The author of “Everything Is Fine Here” answers our author questionnaire

Iryn Tushabe’s debut novel charts the rise of homophobia following a worldwide conservative current seeking to repeal progressive cultural reforms. The book asks pressing questions about whether political writers must appeal to or incite a sense of indignation in readers for social justice fiction to be effective, and how religious apostasy can fill a person with self-doubt, dread and uncertainty. Read the full article

My brother Herbert tells me this omugane, a folktale:

Obwakarenakare—a very long time ago— there lived two brothers. One a potter, the other a musician. One day, the potter’s wife brought him the softest clay she’d dug from the bottom of a well she discovered on the edge of the forest. The potter kneaded the clay to a perfect consistency and shaped from it enyungu. He etched three lines around the neck of the pot and set it to bake in his bonfire kiln. When the right amount of time had passed, he took his handiwork out and beheld it. It was, without a doubt, the single most remarkable object he’d ever created. Too beautiful to ruin with cooking or beer storage. He set it on his mantle and invited the village folk to look. One after another, they told him he had outdone himself. Read the full story here

The Author of “Everything Is Fine Here” Recalls a Seminal “This American Life” Episode. Read Liberating Lit

"This is a really well-written novel that’s full of heart and wonderful characters. Apart from LGBTQ+ and family (found included) themes, as well as Aine’s coming-of-age journey, there’s a close and very moving study of bereavement and grief. Everything is Fine Here is excellent modern African literature that scores very highly on my “I need it not to be about war, poverty or AIDS please” list—important for me because I want to read about the complexity of African lives outside of tired media portrayals. There’s so much more to see, and Tushabe’s novel shows it—as well as managing to be an emotionally astute, fun and engaging read.

Read the full review

It's been almost 20 years since Iryn Tushabe left Uganda to live in Regina, and she says that she writes to recover things she's left behind.

The traditional stories of spiteful gods and triumphant heroes were one of the ways she and her family connected with each other.

Tushabe discussed Everything is Fine Here on Bookends with Mattea Roach.

Read the CBC web feature.

This spring Regina's Iryn Tushabe released her debut novel 'Everything is Fine Here'. and it grabs you from the very first page. It's set in Iryn's home country of Uganda and follows one family through the eyes of an 18-year old young woman named Aine. She's just discovered her older, beloved sister has been in a lesbian relationship for years. That discovery sets off a chain of events and emotions that lead us from a boarding school in rural Uganda to experiences in the country's capital city of Kampala. It's a story about the secrets we keep... and the ties that connect us. Iryn joins host Shauna Powers for a wide ranging conversation.

In this Writer's Digest interview, author Iryn Tushabe discusses how her anger-fueled first draft led to a restart and ultimately to her debut novel, Everything is Fine Here.

Iryn Tushabe's anticipated debut novel "Everything is Fine Here" (April 2025), explores themes of LGBTQ+ identity, family bonds, and the connection of sisters.