Category Archives: Blog

Abu spent Labor Day lounging on the beach — one of his ancestors has a personal connection to the holiday, as you’ll soon learn more about…

It’s so cool to see people posting about reading my book on their Kindle — and about listening to the audio book too in locations around the globe!

The book is available for purchase at Macmillan, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BAM, and other stores. The audio book is available at Barnes and Noble, Apple Books, Scribd, Chirp, Libro, and 40+ retail and library distribution partners.

Abu has become a true beach baby — he’s enjoying chilling in cafes on the beach, doing tai chihuahua in the sand, and breathing in the fresh ocean air…

I had a blast doing standup comedy at the home of comedian and filmmaker Paul Provenza (The Aristocrats) for an event celebrating Vonnegut’s 100th to benefit the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library in Indiana.

I launched my worldwide standup comedy tour in the People’s Republic of China during the global pandemic and have finally brought my act to Hollywood — dream come true. No greater joy than making others happy!

I’m thrilled to launch the audiobook of my new book, THE GIFT OF RUMI: Experiencing the Wisdom of the Sufi Master — it’s a dream come true to hear Rumi’s poetry come alive through the extraordinary performances of Lilia Houshmand & Sean Rohani! The audio book is available at Barnes and Noble, Apple Books, Scribd, Chirp, Libro, and 40+ retail and library distribution partners. The book is available for purchase at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BAM, and Macmillan.

Such a lovely surprise that my book THE GIFT OF RUMI: Experiencing the Wisdom of the Sufi Master is #1 in all these categories on Goodreads: Must Read Sufi Classics, Women in Sufism, People of Islam, and Classics from the Islamic World, Religion Published in Decade: 2020s, Persian Poetry in English Translation, and Books Every Muslim Should Read. If you haven’t bought it yet, the book is available for purchase at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BAM, and Macmillan.

I bundled up to bring Abu to the beach to watch the sunset and rise of the full moon — he’s small enough that I can put him in a big pocket or cuddle him close in a fleece.

My friends and I brought rose spritzers and plopped down in beach chairs for a front-row seat to a breathtaking sunset and massive moon.

Abu was glad to be joined by his best beach friend — a sweet 13 year old dog (who yesterday went on a surprising running spree in giant circles on the beach).

After running on the beach all afternoon with his friend, Abu was more than ready to be snuggled close for the best show on earth — a sun setting over the Pacific on one side, and a magnificent moon rising on the other.

Wow, this is beyond my wildest dreams — my book is not only the #1 bestseller on Amazon in New Releases on Sufism (as well as #1 in Middle Eastern Poetry & Religious Poetry New Releases) but also the #4 Bestseller in Sufism overall! Many thanks to all the readers who have bought my book, The Gift of Rumi — Rumi’s poetry is best medicine for all our aching and yearning hearts. If you haven’t bought it yet, the book is available for purchase at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BAM, and Macmillan and bookstores across the globe.

I went with a friend this week-end to Hayat’s Kitchen for some very delicious Lebanese food that was so good it made me feel like I was back in Beirut — highly recommend!

Love this! My friends have been receiving my book and sending me photos of them holding it — so cool! I included a whole chapter on friendship in my book, as Rumi found friendship essential on the spiritual path.

The encouraging words of friends warm my heart:

“Your book is a hit! I’m telling you the timing is so good. The world is suffering so much right now. So nice to get a break from it & dive into Rumi. Congrats. You have done a good thing for humanity. That’s the greatest thing anyone can do, touch hearts.”

I was convinced (with good reason) while writing this book in China & Tibet that I was soon dying — so to be alive & well and see it finally published feels truly miraculous. I wrote it from the point of death so that I could leave behind a little bit of beauty in my wake. The book is available for purchase at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BAM, and Macmillan and bookstores across the globe.

Literati Bookstore said my book event for THE GIFT OF RUMI a few days ago was one of their best-attended virtual events this year! The book is available for purchase at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BAM, and Macmillan and bookstores across the globe.