Marina Budhos, author of Ask Me No Questions, spoke to Hawthorne High School’s freshmen class on September 11, 2013.

Budhos gave the class of 2017 an inside look into their assigned English summer reading book, sharing with them her inspiration for writing the book, the research it took to write a book based on current events, and what lies ahead for her writing career.

Budhos’ novel, Ask Me No Questions, takes a critical look at a post 9/11 America, citizenship, and the Patriot Act. The Patriot Act, which was created to deter terrorism in the United States, required immigrants from 24 Arab and Muslim countries and North Korea to register with the government, resulting in many immigrants being detained and deported.

The novel focuses on the lives of a Bangladeshi family living on expired visas after the 9/11 terrorists attacks.  As many undocumented immigrants did, Nadira, the teenage protagonist, and her family flee to the Canadian border to seek asylum instead of registering under the Patriot Act. However, Nadira’s father is detained at the border, which leaves Nadira and her sister fighting to get their family back together.

Budhos, an Associate Professor of English at William Paterson University, took a personal interest in topics confronted in the novel by following news stories about immigrants post 9/11 and the Patriot Act. However, Budhos’ real inspiration for Ask Me No Questions came when she read an article about a Muslim teenager living illegally in America. Budhos also told students that to help make the writing more real to her, she looked to her father and grandfather, who were immigrants, for inspiration.

Budhos also explained the importance of doing research. Budhos told students that before she began her work, she met with many immigrant teenagers, interviewing, photographing and getting to know them and their stories.

This inside look at the process of writing a novel moved students to ask Budhos about her future projects. Budhos stated that she plans to continue working with the theme of immigration post 9/11  by taking a critical look at how the need for security has invaded personal privacy–especially in Muslim communities.