Chelsea Abdullah Explained

Chelsea Abdullah is a Kuwaiti-American writer. She is the author of the fantastical Sandsea Trilogy.

Early life and education

Abdullah was born and raised in Kuwait. She earned an MA in English from Duquesne University.^[1] She graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder.^[2]

Career

In 2022, Abdullah published her debut novel, the first of an intended trilogy. Titled The Stardust Thief, it's a story that takes place in a One Thousand and One Nights-inspired fantasy world where jinn are persecuted and hunted for their healing blood, and their enchanted relics are coveted. Publishers Weekly praised Abdullah's "lush descriptions [that] bring the setting to life" and her ability to create a "sense of mystery and enchantment". The New Arab applauded her inclusion of traditional Emirati folk tales and said she "beautifully [weaves] stories within stories, tales within tales."

The second installment of the trilogy, The Ashfire King, will be published in 2024.^[3]

Bibliography

• The Stardust Thief, Little, Brown Book Group Limited, 2022. ^{[4] [5] [6] [7] [8]}

Further reading

• Web site: The Middle Geeks Interview: Chelsea Abdullah, Author of "The Stardust Thief" . Nerds of Color . 2022-05-26 . Swara . Salih.
• Web site: Jones . Michael M. . A Story Built of Stories: PW Talks with Chelsea Abdullah . 2022-09-02 . Publishers Weekly. en . 2022-03-18.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Chelsea Abdullah . Library of Congress . 3 September 2022.
2. Web site: Lauritzen . Haley . 2022-04-27 . Former CUI staff member to release her debut novel this May . 2022-09-02 . en-US.
3. Web site: Chelsea Abdullah (@chelsabdullah) • Instagram . 2023-06-30 . Instagram . 2023-07-26.
4. Web site: 2022-05-21 . Exclusive: Chelsea Abdullah talks The Stardust Thief, oral storytelling, and more . 2022-09-02 . Winter is Coming . en-US.
5. Web site: 2022-05-17 . The Stardust Thief is a captivating debut novel from a bright new voice in modern fantasy . 2022-09-02 . Winter is Coming . en-US.
6. Web site: 2022-05-16 . Secrets, Lies, and Jinn: Chelsea Abdullah's The Stardust Thief . 2022-09-02 . . en.
7. Web site: 2022-03-03 . The Stardust Thief . 2022-09-02 . Publishers Weekly.
8. Web site: Belgacem . Assia . 2022-06-22 . The Stardust Thief: A magical nod to Arab oral story-telling . 2022-09-02 . . en.