Award-winning author. Cultural storyteller. Creative alchemist.

Born in Suva, Fiji, Nafisa Zareen Khan is an International Impact Book Award-winning author whose work bridges continents, generations, and genres. A proud descendant of Indian indentured laborers—known as Girmityas—Nafisa’s stories are steeped in heritage, resilience, and a deep reverence for the histories often left untold.

Now based in California, Nafisa is a writer, designer, and multimedia creator whose books and handmade works celebrate identity, healing, and the beauty of imperfection. Her creative journey spans military service in the US Army, a business degree, personal transformation, and a return to the roots that shaped her. Every piece she shares—whether a children’s story, a gothic romance, or a hand-sewn talisman—honors the complex, layered legacy of a Fiji Indian woman reclaiming her voice and power.

Nafisa’s award-winning children’s book, Bula the Compassionate Fijian Rooster, has garnered praise for its celebration of kindness, multicultural storytelling, and emotional depth. She writes across genres, including children’s literature, psychological nonfiction, historical romance, and gothic fiction—each work infused with cultural nuance and emotional resonance.

Through her shop, Nafisa Khan Designs, she offers a window into her multifaceted creative soul. Her designs are inspired by memory, emotion, ancestral wisdom, and everyday magic.

When not writing or creating, Nafisa enjoys quiet time with her husband, daughter, and their beloved rescue cats—and is often found savoring her husband's latest culinary creation (usually with a book in hand).

Affiliations

• Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi)
• National Association of Independent Authors and Editors (NAIWE)

Awards & Articles

• International Impact Book Award
• CEO Times
• Womens Insider