Kid-ding around with Sariah Wilson...plus a book giveaway

Today we are pleased to feature Sariah Wilson and talk about her latest rom com, Cinder-Nanny. Melissa read it last weekend and loved it! She will be reviewing soon, but you can check out her Bookstagram post in the meantime. Thanks to Kaye Publicity, we have one copy to give away!

Credit: JordanBree Photography

Sariah Wilson is the author of CINDER-NANNY (June 21, 2022; Montlake). A passionate believer in happily-ever-afters, Sariah and her own soulmate live in Utah with their four children and the two family cats. Her belief in true love has inspired many other standalone novels including ROOMMAID (2020), THE SEAT FILLER (2021) and THE PAID BRIDESMAID (2022), and several bestselling romance series, including End of the Line (THE FRIEND ZONE, JUST A BOYFRIEND); Lovestruck (#STARSTRUCK, #MOONSTRUCK, #AWESTRUCK); Ugly Stepsisters (THE UGLY STEPSISTER STRIKES BACK; PROMPOSAL), and Royals of Monterra (ROYAL DATE, ROYAL CHASE, ROYAL GAMES, ROYAL DESIGN). 

Visit Sariah online:

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Synopsis:

With her sister’s medical bills mounting, Diana Parker can’t say no to a high-paying opportunity like this: accompany a wealthy couple to Aspen and nanny their precocious five-year-old son for three months. Necessary qualifications? She must know how to ski and teach math, speak fluent French, excel at social graces, and hold a master’s degree in childhood development. Who’ll be the wiser that Diana’s only skill is packing for Colorado?

So far, so good—having a con woman for a mother has turned out to be a benefit, even if Diana has complicated feelings about telling lies. But she’s doing this for her sister. And the perks—like a ticket to a lavish charity fundraiser, a new gown, and a Prince Charming–adjacent earl named Griffin Windsor—are pretty irresistible. Diana can’t deny the Cinderella vibe.

Wary of gold diggers and scandal, England’s most eligible bachelor is nevertheless falling for Diana, and sweeping the not-quite princess off her feet.

The warmer their relationship becomes, the slipperier the slopes are for Diana. Sooner or later, she’ll have to come clean. When that happens, does an honest-to-goodness happy ending stand a chance?

What were the biggest rewards and challenges with writing Cinder-Nanny?

One of the biggest rewards was finally getting to write an English nobleman. I’ve enjoyed British lords in historical romances and kind of had one of those lightbulb moments of, “Why don’t I just write a modern day one?” Griffin was a fun hero to write! I think one of the challenges was dealing with the issue of dyspraxia. My youngest son is dyspraxic, and I think it’s something that a lot of people are unaware of (I’d never heard of it before his diagnosis!) and I wanted to represent it in a way that felt true for my family and our experiences.  

What is something you learned from writing your other books that you applied to Cinder-Nanny?

Well, the first thing I always apply is telling myself that I absolutely can write a whole book because I’ve done it so many times before (because sometimes you really doubt yourself and your abilities!) I also knew going into this one that there would be readers who would have an issue with my heroine Diana lying, but I tried to make that as understandable and sympathetic as possible. 

If Cinder-Nanny were made into a movie, what songs would be on the soundtrack?

Oh, I’m not a cool music person who has the perfect, indie playlist for their books. I listen to music while I’m writing, but it’s mainly the same pop songs over and over again, particularly ones that evoke a certain mood. I really love “Wildfire” by Natalie Taylor. That’s one that I play when I’m writing kissing scenes. Some other songs I listened to while writing Cinder-Nanny include: “Release Me” by Agnes, “Lightning” by The Wanted and “Love, Save the Empty” by Erin McCarley. I feel like listening to the same music tells my brain that it’s time to write and create.  

What is the last movie you saw that you would recommend?

The last movie I saw that I would wholeheartedly, one hundred percent recommend, is The Lost City. I don’t understand why Hollywood is not making more romantic comedies, especially ones with an adventure driving the story forward. It was funny, it was romantic, I have seen it four times already. People should watch it!  

What is something funny that one of your kids has said when they were little?

I have a couple of favorites – my toddler daughter made a giant mess of her toys and I said something to her about it, and in the sweetest most adorable voice she said, “I sorry I make a mess. I didn’t mean it.” We actually recorded her saying it because SO CUTE. Another—my youngest son and I came home from preschool one day and our cat Tiger was meowing at us. I asked my son, “What do you think he’s saying?” My son said, “I don’t know, I only speak a little bit of cat,” and got on the floor to meow back at Tiger.  

If we were to visit you right now, what are some places you would take us to see?

That might be a hard one because I’m an introvert who never goes anywhere. I could show you my family room and my bedroom where I write (although the second one would depend on how clean my bedroom is, so probably not that one ever). I hear there’s a lot of nature type stuff you can do here and hiking and mountains and possibly skiing, but meh. I do like Sundance, though. I could take you to Sundance. And shopping, since that’s my daughter’s favorite sport, so I know where to go for that. 

Thanks to Sariah for chatting with us and to Kaye Publicity for sharing her book with our readers.

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here. 

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Giveaway ends June 21st at midnight EST.

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Sara and Melissa Talk About...Pride

We've been running a column series (for over two years now!) to get more personal with our readers. This month, we're talking about LGBTQ+ pride, since it's currently Pride Month and there are a lot of books that feature LGBTQ+ characters or storylines. 

We're always open to topic suggestions, so please don't hesitate to share those in the comments. We'd also love to know if you can relate to anything we've said or hear your own thoughts on the topic. So don't be shy. :) We look forward to getting to know you as much as we're letting you get to know us. You can find our previous columns here, in case you missed them.

Melissa Amster:                                                                                                  This past Sunday, I attended Pride Fest in DC. I hadn't been to a Pride event in such a long time. Probably not since I attended a Pride parade in Chicago in the early 2000s. If more cities did the parade on Sunday, it would be more of a possibility, but at least Pride Fest was an option this year and I didn't even know it was happening on Sundays in the past. (I still wish the parade would be on Sunday too though...) Anyway, my husband and I took two of our three kids (all are pro-LGBTQ+, but one is an introvert and doesn't like crowds). The two who attended had such a great time. They couldn't stop talking about it afterward. We met up with our cousins whom we hadn't seen in a few years due to the pandemic, so that was really nice too. 

If you combine the Renaissance Faire with Rocky Horror, that's what the experience felt like. I mean this all in a good way. I loved that everyone was there for the same reason and we were all on the side of pride! It was so much fun to see all the outfits everyone was wearing and people just felt free to be themselves and live it up. It was all so wonderful and I loved basking in the pure joy all around. Plus, they had really good hot buttered corn on the cob like you get at a carnival. 

While I loved being there with my family, it made me miss my two gay best friends and how we would hang out around Halsted Street in Chicago and go to the clubs or attend street fairs. We all attended the Pride parade together one year too. However, it also made me glad to see that the LGBTQ+ community is still going strong even with oppressive forces at play. I'm keeping this post short in order to share a few pictures from Sunday's event. 

Throwback to the Chicago Pride parade in 2001

Sara Steven:

Years ago, while living with my grandparents, I’d been tasked with walking over a mile to the city bus stop in order to catch a ride to my high school. I’d start my mornings in total darkness, a fun side effect of living in the great Pacific Northwest, never knowing whether I’d have to bring an umbrella with me or risk the potential for muddy shoes–so often, that was almost always the case. It was cold and dreary, and even when I’d begin to see the sun peek out from beyond the horizon, it was never enough.  

At some point, a young man joined me on my morning walks. I can’t remember how it started or when it happened. Zach lived in the duplex next to my street, and one fateful day he’d happened to leave his place around the same time I’d turned the corner, and that was that. 

At the time, I was a meager freshman who hadn’t made a whole lot of friends, the kind of kid who hadn’t really found her identity yet. I wore stained white Keds and jeans some jerk senior referred to as “highwaters” when he’d seen me standing in the lunch line the first week of school, and it really stuck with me. I didn’t know what it meant to be “cool,” but Zach–well, he was all-out cool.

He reminded me of Pauly Shore from the 90s. He wore bell bottoms and trainers, with his pant legs dragging along the watery banks of Skyline Rd., red fiery hair flowing effortlessly into the wind. He wore vests and chokers and he talked about the music he listened to, most of it Lynyrd Skynyrd and Fleetwood Mac and Led Zeppelin, the kind of stuff I’d listen to on the classic rock stations. 

We bonded over our mutual need for the bus stop. Waking up before dawn, the walk of shame for two high schoolers who weren’t old enough to have their driver’s licenses yet. I don’t remember how old he was, but I always felt like he was so much older than me. He probably was. He made the mornings so much more bearable, and it was even better when I’d find him waiting at the same bus stop in the afternoons to take us back to our respective homes. How lucky was I to be in his presence twice in one day?

I don’t think we hung out at school. I’m sure our circles never touched, but when we’d see each other, it felt like two long-lost friends who hadn’t seen each other in years.

I don’t remember when he’d felt safe enough to confide in me that he was gay. It might have been at the start of our friendship, or towards the middle. Back in those days, there were a lot of preconceived notions of what that meant, and he vented to me about how trapped he felt, how there were many times he felt alone in his feelings.

There were two important lessons I’d absorbed and held onto from my friendship with Zach. The smaller lesson had been about relationships–we both felt that at our age, romantic relationships were like stepping stones of learning and growth that would eventually lead us to our people; lessons that would teach us what we wanted or didn’t want, what we needed or didn’t need, in order to find the “perfect person.” A moment of brilliant clarity for two kids who really had no clue what it meant to be in a relationship. 

But the other lesson, the big lesson, had been about the right to love whomever we choose to love. I didn’t come from the kind of household or background that supported LGBTQ+, terminology that was just beginning to become more known to me and to others at that time, in the early 90s. Zach opened my eyes to the disparities he faced, to the frustration he felt at not feeling as though he could be himself without persecution or judgment. Times have changed a lot since then, but it’s still there. That disparity. I’ve seen it. I’ve felt it.

Zach moved away, and I remember feeling lost for a long time after that. I don’t think he realized how much I learned from him in the brief amount of time we spent together–the lessons in grace and love that have extended out into many other facets of my life. Sometimes when I listen to Fleetwood Mac, I think of him. Or when I see wayward teens hanging out at a bus depot, it reminds me of our time together. 

It sounds so simple in theory, but seriously–Love is Love. It really is as simple and beautiful as that. 

I know that June is Pride month, but Pride should be celebrated every day. It’s important. Out here in Arizona, the Phoenix Pride Festival will happen in October this year from the 15th-16th, and if you live in my neck of the woods, I hope you’re able to attend, too.  

Did you attend any Pride events this month? Tell us about your experience!

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Book Review: The House Sitter

By Sara Steven

‘You’re just the girl I’ve been looking for,’ Iris told me, her blue eyes sparkling, when she offered me the job as her live-in helper. Little did she know, I thought the exact same about her. And she was wrong to trust me...

As I clean Iris’s large, old house in Pacific Heights, my boyfriend Seth works outside, tending to the lawn and fixing the broken gate. I can’t help but notice Iris’s steely eyes watching our every move. Does she know why we’re really here?

Most days we live in perfect harmony, but today Iris is confused. She thinks we moved in uninvited. I pass her a tablet from the medicine cabinet, knowing she’ll soon calm down and remember how lucky she is to have found us.

Later that night, the police arrive to find Iris’s perfect house turned upside down, the telephone lying on the floor, its cord severed. They walk through each room, calling out, but the house remains totally silent.

You will think you know what happened that night, but when the police discover something unexpected hidden amongst the wreckage in Iris’s bedroom, you’ll find you don’t know a thing. (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)

I read The House Sitter within twenty-four hours, so to say it was riveting and had me hooked would be a total understatement! The story starts out innocently enough: an elderly woman who is in need of assistance, with a down-on-their-luck couple who needs someone to take a chance on them. But as the synopsis indicates, all preconceived notions of what happened that fateful night, the one where Iris’s home has been turned upside down and no one is there to account for anything, will completely disappear because the reader will have no clue as to what is happening. There will be suspicions, but in the end, prepare to have your mind blown!

About three-quarters of the way through is when I figured it all out. So much so, that I announced the discovery out loud, to no one in particular. Just a declarative discovery for myself, really. But it was enough of one to really affect me and inwardly congratulate the author on her creative mystery writing skills! I felt sure the culprit was one character, yet that hadn’t panned out, only to feel steadfast against someone else, but I was going down a dead end, which only made me want to continue on the journey to figure out what had really happened and more importantly, who Iris, Seth and Lydia are.

Another important character is Maureen, a rookie cop who felt compelled into that line of work due to her own tragic past. I really loved her unique background; a former pianist turned police officer makes for a very interesting story. She’s the one that propels The House Sitter forward, despite the many obstacles she faces along the way while looking for the ultimate truth. In finding it, she feels she can in some ways right the wrongs of her own experiences, which added a nice intricate touch to everything. 

In the end, I felt the story was justified and satisfying. The perfect ending for the perfect mystery thriller. I pictured The House Sitter up on the small screen someday, the kind of thriller you watch while burrowed under a favorite comforter or throw blanket. You never know what the future holds. But I can say with 100% certainty that it definitely deserves a five-star review!

Thanks to Bookouture for the book in exchange for an honest review.

Forensic psychologist by day, novelist by night, Ellery Kane has been writing--professionally and creatively--for as long as she can remember. Just like many of her main characters, Ellery loves to ask why, which is the reason she became a psychologist in the first place. Real life really is stranger than fiction, and Ellery's writing is often inspired by her day job. Evaluating violent criminals and treating trauma victims, she has gained a unique perspective on the past and its indelible influence on the individual. And she's heard her fair share of real life thrillers.

Ellery lives in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, a picturesque setting that provides the backdrop for many of her novels. If you don't find Ellery interviewing murderers behind prison walls or pecking away at her latest novel, she is probably at the gym landing a solid jab-cross to a punching bag; riding bicycles with her special someone; or enjoying a movie the old-fashioned way--at the theater with popcorn and Milk Duds.

Ellery was previously selected as one of ten semifinalists in the MasterClass James Patterson Co-Author Competition, and she recently signed a three book deal with Bookouture for her new Rockwell and Decker mystery thriller series. The first book is scheduled for release in 2020.

If you'd like to receive a notification when new books are released, please sign up for Ellery's newsletter. Ellery also signs e-books on authorgraph.com.

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So happy to meet Celia Laskey....plus a book giveaway

Photo by Leonora Anzaldua

We're halfway through Pride Month and are pleased to welcome Celia Laskey to CLC today to talk about her latest LGBTQ-themed novel, So Happy for You. Thanks to Hanover Square Press, we have TWO copies for some lucky readers!

Celia Laskey is the author of Under the Rainbow, a finalist for 2020 Center for Fiction First Novel Prize. Her work has appeared in Guernica, The Minnesota Review, and more. She has an MFA from the University of New Mexico and was a finalist in Glimmer Train’s Short Story Award for New Writers. Celia lives with her wife in Los Angeles, where she writes for ad agencies.

Visit Celia online:

Website * Twitter * Instagram

Synopsis:

A wedding weekend spirals out of control in this bold, electrifying, hilarious novel about the complexities of female friendship 

Robin and Ellie have been best friends since childhood. When Robin came out, Ellie was there for her. When Ellie's father died, Robin had her back. But when Ellie asks Robin to be her maid of honor, she is reluctant. A queer academic, Robin is dubious of the elaborate wedding rituals now sweeping the nation, which go far beyond champagne toasts and a bouquet toss. But loyalty wins out, and Robin accepts. 

Yet, as the wedding weekend approaches, a series of ominous occurrences lead Robin to second-guess her decision. It seems that everyone in the bridal party is out to get her. Perhaps even Ellie herself. 

Manically entertaining, viciously funny and eerily campy, So Happy for You is the ultimate send-up to our collective obsession with the wedding industrial complex and a riveting, unexpectedly poignant depiction of friendship in all its messy glory. (Courtesy of Amazon.)

"Hilarious and wise, So Happy for You reveals the deeper and more sinister truths behind one of society’s most commonplace institutions—marriage, and does so with a pitch-perfect, relentlessly inquisitive narrator at the helm. At its core, this is an investigation of friendship and just how much we will sacrifice of our true selves in the name of tradition. This novel made me laugh, made me think, and spun its way to a wholly surprising and thrilling conclusion, where ‘together forever’ takes on a much more terrifying connotation than most of us can imagine. Laskey is a magician, combining the important social commentary this genre needs with a knock-out page-turning narrative that will leave you guessing to the last page."
—Chelsea Bieker, author of Godshot and Heartbroke

What is a favorite compliment you have received on your writing?

Probably when the New York Times called Under the Rainbow "fresh" and "essential!" Pretty hard to top that. 

What were the biggest rewards and challenges with writing So Happy For You?
The biggest challenge was when all the editors we initially pitched the book to said no—but I got really helpful feedback from two editors who encouraged me to turn the book into more of a thriller, which I did, and when we sent it out again, one of those editors ended up saying yes and I decided to work with him! I really believe that most writers who get published are just the ones who refuse to give up. 
 
One of the biggest rewards happened recently, when I read from the book at a reading series for the very first time. I kind of hate reading my work, because I hate being the center of attention, but as soon as I started reading, the crowd started laughing, and they didn't stop! It felt incredible to hear people connecting with the book and it made me feel hopeful about its reception by the larger public. 

If So Happy For You were made into a movie, who would you cast in the leading roles?
I've actually been thinking about this for a while! Since Robin, my main character, is a redhead, I've always pictured Emma Stone in the role. I feel like she'd really be able to pull off the abrasive and vulnerable sides of Robin's character. And for Ellie, I feel like Anne Hathaway or Elizabeth Olson could really nail that comedic basic bitch vibe. 

Since it is Pride month, what is your favorite LGBTQ movie or TV series? 
One of my favorite LGBTQ movies is The Handmaiden, a South Korean film based on the book Fingersmith by my queen Sarah Waters. It has such idiosyncratic characters, a propulsive plot with twists and turns, and a lot of unexpected humor.

What is something you had a good laugh about recently?
Recently my wife and I were talking about the type of signs you find in a store like Hobby Lobby or HomeGoods that say stuff like "family is everything" or "but first, coffee" or "love never fails" and how they're just so hilariously straightforward and corny. We were riffing on them and came up with ones that said "I love my son" or "to be absolutely clear, I'm married with children." We were like, rolling around on the floor laughing. I think so much of my writing is about the tension between people who would put those signs up in their house and people (like me and my wife) who would mock them. 

What is the oldest piece of clothing you own?
I have this ratty purple tank top with red triangles on it that I wear around the house or to bed and my wife constantly rags on me for not throwing it away, because I got it over ten years ago at a clothing swap with friends, so it wasn't even new when I got it! To be honest, I'm wearing it right now lol. I'll probably throw it away when it literally starts falling apart! 

Thanks to Celia for chatting with us and to Hanover Square Press for sharing her book with our readers.

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here. 

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Giveaway ends June 19th at midnight EST.

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Book Review: How to Save a Life

By Sara Steven

One night in December, twenty-two year old Ted Green makes his way to Waterloo Bridge determined to end his life. Lonely, despairing and utterly hopeless, it seems the only choice to make. 

That same night in December, Marianne Cooper is running away from a party. Having found her boyfriend in a passionate clinch with someone else, Marianne can’t get away fast enough. But as she makes her way along London’s South Bank, a figure catches her eye on top of the bridge. 

Then she sees him, a man ready to jump. 

When Marianne saves Ted’s life, this night in December becomes one they’ll never forget, but as Ted watches Marianne leave in a black taxi, all he can think is he should have asked her name. (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)

How To Save A Life really had an effect one me. So much so, that the concept of near misses with someone who has had a significant impact found its way into my dreams the night I’d finished reading it!

And really, the concept of it was pretty astounding. After Ted feels he has been saved by Marianne, it completely changes the trajectory of his life. A lot of focus is placed on how much he feels he owes to Marianne, but it’s obvious that the night had completely changed the course of Marianne’s life, too. At that time, she felt like she’d had no real direction and had no motivation to be anything substantial in her own world. Yet after that night, it prompted her to step up and do the work to become something more. 

For Ted, stepping up meant battling the PTSD demons he had acquired from his prior war experiences. I appreciated that the author had added that element in, because it felt fitting for Ted’s situation and where he’s at when he makes the decision to head off towards the Waterloo Bridge. Along the way, he does have support to help him with his mental health journey, but even that is slightly attributed to Marianne. So much of what he wants to become and the inspiration in reaching his goals begins with her in mind, a young woman who he thinks of every single day. 

While I really appreciated the continual near misses that occur for both characters–they nearly run into each other several times over the course of the book–it got to a point for me where I just wanted them to meet already! It felt like the anticipation went on a bit too long. But everything else had been laid out with careful execution, lending into what was still an enjoyable experience for me. It reminded me of the movie, Serendipity–a movie I really like because of its intricate connections, and How To Save A Life definitely had a lot of intricacies that made it a deeply layered, deeply emotional read.

Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for the book in exchange for an honest review.

Purchase Links:
Amazon US * Amazon UK 

Clare Swatman is the author of three women’s fiction novels, published by Macmillan, which have been translated into over 20 languages. She has been a journalist for over twenty years, writing for Bella and Woman & Home amongst many other magazines. She lives in Hertfordshire. Before We Grow Old was published in January 2022.

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Book Review: The Memory Keeper of Kyiv

By Jami Denison

Publishing is a business with a years-long trajectory, so when a book comes out with subject matter that coincides with current events, it feels propitious. Inspired by her great-grandmother’s story, Erin Litteken decided to write a novel based on her life in Ukraine before and after World War II. She had no idea the book would be published just as Ukraine fell into crisis once again. As the world admires the strength of the Ukrainian people, The Memory Keeper of Kyiv highlights the roots of that strength.

Litteken’s novel takes place in two timelines: The first, in 2004, centers on Cassie, a young widow whose four-year-old daughter has had selective mutism since surviving the car accident that took her father. Depressed and listless, Cassie agrees to move in with her elderly grandmother, who’s having some memory and ambulatory issues. Although Cassie and her mother Anna know that “Bobby” emigrated from Ukraine, the elderly woman has always been secretive about her early life. But knowing that the end is near, Bobby urges Cassie to read her journal, and to work with a neighbor, Nick, who is Cassie’s age and understands Ukrainian. 

As sparks fly between the young widow and the hunky neighbor, they learn the truth about Bobby’s harrowing early life. In 1929, Katya was 16, in love with the boy next door, a doting daughter and younger sister who worked on the family farm. But when Stalin’s men arrived, they insisted the local farmers join the collective and punished anyone who resisted. As the Russians take more and more from the Ukrainians, the impossible starts to unfold—starvation in the land of plenty. And help seems impossible.

As a novel, The Memory Keeper of Kyiv shares the same weakness as other books with the same alternating timelines format: The past was so horrible that the modern-day protagonist’s dilemma pales in comparison. The chapters that tell Katya’s story are so compelling that readers may end up skipping Cassie’s sections all together. Still, the theme of hope after tragedy ties the two sections together, making them both worth reading.

This story of cruelty and starvation was suppressed by the Soviets for decades. The Holodomor, as it came to be known, was a 1932-1933 genocide during which Stalin’s people declared all land the property of the government and ordered all Ukrainian citizens to work for the state in exchange for a slice of bread a day. It was an inconvenient truth when Stalin joined the Allies near the end of World War II. After the war, Stalin’s defenders continued to deny it; a New York Times reporter won a Pulitzer for his complimentary coverage of the dictator. “Fake news” is not a recent phenomenon. 

Litteken is a careful researcher, and she fleshes out this history in her detailed author’s note following the novel. She also mentions that she was originally motivated to write the story of how her great-grandmother and her family fled their Ukrainian village during World War II, but then learned of the Holodomor and knew that this story had to come first. It’s astonishing that the same family had to deal with so much misery, and I imagine Litteken’s next book will be just as compelling. 

As Ukrainian citizens continue to fight for their country’s sovereignty, they’ve gained admirers all over the world. The Memory Keeper of Kyiv reminds us that Ukrainians have been fighting these battles for over a century. 

Thanks to Boldwood Books for the book in exchange for an honest review. They have pledged a share of the book’s proceeds will be donated to DEC's Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.

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Namrata Patel speaks candidly with us

Today we are pleased to welcome Namrata Patel to CLC. Her debut novel, The Candid Life of Meena Dave published recently and she's here to talk about it and share some other fun things about herself.  

Namrata Patel is an Indian American writer who resides in Boston. Her writing examines diaspora and dual-cultural identity among Indian Americans and explores this dynamic while also touching on the families we’re born with and those we choose. Namrata has lived in India, New Jersey, Spokane, London, and New York City and has been writing most of her adult life. 

Visit Namrata online:
Website * Twitter * Instagram

Synopsis:
Meena Dave is a photojournalist and a nomad. She has no family, no permanent address, and no long-term attachments, preferring to observe the world at a distance through the lens of her camera. But Meena’s solitary life is turned upside down when she unexpectedly inherits an apartment in a Victorian brownstone in historic Back Bay, Boston.

Though Meena’s impulse is to sell it and keep moving, she decides to use her journalistic instinct to follow the story that landed her in the home of a stranger. It’s a mystery that comes with a series of hidden clues, a trio of meddling Indian aunties, and a handsome next-door neighbor. For Meena it’s a chance for newfound friendships, community, and culture she never thought possible. And a window into her past she never expected.

Now as everything unknown to Meena comes into focus, she must reconcile who she wants to be with who she really is. (Courtesy of Amazon.)

“Namrata Patel’s debut is a delightful exploration of identity, community, and growth. I was drawn into Meena Dave’s captivating journey from the first pages and was rooting for her until the end. This poignant and witty story is perfect for book clubs!” 

—Saumya Dave, author of Well-Behaved Indian Women

In one sentence, what was the road to publishing like for you? 
A testament to practice, patience, and perseverance.
 
How is Meena similar to or different from you? 
There are notes of me in Meena particularly around how she keeps distance between her and others. She also has wanderlust, which is something that's been central to me from a very young age. The differences are stark though. Whereas Meena is alone, I am privileged to have a strong community around me filled with family and friends. 
 
If The Candid Life of Meena Dave were made into a movie, who would you cast in the leading roles? 

Sujata Day from Definition Please! She's incredible. 
 
What is your favorite thing to have for dessert?
I don't have a sweet tooth and am not very adventurous in desserts but I do love ice cream. My favorite Indian dessert is Ras Malai, which when done well is just an incredible sensory experience. 
 
What is the strangest dream you remember having recently? 
I have very vivid dreams and recently I dreamed that I couldn't see, my contacts were torn, and my vision was blurred so nothing could come into focus. I don't think I need the Dream Dictionary to tell me what that's about. 
 
What TV series are you currently binge watching? 

New Girl. 

Thanks to Namrata for chatting with us and to Kaye Publicity for coordinating the interview.

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