“Anything by David Sedaris is mandatory reading!” —Ilene Haddad
A member of the Writers’ League since 2017, Ilene lives in the Austin, TX area.
Scribe: Welcome, writer! Tell us — what do you write?
Ilene Haddad: I write essays about my marriage mostly, some of which I’ve combined into an illustrated memoir.
Scribe: If you could choose one author to blurb your book, who would it be, and what would you want it to say?
IH: II would pass out cold if David Sedaris agreed to blurb my book. I’m pretty sure he would say something along the lines of, “Haddad writes humor so effortlessly that you might not even realize it until you find yourself guffawing in your urologist’s waiting room.”
Scribe: You have one book you’re allowed to push onto all of your friends, and they’re forced to read it to remain your friend — which one would you choose?
IH: I think it’s a little cliché, but George Orwell’s 1984 is my favorite book. I used to read it every year or two, but now it feels a little too real, so I haven’t picked it up in a long time. Anything by David Sedaris though is mandatory reading!
Scribe: Tell us your WLT story.
IH: My dear friend and longtime supporter of the the Writers’ League of Texas, Beth Sample, told me I was a writer before I considered the possibility. She read some of my old blog posts and encouraged me to join, which I did. My first big event was the Agents and Editors Conference. I met so many cool people there and learned a lot about the craft and business of writing. Then I began taking WLT classes and was blown away by the variety of content and extremely talented instructors. Beth has since passed away, but I will always be grateful to her for introducing me to the writing life and to the WLT.
Scribe: Where do you see your writing taking you (or you taking it) in the future?
IH: I’m pretty bushed after publishing my book. Right now I’m focused on marketing it, which is no fun. I can see myself continuing to write and publish essays, but I’m taking a short break to live with my book for a while.
Scribe: Here at the WLT, we love sharing book recommendations. What’s one book that has come out within the past few years that you couldn’t put down? (Bonus points if the book is Texas related!)
IH: It’s weird. I’ve been so laser-focused on getting my book out there that I haven’t spent much time reading. Right now, I’m looking back at Stephen King’s On Writing, but that is a very old book. I really loved The Whole Enchilada by Daniela Quirke. I know the author well, so it may seem like I’m blowing smoke up her bum, but her book, published in 2025, is an absolutely charming piece of speculative fiction set in Austin and Marfa in the early 1990s. I encourage readers of any genre to grab a copy and dig in. It’s so much fun!
Scribe: Is there anything else about you that you would like to share with the world? An opportunity for blatant self-promotion!
IH: Blatant self-promotion? I’m all about it! My new illustrated memoir I’ve Seen You Naked Over 8,000 Times launched in November of 2025. I wrote, drew, and designed it myself. It is the story of a one-night stand that wouldn’t end. Presented as a collection of essays and cartoons, this book is the diary of a relationship between a nice Jewish girl from Austin, Texas and an Arab-American former altar boy from Waco. A little more Ricky and Lucy than Romeo and Juliet, the banter of our odd little pairing is a reflection upon relationships for people who’ve been together long enough to want to commit murder.
Website: https://casaweenie.com/.
Scribe: Let us know any social media handles you have!
IH: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/casaweenie
Instagram: @casaweenie.
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@casaweenie/