The age of Muslim superheroes is here - Rizwan Receives International Recognition Through the NYC BIG BOOK AWARD®

"MetalGhost: Kashif and the Echoes From a Past Life" by Ali Mohammad Rizwan awarded a distinguished favorite in the Islamic category by the NYC BIG BOOK AWARD®!

BROOKLYN, NY, UNITED STATES, October 10, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The NYC Big Book Award recognized "MetalGhost: Kashif and the Echoes From a Past Life" by Ali Mohammad Rizwan as a Distinguished Favorite in the Islamic category. 
 
The competition is judged by experts from different aspects of the book industry, including publishers, writers, editors, designers, booksellers, librarians and professional copywriters. Winners and distinguished favorites are based on overall excellence.

The author Ali Mohammad Rizwan stated "Whenever I go to a library or bookstore, I always ask, 'Do you have books featuring Muslim superheroes?' And they always respond 'Sorry, no.' Yeah, I'm going to change that Insha'Allah. I believe that everyone deserves to see themselves as the hero of their own story.

"MetalGhost: Kashif and the Echoes from a Past Life" by Ali Mohammad Rizwan, and now with the NYC Big Book Award recognition, we can really say that the age of Muslim superheroes is here.

"MetalGhost: Kashif and the Echoes From a Past Life"
Take a closer look behind the cape of your new favorite superhero as he takes on mental health, love, grief, and family. All of this unfolds through the eyes of a diverse cast of characters, making it a melting pot of experiences. This book is more than just a story; it's a movement. It's about empowering young adults, providing them with heroes they can relate to, and emphasizing that representation matters. Are you ready to meet the hero the world has been waiting for?

When university professor Kashif Razvi's seemingly ordinary life is shattered by the mysterious death of a loved one, he's forced to take matters into his own hands.  

With the help of an armored suit built by his childhood friend Samir, Kashif plunges into the underworld of city gangs to uncover the truth. This journey thrusts him into a war with the criminal world, turning him into a superhero for the city but also a vigilante wanted by the police. 

The more he suits up to save the city, the more he realizes that the life of a superhero comes with a cost. Sinister villains emerge, copycat vigilantes disrupt law and order, and Kashif's personal life shatters around him. The pursuit of the truth leads him down a rabbit hole of explosive events, and before he knows it, his life spirals out of control. 

Ultimately, Kashif must make a heart-wrenching choice: to save the city or himself.

NYC Big Book Award received book submissions worldwide. Journalists, well established authors, small and large press, and first time indie authors participated in record numbers.  Entries this year were received from the United States as well as countries such as Australia, Canada, China, Cyprus, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Scotland, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.  Cities represented among the entries were Asheville, Beijing, Colorado Springs, Dublin, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Melbourne, New York, Portland, San Francisco, Singapore, Tel Aviv, and Vancouver.

Publishers included Atmosphere Press, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Beaufort Books, Beyond Words Publishing, Blackstone Publishing, Familius Publishing, Flatiron Books, Hachette Go, HarperCollins Leadership, Oceanview Publishing, Old Stone Press, Rowman & Littlefield, Simon & Schuster, Ulysses Press, Watkins Publishing, Westminster John Knox Press to name a few. "We were delighted to see so many quality publishers and authors from around the world participate this year. I can't wait to share these books with a global readership," said awards sponsor Gabrielle Olczak.

About the author
Author on a journey for Muslim representation.
Author of MetalGhost: Kashif and the Echoes From a Past Life 
Embracing community, spreading love, and advocating for justice | NJ, USA

Ali was raised in a small town in New Jersey, called Ridgefield Park. He studied at Rutgers University and graduated with a Bachelors in English. He then worked in Finance and Accounting while obtaining an MBA in Business Management from FDU's Silberman College of Business. 

When he's not writing down the hundred of stories running through his head, Ali enjoys the quiet life with his family, volunteering in his community, and being at the Masjid. His dream is to memorize the Qur'an and teach it to others, while helping as many people in need across the world. And to write. More stories, more books. To always read and write.

"Writing 'MetalGhost: Kashif and the Echoes From a Past Life' has been an eight-year journey that began with a simple question: "Why aren't there superheroes that look like me?" That question sparked an idea that eventually led to characters, scenes, and an entire narrative that I believe is worth sharing with the world."

In 2017, Ali started putting pen to paper. Characters took shape, scenes unfolded, and then, life threw a curveball in 2020 with the passing of his father.

"His passing reshaped my journey, but he remains my inspiration. Family is everything to me. 'MetalGhost' isn't just a superhero story; it's my personal pursuit of representation in storytelling." 

Find out more about the by visiting: https://www.alimohammadrizwan.com/about

To view the list of NYC Big Book winners and distinguished favorites, please visit: https://www.nycbigbookaward.com/ 

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The Independent Press Award announces every spring and is open to independent authors and publishers.  Visit us at https://independentpressaward.com/ 

The fall book competition, NYC Big Book Award, https://www.nycbigbookaward.com/ allows all authors, publishers, and includes submissions from the big five publishers.

YouTube Channel http://youtube.com/c/IndependentPressAwardSpringNYCBigBookAwardFall

Join us at the BookCAMP event, a three day trade show for authors and publishers, https://www.independentpressaward.com/ipabookcamp 

Gabby Olczak
Independent Press Award
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