I wanted to portray a churail (a Pakistani term for witch) as a girl with a strong and noble character. Someone who can fall in love. Someone who is vulnerable and real. So I wrote a love story about a churail and a doctor. My protagonist, Laila, is young, brave and virtuous.  But she is born with powers that are dark and dangerous. She has to fight hard with a malicious and powerful churail king to save her family and protect the man she loves. Can she embrace her seemingly sinister qualities yet still be righteous? Will she win a man’s heart, not because of her innate ability to seduce him, but because he truly loves her?  To find out read, Laila and the Witches of Kalazar! Please share and  comment.

Growing up in Pakistan, my aunt often told me stories of striking women lurking in deserted allies hunting for unassuming men. She would say, “They are called churails and the only way to tell who there are, is to look at their feet—they are always turned backward. Churails wear flowing white gowns and have beautiful glowing skin with long black hair — a perfect disguise to attract young men. As soon as the churail comes close enough to her prey, she turns into her real form—an old hag with rotting flesh and blood-red eyes. She possesses her victim’s mind and he is never the same again.”

What are some of the stories that you grew up hearing about churails or witches? I’d love to hear accounts from different cultures. Please share by commenting here.

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Reem grabs my wrist, pulling me back. We are now at the end, facing the doors to the dungeon. They appear heavy, and are adorned with intricate carvings of serpents and birds. Continue reading The Dungeon →

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I’m about to leave when I see Mark walking across the courtyard. He looks out of breath as he takes long strides toward me. I can’t help smiling as I walk right out of the bookshop, to Mark. We stand face to face, breathless. Continue reading Breathless →

As a child I stopped leaves from dancing in the wind, and used their kinetic energy to make clouds bounce and flit in the sky. But what I did just now was different. It was human energy. And I have never felt so dark in my life. Continue reading I am a Churail. →