Lake Union falls for debut novelist Ahmed's 'love story like no other'

Lake Union, the contemporary and historical fiction imprint of Amazon Publishing, has acquired a “love story like no other” by journalist and debut novelist Tufayel Ahmed.

The publisher acquired world English language rights to This Way Out from Cara Lee Simpson at PFD, with publication scheduled for 1st July 2022.

Tufayel Ahmed is a journalist and lecturer from Tower Hamlets, east London. He has written for Newsweek, Vice, CNN, the Independent, Big Issue, and more. 

The publisher said: “This Way Out tells the story of Amar, who can’t wait to tell everyone his wonderful news: he’s found The One, and he’s getting married. But it turns out announcing his engagement on a group chat might not have been the best way to let his strict Muslim Bangladeshi family know that his happy-ever-after partner is a man–and a white man at that. His bombshell sends shockwaves throughout the community. Suddenly Amar must question everything he once believed in: his faith, his culture, his family, his mother’s love–and even his relationship with Joshua.”

Victoria Oundjian, editor at Lake Union, said: “Tufayel’s debut is a witty and emotional exploration of what it means to love and how we sometimes need to start from within. This Way Out is heartbreaking and heart-mending, and I cannot wait for everyone to meet Amar.”

Ahmed added: “This book is truly a piece of me—like Amar, I come from a working-class Bangladeshi Muslim household. Growing up, never in a million years did I imagine I could be a published author, but the love and care that Cara, Victoria and the entire Amazon Publishing team have shown me and this story is nothing short of a fairy tale come true. Throughout my career in journalism and now fiction, representation has always been so important to me, and I hope that Amar’s story—in all its messy and funny glory—allows people who may not otherwise see themselves represented in the media to finally feel seen. And I hope you love Amar as much as we all do.”

Simpson commented: “This Way Out is a love story like no other. Through its unforgettable protagonist, Amar, we are taken on a journey to finding love amidst so many seeming contradictions. We are really looking forward to working with Victoria and the rest of the team at Lake Union to bring Tufayel’s debut to a wide readership, and especially to those who may not usually see themselves represented in the genre.”