Alyssa VanPelt-Cathcart, Staff Writer
On April 23rd, Young Adult Fiction Author, Adib Khorram spoke at SUNY Oneonta as part of multiple events: The Oneonta Literature Festival, The Red Dragon Reading Series, and the English Undergraduate Conference. The Oneonta Literature Festival has been a joint project by the Oneonta community, SUNY Oneonta, and Hartwick. The English Undergraduate Conference is hosted by both the Literature 4094 course, New Critics New Writers, taught by Dr. Suzanne Black, and the SUNY Oneonta English Department.
Khorram is author of Darius The Great Is Not Okay. His book is set in Iran and features a queer teen struggling with depression. Khorram, during his evening session, said he wanted a book that takes place in Iran that is not about war. Darius, the main character, travels to Iran with his family to visit his grandfather who has become ill. However, during his visit, he feels more connected to his Iranian side, grows closer with his father, and explores new relationships. Khorram is a big Star Trek fan. Throughout his novel, he uses Star Trek as a way for Darius and his father to bond.
Unfortunately, Darius The Great Is Not Okay has been banned in some locations within the U.S. It is banned in Texas for “Marxism.” Khorram is a member of Authors Against Book Bans. Historically, book banning has unfairly targeted books that feature queer or transgender characters. Additionally, anything that has featured a critical lens on religion or the patriarchy has been banned.
Khorram began writing as early as the seventh grade in an after school writing club. Their school recently upgraded computers, so there were many lying around. At the club, he’d write Star Trek fan fiction with self-insert characters with his friends. However, he did not continue writing again until he was in his thirties. The organization, We Need Diverse Books, inspired him to write Darius The Great Is Not Okay because there were books missing featuring queer Iranians. He wanted to communicate about Iran not being this war-torn, scary place. That they are people who experience similar things to us. He wanted it to serve as a reflection of what it is like to be an immigrant and to respect refugees. Although he published his first book in 2018, he continued working at his full-time job. After the pandemic in 2020, he was laid off from his job. This allowed him to become a full-time writer.
He was asked if he would write books about other diverse characters. He said he would need to research if people have been making books about a particular identity already. He explained that if there are books already being made, then he knows that their stories are already being told. Additionally, sometimes publishers will only allow so many of the same type of book to be published every year, so he wants to leave space for people to tell their experiences.
He has attempted to write science fiction, but those did not do as well as his books like Darius The Great Is Not Okay. He theorized that perhaps it is the intersectionality of race, queerness, and mental health that drew readers in. Additionally, he wrote a story that teachers and librarians would like as it featured a healthy, male friendship. He was not trying to make a grandiose statement. He just wants people to take what they need from his story and to find comfort.
Adib Khorram is an insightful speaker. He’s quirky with his obsession with tea and Star Trek. Although his book is marketed towards young adult readers, there is so much to gain from reading it as an adult, too.
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