David Shams

Domů
česko
Prague
David Shams

Iranian-American expat chronicling what it means to belong everywhere and nowhere. My debut novel A Thousand Touches arrives this December.

05/09/2026

Papa Bear isn't a "real" soccer player, but he wrote a book.

We took my in-laws to Kraków last month and went to a Cracovia match.

My kids got to meet my friend who plays striker for the team, and my daughter was completely starstruck: "We got to meet a real-life soccer player!"

Ouch, kid. (Does one year of college ball against ex-pros count?)

But earlier this week, my first physical proof copy of A Thousand Touches arrived. I might not be a pro athlete, but seeing the physical book showed them what all those hours at the desk actually amounted to.

They were repeatedly asking me to flip to the author bio page to see my picture.

Now comes the tedious part: proofreading for hidden typos.

🔗 Hit the link in the comments to catch the full update on Substack!

04/09/2026

The first wave of advanced reviews for A Thousand Touches is officially rolling in!

Reviewers are praising the manuscript as "a heartfelt coming-of-age novel featuring an authentic and relatable cast of characters."

The general pre-order is opening soon.

04/09/2026

Remote and creative work often feels invisible to the people around you—especially your kids. For months, they just see you sitting at a keyboard.

Earlier this week, my first physical proof copy of A Thousand Touches arrived in the mail. Holding a printed copy of a book you wrote feels incredible.

But seeing my kids react to it was even better. Holding the physical book finally bridged the gap for them, and they kept asking me to turn to the author bio page to see my picture.

Catch this update and more in today's Substack essay.

03/09/2026

A reflection on kid-friendly vs. kid-accessible.

Link in the comments.

https://davidshams.substack.com/p/traveling-to-tokyo-with-toddlers

03/09/2026

One of the great fortunes of living in Beijing was the opportunity to visit the Great Wall of China. Of course, it's not a single wall, but a series that dots the outer reaches of the city and the surrounding provinces.

I was lucky to visit three different sections: Mutianyu, Huangyaguan, and Jinshanling. Each one is unique in its own right.

The astute among you will remember that one of those left my ego bruised and desiring some level of retribution.

But it was Mutianyu that struck a chord. And it wasn't just the wall. It was the surrounding natural landscape that took my breath away.

I've created a photo essay comprising my two trips to the area.

Link in comments

02/09/2026

Tokyo with kids is an adventure.

Kids are welcome, but be ready to adapt to challenges of accessibility.

Don't let that scare you, though. It was well worth the trip.

Link in the comments.

https://davidshams.substack.com/p/traveling-to-tokyo-with-toddlers

02/09/2026

The countdown to publication day has officially reached the final stretch.

The newsletter circle (and my Substack) has grown into an incredible global space over the last few months, and I am so grateful to every reader who has been tracking this project.

Hit the newsletter for exclusive updates and giveaways. And for a specially curated Spotify playlist.

Sign up today via the link below and unlock your two free travel short stories instantly. 🌏

01/09/2026

Sarajevo is a city hemmed in on all sides by steep and formidable mountains. But it is a place that explodes out of the valley. A lively and jovial approach to life. A welcoming attitude to tourists. And a desire to be more than its recent troubled past.

My photo essay from my visit back in June.

Link in the comments.

01/09/2026

When we were moving to Beijing, I knew that a trip to Tokyo would be in the cards. In fact, I'd reached out to a few old friends who were living there. Of course, it took a few months for us to make the flight over to Japan. But it remained one of my favorite trips with my family.

What I found was a city that was largely kid-friendly, but lacking in accessibility. It was very similar in that regard to Beijing, though manifested in different ways. And as we often did in the Chinese capital, we adapted to our surroundings.

I wrote an essay about our trip to Tokyo and the lessons we learned.

31/08/2026

My recent photo essay from my two trips to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall.

Adresa

Karlův Most
Prague

Internetová stránka

http://davidshamswriter.com/, https://davidshams.substack.com/, https://www.davidshamswriter.com/a-thousand-touches

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