Mila Chowdhury is entangled in an impossible love for Rahim Ali, but he belongs to someone else. Her uncle Ashik elopes with an older woman, leaving behind her three children, which creates a local scandal to the shame of his family, but love cannot be restrained. Rebellion against a corrupt government and how the mighty Chowdhury zamindars lost their vast lands, which left the family only a shadow of their former power. As time wears on, family unity begins to break up under hard economic times and the need to see all the Chowdhury children married, even if not happily. Mila pushed Rahim into a memory drawer and found new love, Irfaan Khan, and they wed, which opened a new, exciting chapter in her life. However, when dark clouds of family treachery slowly descend, can love be strong enough to overcome disillusionment?
‘Incandescence’ by Mehreen Ahmed is a tightly woven story of burning desire, broken love, family turmoil, forbidden neighborhood relationships, and emotional tension in a Muslim setting. However, love knows no boundaries in pursuit of passion that challenges traditional family unity and social norms. This book centers on the formerly powerful Chowdhury family and the often turbulent desires of its children who regard love as the most important part of life, even above family fealty. With evocative narrative, Mehreen Ahmed opens a window into rural life in Bangladesh very few people know exists. Deeply philosophical, laying bare emotions of its characters, ‘Incandescence’ reveals the workings of the Chowdhury family bound by Sharia law and the often hypocritical social pretentiousness. The work demands intense concentration from the reader, but the effort is amply rewarded.
This book is available on Amazon.
About the Author
Mehreen Ahmed is an acclaimed voice in Australian literature, widely celebrated for her versatility, masterful prose, and international footprint. With eleven published books spanning multiple genres—from sweeping novels to incisive micro-fiction—her literary output bridges creative storytelling and rigorous academic scholarship.
Her ability to craft deeply resonant human experiences has allowed her stories to transcend linguistic borders, with translations into Greek(Η Ανάβαση-The Ascent), Spanish (Tierra Roja), Bengali (Golapi Angul), Greek (Μαύρο Παλτό), and German (Das Anomale Duo). Critical reception highlights this unique narrative gift, with The Midwest Book Review praising her “exceptional flair for narrative storytelling” and “compellingly memorable characters.” Academic Foundations and Literary Publications, Ahmed’s career is anchored by a robust background in academic writing and high-level literary publications. Her scholarly research has been featured in top-tier venues, including the Journal of Computer Assisted Language Learning (Routledge), indexed by Cambridge University Press in Language Teaching. This analytical precision carries over into her creative work, which has been embraced by an extraordinary list of university presses and premier journals worldwide.
Her prose and poetry have been published by institutions such as the University of Hawaii Press, Michigan State University Press, and the University of Queensland’s Call-ej. Her work has also appeared in prestigious university-affiliated journals, including The Sheaf (Saskatchewan), Perception (Syracuse), Straylight (Wisconsin-Parkland), The Talon Review (Florida), Metachrosis (Dundee), Boudin (McNeese State), Jimson Weed (Virginia), and The Bayou Review (Houston-Downtown).Beyond academia, Ahmed is a prolific contributor to the international literary magazine circuit, including Chiron Review, Litro UK, Popshot Quarterly, BlazeVOX, Centaur Lit, Hoot Review, Mad Swirl, Rogue Agent, October Hill Magazine, Oddball Magazine, InParenthesis.art, Connotation Press, Door Is A Jar, ELJ, Scissors and Spackle, Visual Verse, Flash Boulevard, Flash Frontier, Ellipsis Zine, The Cabinet of Heed, Heroin Chic, Setu, Impspired Magazine, The Bombay Review, FlashBack Fiction, Down in the Dirt, Dark Winter Literary Magazine, Bridge House, and Cosmic Teapot.Prestigious Nominations and HonoursThe international literary community has consistently recognized Ahmed’s work through some of the world’s most prestigious awards and nominations. In 2021, her book Gatherings was nominated for the historic James Tait Black Prize for Fiction by the University of Edinburgh, solidifying her standing among elite global fiction writers.
Ahmed is also a frequent nominee for prizes celebrating short-form writing, including: The Pushcart Prize: Nominated twice for her exceptional short works, Ylem (Paperjinn, 2026) and Paradox of Love (CentaurLit, 2020). Best of the Net: Earned four distinct nominations between 2020 and 2025 for Number Ninety-Four (The Decolonial Passage), Of the Blue Evening (The Gorko Gazette), The Interlude (Literati Magazine), and Elysium (Flash Fiction North).Best Small Fictions: Nominated in 2025 for her impactful piece The Stretch (Boudin).