Emirati artist unveils 'The Black Book of Arabia'

A progressive Emirati woman, Sheikha Hend Faisal Al Qassemi, is an artist, photographer, fashion designer, a passionate philanthropist, a mother and now a writer.

FOR MANY OF us, there's nothing more satisfying than curling up with a good book. Especially if the book is about secrets and The Black Book of Arabia is full of them. The author, Sheikha Hend Faisal Al Qassemi has been the secret keeper.
A progressive Emirati woman, Sheikha Hend Faisal Al Qassemi, is an artist, photographer, fashion designer, a passionate philanthropist, a mother and now a writer. Not your typically elusive princess. Sheikha Hend Faisal Al Qassemi has a lot of things to say and do and she has the voice and the drive to do it.
Splitting her time between Doha and Sharjah, Sheikha Hend Faisal Al Qassemi has a lot on her plate. It's surprising she had time to write this book between designing for her fashion label House of Hend, acting as the World Fashion Organisation's Goodwill Ambassador for Qatar, and working as Editor-in-chief of high-end fashion magazine Velvet, from which came the inspiration of her first book.
The Black Book of Arabia is a collection of short stories that chronicles the struggles of women in the Middle East. From a paranoid wife's suspicions, to a blinded bride on her wedding day and a kidnapped daughter, the stories jump from one woman's story of survival to the other. The situations are bizarre, extreme and in some cases scandalous, but they are all real.
Originally featuring in shorter versions in Velvet Magazine, Sheikha Hend saw the potential for these stories to be turned into a book and act as a source of inspiration and education for many.
We talked to the social media savvy and passionate Sheikha Hend Faisal Al Qassemi before her book signing at Book World by Kinokuniya in the Dubai Mall about her inspirations, what it was like to write the book and what keeps her so driven.
How did you find the process of writing the book and getting it edited and published?
This tiny book, took me something like two years. First it was 700 pages then they were like no, shrink it, then I took it down to 500 and they were like no, no, shrink it more because its juicer when it's shorter. It was easier to extend it and then it was harder to cut it down. But it was fun.
What do you enjoy reading?
I enjoy reading novels, the classical ones. In a good classic, there is a story line, there is a backbone to the story. I like Tolstoy and Dickens. I know they are old, but they never grow old. Good old stories never grow old, they are timeless.
What do you want readers to take away from this book?
I want them to be inspired. I want them to know that every problem has a solution. A lot of these people can give you inspiration, that you could do better, you can work harder. Hard work pays off after a time. All the women here are fighters. All the women here are lionesses, each one became what the man in her life wasn't.
Are there any women in your life that you have looked up to and are inspired by?
I think my grandmother is a good inspiration. She was widowed at 19. Everyone proposed to her and she was like 'no I have two daughters and I want them to be happy.' She started her own business. She began buying and selling houses, she became a real estate owner. She started from nothing and we are talking back in the days before the age of oil and we became a rich state. She educated her daughters and taught herself to read and write.
What are you extremely passionate about?
I love travelling. I like Vail Colorado. I like Paris because you can smell the sweet perfume of the art and you sit there and its rich, it's so culturally rich, it's beautiful.
What's next for you?
I have a few books coming up. One is called Tycoons of Arabia. I'm interviewing the biggest tycoons of business, the ones that created the Emirates, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman. I meet up with them and write their stories.
What drives you to work on all the different projects you're involved with?
The only boundaries we create are the boundaries we create for ourselves. Fear is a human creation. Everything is fair game.
Why should people read The Big Black Book of Arabia?
Because it could teach you a lesson or two in life. I mean it's nice to read a book that makes you laugh, but its nicer when you read a book that makes you laugh and makes you think . . . it's food for thought. I guarantee you. Read the book and you will feel like, 'oh my god this actually happened?' The human being is a lot stronger than he actually is.

• Sharjah