The Writer’s Block: A Q&A with Osama Alomar

Osama Alomar is a Syrian “very short story” writer and the author of Fullblood Arabian, published by New Directions. Born in Damascus in 1968, Alomar now lives in Chicago. He is a regular contributor to various newspapers and journals within the Arab world. Critics praise Alomar’s writing for its imaginative yet serious conviction. His new collection of short stories, The Teeth of the Comb & Other Stories will be published in April.

Sampsonia Way spoke with Alomar about the inspiration for writing short stories and fables and the difficulties he encounters when crafting narrative. Alomar discussed finding characters in the world around him, and his desire to write stories that hit the “reader like a bullet.”