About our keynote speaker: Sabaa Tahir is a Pakistani-American author who grew up in the Mojave desert, not too far from our own. Sabaa was an avid reader growing up, consuming fantasy novel after fantasy novel (plus a few of her brother’s comic books). That love of reading flourished into a love of writing, with Sabaa creating An Ember in the Ashes while working night shifts as a copy editor for The Washington Post. Sabaa’s books often focus on heroes, never shying away from complex portrayals of human experiences. Her works include New York Times bestsellers An Ember in the Ashes series, All My Rage, and Heir.