When did you first start writing ?
And, what inspired you to write ?
I think as far as I remember, I was always writing stories of my own. Although I studied Interior Architecture, books were an important part of my childhood and formative years. I was always writing short stories, essays. One of my articles was published in the Tehelka Magazine during that time. I worked in the design field for 10 years. It is only after my first child was born, that I took keen interest in children's books. I was fascinated with the new "Children's literature" coming out of Indian Publishing houses. By the time my second child was born, I was so consumed with the world of Children's literature, and I eventually decided to write a story of my own. I formally started writing for children in 2016. My first book was published in 2017.
What was your first book's name ?
And, what was it about ?
My first book for children is called 'The Tomato Thief' published by Tota books. It is about a small boy who grows tomatoes in his garden for the first time and is very excited to harvest it. His mother tells him to be patient and wait for a few days for the tomatoes to ripen. But well, when the time comes to harvest his tomatoes, he notices that his tomatoes are missing. He sets off on a trail to find out who stole his tomatoes.
When you were young, were you interested in literature ?
Who was your favourite writer then ?
Most certainly yes. Being a single child and a bit of an introvert, reading was one of my most favourite hobbies. The local libraries in those days were such a boon. Even during my annual summer holidays to Mumbai, my Nana would get me tons of books from the second hand book stores of the Fort area in Mumbai.
Difficult to pick one, but, during my adult years I was reading a wide spectrum of literature. From Salman Rushdie, V.S. Naipaul, R.K.Narayanan, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Arundhati Roy, Jhumpa Lahiri and many more.
When were you born and where ?
Can you tell me some moments of your childhood relating to literature ?
I was born in Mumbai in 1980.
I have this distinct memory of reading in torch light under my blanket, after my mom had switched off the lights of my room.
What is your work schedule like when you're writing ?
I have two young children and my writing routine heavily revolves around them. I mostly write when my children are away at school or during the nights when my children are off to bed.
Among your written works, which book is your favourite ?
Why ?
I have three published children's books so far. The first one is 'The Tomato Thief', second is 'The Tomato Flood' which is a sequel to the first one. Both these are published by Tota Books. And the third book is 'The Runaway Peacock' published by Tulika Books.
As a story, I think I like my third book - The Runaway Peacock - the most. But the first two books (Tomato series) are more close to my heart as they were my first books and also they are inspired by my own gardening experiences.
What was one of the most surprising things you learnt while creating books ?
I think it has been interesting to see what the illustrator brings to the book (In the case of a picture book). Sometimes t