Nadia Uddin is the founder of Apperception Press and the multiple-award winning author of Edison in the Hood, a genre-bending work of sci-fi and literary fiction that explores how technology can be used to repair fractured family relationships.
For her literary prowess, Nadia has been recognized by several international literary awards including the 17th Annual National Indie Excellence Award for Science Fiction, IPPY’s 2023 Silver Medal in Urban Fiction and Slice’s 2019 Bridging the Gap Award. She is a graduate of Yale Writers’ Workshop and has studied alongside esteemed writers through The Center of Fiction, Catapult and A Public Space.
Nadia resides in Brooklyn with her family and is currently working on her second novel. This one-on-one interview shares Nadia Uddin’s background and experience in writing Edison in the Hood.
Tell us about Edison in the Hood.
When Aisha Malik’s mother died, she took a secret with her—one that destroyed her relationship with Aisha’s brother, Sam. But what if Aisha could revive her mother’s brain just long enough to reenact their last conversation and discover the truth?
Aisha is an ambitious PR executive with a forte for making complex and controversial topics accessible to the masses. Her brother, Sam, is a despondent genius who loves to fight everyone and everything in the name of justice, hopping from one political fight to another and hiding a mental illness that causes him shame. When the opportunity arises for Aisha to work with brilliant scientist and leading futurist Jay Edison at his Brain Reinvigoration Project, she begins obsessing over artificial intelligence and its potential to revive her mother’s brain. She begs Sam to participate, unaware that he has begun working with groups that have very different visions for the future of artificial intelligence.
As Aisha and Sam grieve their mother’s passing, they delve into the complex morals of scientific advancement, revealing how technology plays a part in relationships—with both the living and the dead.
What inspired you to write Edison in the Hood?
My fascination with artificial intelligence began more than 10 years ago when I started researching the works of inventor and author, Ray Kurzweil. He famously predicted that machines will be smarter than humans in this lifetime, which led me to wonder…what if machines could actually be humans who have once lived — emotionally and psychologically?
I explore this compelling premise (and model a character after Kurzweil himself!) in Edison in the Hood.
How did your background and experience influence your writing?
Everything I write needs a purpose.
Through my writing, I share thoughts, ideas, gripes, wonderful experiences—anything to make the world a better place.
With a background in technology and digital marketing, I witnessed how nascent technologies (such as search engines!) completely changed how we relate to each other in society. I was exposed to artificial intelligence in its early stages and wanted to examine how technology plays a role in our personal relationships.
Through the book, I wanted to show that artificial intelligence has the potential to fix our most challenging relationships
What is one message you would like readers to remember?
Imagine a future where technology will be helping us make decisions, even about how we treat one another.
Purchasing the Book
Edison in the Hood has been endorsed by well-known literary organizations, authors, and reviewers around the world. Christine Sneed, bestselling author of Little-Known Facts and Please Be Advised: A Novel in Memos, writes, “Edison in the Hood is the work of a writer with both a big mind and a big heart. Uddin’s exploration of science and technology and the moral questions that arise from advancements touted as life-enhancing is both fascinating and engaging.” In addition, Hermione Hoby, author of Virtue, writes, “A deft and brilliantly original debut in which deep emotional intelligence and bold imagination combine to thrilling effect.”
Edison in the Hood is a stunning and provocative debut that explores what it truly means to be human and possess free will in a culture gripped by automation. The book is available for sale on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple iBooks, and other online bookstores. Readers are encouraged to purchase their copy today: https://www.amazon.com/Edison-Hood-Nadia-Uddin/dp/B0B9ZNHVR9/
Connect with Nadia Uddin
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https://www.instagram.com/nasimhomer/
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