I want to take a moment to recommend
Minal Hajratwala discussing Amina Arraf's fake memoir, which, frustratingly, I passed along to her. I facilitated the initial introduction between supposed-Amina and Minal, because I thought Amina was real, and I felt for her apparently difficult situation. I wasted my time, Minal's time, Sugi Ganeshananthan's time (because I also introduced them). Bad enough to do that to my writer friends -- I even considered introducing her to my agent, or agent Anna Ghosh, and am very glad I didn't, because it would been even more professionally embarrassing to have wasted their time. I am more than a little angry at the white male author of this hoax, just on a personal / professional level, for what he has cost me and my friends.
But all that's minor, compared to the real costs of this masquerade, which Minal does a great job of exposing. Her entry is short, but very pointed. The post is strongly recommended reading for all writers, editors, readers, and those interested in minority rights and/or social justice.
