Bina Shah

Bina Shah is a Pakistani journalist and writer, living in Karachi. She was editor of the country's Internet magazine, SPIDER. According to Alhamra.com, "She was born in Karachi but spent her early years in Virginia and completed her later education in Massachusetts. She studied at Wellesley College and the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She has worked as a journalist and is well known for her writing on the South Asian Web site Chowk."

Shah is represented by The Ampersand Agency, a UK-based literary agency.

Publications

Her first book, a volume of short stories called "Animal Medicine" was published in 2000. Her novel, "Where They Dream in Blue" was published by Alhamra in 2001. A second novel, "The 786 Cybercafé" was published by Alhamra in 2004. In 2005, "The Optimist", a short story written by Bina was published in an anthology called "And the World Changed" (Women Unlimited/OUP); an essay called "A Love Affair with Lahore" was published in an anthology edited by Bapsi Sidhwa called "City of Sin and Splendour - Writings on Lahore" (Penguin India - Pakistani title "Beloved City" - OUP)

Shah also co-edits the Alhamra Literary Review, along with Ilona Yusuf - a literary journal devoted to showcasing new and upcoming Pakistani literary talent.

In 2007 Alhamra published her second collection of short stories, "Blessings".

Shah's novel "Slum Child" will be published by Grijalbo, an imprint of Random House Mondadori, in spring 2009. It will be published in Spanish; an Italian-language edition is soon to follow.

External links

* [http://www.binashah.net Bina Shah's official Web site]
* [http://www.theampersandagency.com The Ampersand Agency]
* [http://www.alhamra.com/cybercafe.htm The 786 Cybercafe]
* [http://www.chowk.com/show_writer_page.cgi?pen_name=bina+shah Chowk ]
* [http://pakistanpaindabad.blogspot.com/2007/07/bina-shah-i-want-to-foster-future.html Interview with Bina Shah at Pakistan Paindabad]