Today we celebrated the latest Pen to Print novel to debut, Farzana Hakim’s Sweethearts of Ilford Lane, published through The Book Challange.

Farzana Hakim celebrated the publication of her novel Sweethearsts of Ilford Lane with family, friends and other guests who were treated to a enjoyable evening as Farzana spoke about her journey into publication and the inspiration behind her book.

Farzana discovered Pen to Print after her talent for writing was spotted by her Barking and Dagenham Adult College Tutor, who brought her along to the launch of Pen to Print in 2014.

Farzana eagerly signed up for our Creative Writing classes and then took the plunge and entered The Book Challenge!  After sucessfully being selected for The Book Challenge shortlist with Sweethearts she was paired up with leading writer Barbara Nadel who mentored her through the completion of the book over the following six months.

Farzana went on to enter The Book Challenge again and was sucessfuly shortlisted with her second novel, The Silence of a Deep River, set in India at the time of the Partitiion. This went on to win the 2016 competition.  This novel has been sucessfully taken on by a literary agent and has now found a conventional publisher! We are looking forward to seeing this join Sweethearts of Ilford Lane to appear on the library shelves soon.

If you would like to buy a copy of Sweethearts of Ilford Lane go to our publications pages or click here

About Sweethearts of Ilford Lane

Samina is in love with Hassan. But what will become of this love, when her cultural and religious boundaries begin to hinder her dreams of any future with him?

Will Samina admit her feelings for Hassan as they plough through the obstacles of growing up in multicultural London?

Will she survive the bitterness of family expectations and secrets?

Come follow the Sweethearts in this story of innocence and a deeply moving friendship, and experience how it turns into a twisted tale of fates…