<p>WHY AN AUTHOR WRITES TO A GUY HOLDING A FISH is Laila Halaby's second poetry collection. This narrative poem series offers an honest sensual and often humorous account of the author's departure from her 20-year marriage to her Palestinian husband. Thrust into the American dating scene Halaby seeks ideal love and authentic connections. As someone who has always felt like an other and has never dated a white man or an American she navigates a landscape filled with misadventures heartbreak and misunderstandings. Throughout this journey Halaby reevaluates her identity as a woman a mother raising sons and a writer learning to let go of labels and societal expectations. In doing so she reconnects with her femininity and strength. In WHY AN AUTHOR WRITES TO A GUY HOLDING A FISH Halaby effectively engages both male and female readers with her unique poetic voice.</p>