Q.1 Tell us a little about yourself? Perhaps something not many people know?
A. The first dog I had was named Odie after the dog Odie from Garfield - the movie my brother and I were obsessed with.
Q.2 How many unpublished and half-finished book do you have?
A. Five approximately.
Q.3 Where do you get your ideas?
A. I have written an idea on a camera instruction manual at an event I was photographing because I had no paper and my phone was dead. Also, I get ideas in the middle of the night randomly, and in airports and classes and car rides - so basically anywhere and anytime.
Q.4 What advice do you have for writers?
A. Don’t write if you don’t feel like it.
Q.5 Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?
A. I remember a few years ago micro poetry and Instagram poets were all the rage (still are) and that was when I got my idea for my first book and thought it was the only way to put it down - in the form of non-contextual lines that only explored one feeling or moment. But that wasn’t for me, and everyone was doing it anyway. So I stuck to what I like writing - stories. There are several stories/poems/prose that didn’t make it to my first book because I thought it would be too redundant and the readers wouldn’t like it. So both.
Q.6 If you could tell your younger writing self-anything, what would it be?
A. I’d tell her writing is supposed to be fun, it’s something you always enjoyed doing so you shouldn’t overthink it so much. And also, please don’t chuck any of the older stories and journals.
Q.7 What are the most important magazines or websites for writers to subscribe to?
A. I don’t know! I guess I should know already but so far it’s just been other books I am using as my guides.
Q.8 What is the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex?
A. I wrote one poem from the perspective of a guy and it wasn’t exactly that hard - which makes me think that maybe it isn’t accurate. But when I am writing other stories - like adventure/fantasy novels/fanfics, it is pretty tough, equally for both genders, because I have no idea what either person would prioritize or feel in a certain situation and it depends from character to character.
Q.9 How do you select the names of your characters?
A. I once chose the names of a whole family tree based on constellations. And also I have this weird habit of choosing my male characters names starting with M. Then there’s plain old google.
Q.10 Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?
A. Yes, I do. The reviews I got so far have been pretty nice. It’s hard not to think ‘they’re only saying it because I sent them a personal message’ or ‘they say it to everyone anyway’.
I don’t know what I’d do if I get a bad review. I have read some bad reviews on other books and it makes my stomach coil. And I guess in a way, getting rejections from publishing houses - or being asked to fund part of the book - is a bad review. I recently got rejected by this house that I really really liked and wanted to be chosen by and I was shortlisted and everything before they decided my book wouldn’t be a good business decision. That hurt. A lot. I just waddled around the house all day drinking passion fruit juice and stalking people who made high school hell for me. So I guess you can say I don’t take it well.
Q.11 Does your family support your career as a writer?
A. I didn’t tell my parents until I was done with the book, because I wasn’t sure about it at all and I have always been a closet writer. But they were pretty enthusiastic. In the beginning, when I told them, they tried to contact people but the industry in India is so vague. Now, when I show some of the reviews to my mom, she gets really excited and tries to tell her family about this huge group chat - which is slightly embarrassing. They have already decided that if I go on a book tour, my mom will accompany me.
Q.12 What do your fans mean to you?
A. As of yesterday, I have exactly one fan - a book reviewer who declared that she’s my fan and it made me run around the house several times giddily and play The Regrettes. She was being nice, but I guess someday if people like my books and buy it, it would make me so happy. I’d love to meet them and hug them and talk to them for hours.
Q.13 How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?
A. This is the only other book I have completed. This one has to be my favorite so far, but I am working on another one already and I hope that will be my next favorite.
Q.14 Do you have any unique and quirky writing habits?
A. I pace a lot when I write.
Q.15 What do you consider to be your best accomplishment?
A. If I get this book out in paperback it would be my best. But other than that, the fact that some of my pictures have been chosen to be sold on Getty? (*cough* it didn’t sell yet *cough*)
Q.16 What is the most unethical practice in the publishing industry?
A. Paying to get book reviews and published (not self-publishing) and I have heard of cases where some houses leave the book halfway after getting paid. Everyone acts so nonchalantly about these things, I didn’t even know if it was normal or not and only found out through google. I got some offers from houses who seemed really genuine but because it didn’t seem right I didn’t go forward with it, although I was really tempted. And I realized paying for reviews is just like Payola (which I found out about through Nicki Minaj’s Queen Radio stream that was viral on Twitter)
Q.17 Who edited your book and how did you select him/her?
A. I didn’t have an editor. I am still looking for a paperback contract where I can get the proper formatting. So now when I send my book to people it’s the raw format because my ebook is only available on one site.
Q.18 Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why?
A. Meg Cabot off the top of my head because she seems like so much fun. Her books are so funny and smart.
Q.19 What is your favorite book and why?
A. I’ll give you the sun by Jandy Nelson. It reminded me of the best parts of writing.
Q.20 How can readers discover more about you and your work?
A. I have a Blogspot, Twitter, and Instagram along with a Youtube channel where I just post random videos for fun.
Twitter -
Instagram -
Youtube channel -
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