PodCastle is extremely proud to present Palestinian Voices, our special month of stories by Palestinian authors. We will be publishing one of these fabulous stories every week during November 2024, and we’re so excited to get to elevate these authors and to share their talent, creativity, and voice with the world at a time of such horrific oppression for the Palestinian people. This month is about celebrating and uplifting Palestinians, and I hope you’ll join us to read and listen to these four fantastic tales from four terrifically talented writers:

 

“Al-Kahf” by Beesan Odeh, narrated by Zeina Sleiman

“Handala. The Olive, The Storm, and the Sea” by Sonia Sulaiman, narrated by Peter Adrian Behravesh

“Badia’s Magic Water” by Maya Abu-Alhayyat, narrated by Mahtab Chenevix-Trench

“The Witch of Endor” by Karim Kattan, narrated by Amal Singh

 

We’re also thrilled to be featuring beautiful artwork by Iasmin Omar Ata, based on Sonia Sulaiman’s “Handala. The Olive, The Storm, and The Sea.” Iasmin is a Middle Eastern & Muslim award-winning comics artist, game designer, and illustrator who creates art about coping with illness, understanding identity, dismantling oppressive structures, and Arab-Islamic futurism. Their recent graphic novel, Mis(h)adra, has resonated with readers and reviewers alike with its vivid and searingly honest account of epileptic lived experience. Iasmin has been reviewed by Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, The Electronic Intifada, Library Journal, NPR, and such; they’ve taught & spoken at the New York Public Library and Harvard University. They thrive on dedication, dreams, and hard work — and believe wholeheartedly in the healing power of art. They are an Ignatz Award winner and an Excellence In Graphic Literature Award finalist, and their newest graphic novel, NAYRA AND THE DJINN, is now available in stores everywhere.

Our cover art design is by Matt Dovey.