Tasneem Abdur-Rashid

Tasneem Abdur-Rashid is a British Bengali mother and author from London and the writer of three adult novels. Her Carnegie-nominated YA debut, Odd Girl Out, has been shortlisted for several awards, including the Warwickshire Teen Book Awards, the Redbridge Book Awards, and the Branford Boase Award. The novel has also been selected for the 2026 Read for Empathy Collection. Before publishing her young adult debut, Tasneem wrote two adult novels. Her first rom-com, Finding Mr Perfectly Fine, was published by Bonnier/Zaffre in 2022 as part of a two-book deal. It was followed by The Thirty Before Thirty List, which was longlisted for the 2024 Jhalak Prize for Fiction and the 2025 Diverse Book Awards. Alongside her writing, Tasneem has worked in media, PR, and communications for more than twenty years across the UK and the Middle East. She holds both a BA and an MA in Creative Writing, and is also the co-host of the award-winning podcast Not Another Mum Pod, which aims to amplify voices that are often unheard. Growing up as a visibly Muslim woman in north London, Tasneem rarely saw herself reflected in the books she read. This experience continues to shape her work today. She is passionate about increasing diversity in publishing and writes stories that celebrate underrepresented cultures with nuance and heart, helping ensure that more readers can see themselves reflected in the books they read. You can find Tasneem on Instagram: @tasneemarashid