Right now, I write in English. That was a personal challenge I set for myself early on, and it’s something I’ve been committed to mastering. English isn’t my first language, but I’ve always believed that if you want to reach people, especially in a global context, you have to speak the language they read and live in.
For me, this decision was about more than accessibility; it was about connection. There aren’t that many Farsi-speaking writers who publish original work in English, and I believe there’s a space for that. A lot of second- and third-generation Iranians, especially those
raised outside of Iran, don’t speak Farsi fluently, or they speak it but can’t read it comfortably. And then there’s a whole generation of Iranians who immigrated decades ago and now live, think, and read primarily in English.
That audience deserves stories rooted in their culture but told in a language they speak today. That’s who I’m writing for right now.
That said, I absolutely plan to translate my work into Farsi. That’s a long-term goal—and one I’m excited about. Once the book has gained momentum and we’ve built a strong reader base, I’d love to offer Dead Man’s Pacemaker and future titles in Farsi. My plan is to do the initial translation myself, then bring in an editor to help polish the language.
Because here’s the thing: language evolves. It’s alive. And my Farsi, while still fluent, is probably frozen somewhere around twenty years ago. I don’t read or listen to much in Farsi these days, even though I still speak it with friends and family. That’s why having a native editor will be essential to make sure the translation feels current and authentic.
At this point, I haven’t written any original stories in Farsi. Maybe that will happen someday. But for now, English is where my storytelling lives—and I’m doing my best to honor both the language I write in and the culture I write from.