and unleash their creative potential. Her articles have been featured in esteemed publications such as Al-Mudun, Raseef22, and Al-Nahar Al-Arabi. As a published author herself, she understands the challenges and joys of the writing journey, offering invaluable guidance and support to writers at every stage of their careers.
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