My book, No Samosa Is Worth This, is finished!
 

The stories are written.
Now they need a home beyond my desk.

This campaign exists to move this book into the world—into print, into community spaces, and into the hands of the people it was written for.

Your support will help fund:

• Printing and production of the first run
• Editorial, design, and layout costs
• Book and merchandise pre-orders
• The book’s debut at ICNA Convention 2026
• Distribution and launch logistics

These stories have always existed.

This campaign will help them reach the people they were written for.

ICNA Convention 2026 will be the public debut.

Together, we’ll carry this book to that stage!

A funny, tender book about faith, family, and the cost of belonging

Growing up, there was always a line—sometimes subtle, sometimes explicit—between those of us born abroad and those of us born here. Friends, cousins, even siblings who moved to the U.S. often questioned whether we truly understood the culture. Whether we knew what life was really like elsewhere. But there are always two sides to that coin. How much did they really know about ours?

American culture travels the world through Hollywood and social media, but it rarely shows the behind-the-scenes reality of growing up Desi-American and Muslim—the negotiations, contradictions, and quiet balancing acts.

No Samosa Is Worth This is a collection of satirical and reflective short stories centered on community life—the kids, the aunties, the uncles, the committees, the gatherings, and the unspoken rules that shape who we become. For years, these stories lived in group chats and half-remembered conversations. They are stories of faith, family, expectations, and the strange tensions that can exist inside loving communities.

And nowhere are those tensions more visible than at a dawat.

There, a tactical unit forms. No one assigns roles, but everyone knows them. The Veteran deflects probing questions with precision. The Scout stands guard, mapping exit routes. The Medic restores morale at critical moments, and the Strategist waits patiently, armed with wit and logic. Together, they survive chandelier-lit interrogations disguised as small talk.

Meanwhile, a bubble tea shop transforms into a classified debrief site, where survivors gather to unpack life’s chaos. Whether it’s aunties conducting eyeliner inspections or an uncle predicting marital collapse based on sweater choice, “log kya kehenge” hangs in the air like a push notification you never bothered to swipe away.

And in another story, the laughter quiets. A young woman once dreamed of becoming a doctor and a poet beneath Karachi’s restless sky. Somewhere between migration and motherhood, her dream is folded and placed on a high shelf. Years later, she reaches for it not for herself, but for her children—determined that what slipped through her hands will not slip through theirs.

Some of these stories will make you laugh out loud.
Some of them may make you pause.
And some will hit a little too close for comfort.

At its heart, this book reflects on who we are as a community—and asks us to consider the impact we have on one another, even when change feels difficult or uncomfortable.

This book is for anyone who learned early how to read a room, stayed quiet to belong, laughed to survive, and loved their community—even when it hurt.

These are our stories. And they deserve to be told.

Backing this campaign isn’t just about funding a book.

It’s about preserving stories that are often told quietly, if at all.
It’s about making space for humor and honesty to coexist.
It’s about saying that nuanced, imperfect, human storytelling belongs in our communities.

If this resonates with you, your support will help carry it forward.

Supporters will receive thoughtfully chosen rewards, including signed copies, early access, and acknowledgment in the book. More than anything, you’ll be part of the reason this book exists in the world beyond my desk.

Tier 1 — Any Amount ($1–$1,000)
Every contribution, at any level, helps move this project forward and means more than you know.

Tier 2 — $30
A signed copy of No Samosa Is Worth This.

Tier 3 — $100
A signed copy of No Samosa Is Worth This, stickers, plus a limited-edition samosa plushie—soft, absurd, and completely unnecessary (which makes it perfect).
Limited to the first 100 supporters.

Tier 4 — Sponsor a Group of Readers ($250)

Your contribution will help distribute five copies of the book to libraries and schools.

My name is Amer Nazar. I’m a Muslim Pakistani-American writer and storyteller, and this is my debut book.

I’ve spent years working in spaces that value clarity, structure, and outcomes. A year and a half ago, though, I joined a remarkable group of writers at Muslim Youth Musings—people deeply committed to preserving our experiences, our culture, and our reflections through the written word. Since then, writing has become the place where I make sense of the quieter things.

No Samosa Is Worth This grew out of that space. It began with a simple weekly writing prompt. What started as short pieces shared among fellow writers slowly became something larger—a collection shaped by lived experience, conversation, and recognition.

This book exists because those stories refused to stay idle. They wanted to be examined, shared, and held up to the light—not only to reflect on what we’ve lived through, but to invite honest dialogue about what we carry, and what we choose to pass on.

Thank you for reading, sharing, and supporting this work in any way that feels right to you.

These stories have been waiting a long time.

Your support helps bring them into the open.

Whether they make you laugh, pause, or spark internal reflection—I hope this book has an impact on every reader.

Jazakumullahukhairan! And may the Almighty’s rising tide lift all of our ships!

Transparency & Use of Funds
 

No Samosa Is Worth This is being published under BoWearsWatches LLC, a creative company I founded to support my writing and related projects.

All funds raised through this campaign will be managed through BoWearsWatches LLC to fulfill book orders and cover production, launch, and related expenses.

Please note that contributions to this campaign are not zakat eligible/tax-deductible, as this is not a nonprofit or a charity initiative.