Ask the Author: Priya Parmar

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What a wonderful book. I had a hard time putting it down. Also, was glad to keep my phone next to me so that I could look up images of these extraordinary people. What a distance we have come in the treatment of bi-polar disorder. I found that I was intrigued by the speculation into the 'teeth' component! Interesting. Any sequel? Vanessa continued to have an amazing life.
Priya Parmar I am so sorry! I am just seeing this! I found the teeth fascinating too. Eventually she did have some teeth out in the hopes of curing her. I would love to write a sequel. I miss writing about Vanessa desperately!
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I, too, am loving Vanessa. I liked the comment about her voice being so "modern." There really is nothing new under the sun--her she is vibrant, talented, in love with her husband and sharing "our" conflicts of how to give our child, our spouse, ourself "enough." Would you consider editing a collection of her letters from those archives you mention?
Priya Parmar I am so thrilled you enjoyed the novel and I am sorry for not seeing your question before! I would love to edit a selection of Bell's letters, if only to spend more time in the magical archives, but I do not think I could do a better job than Regina Marler. Her selection is exquisite!
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I just finished Vanessa and Her Sister and enjoyed it tremendously. You (re)created the Bloomsbury group and brought them to life for me. What inspired you to write this book and to use the diary and letter format?
Priya Parmar Hi Sharyle, I am so pleased you enjoyed the novel! I was inspired to write the novel after reading one of Vanessa Bell's letters. Her voice was so modern and vibrant and messy and alive. She just stepped off the page as a character for me. I became a bit obsessed and fell down the Bloomsbury rabbit hole. I chose this format because they are so closely associated with diaries and letters. That is how they lived in my imagination. Thank you for getting in touch!
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mam priya is your pen name or what? am just curious about the name priya since it is definitely indian name.
Priya Parmar It is my real name and I am half Indian.
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I am reading Vanessa and Her Sister right now and loving it! Being more of a 19th century literature fan you have whetted my appetite for VW! Very well written and am curious...was Virginia really that unstable and emotional/hard to control? Do you recommend any bios on the Bloomsbury Group?
Priya Parmar I am so pleased you are enjoying it! Yes, Virginia was quite tricky and if anything I underplayed her difficult behaviour. Many of the smallest details (such as Virginia sulking and only speaking Spanish or shouting 'the Goat's mad) are also rooted in fact.

There are so many wonderful biographies of the group. Some authors to look for are Quentin Bell, Frances Spalding, Hermione Lee, Sarah Hall, Vanessa Curtis, Michael Holyrod, and Jane Dunn. Sorry, that is a massive list...
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I’m reading Vanessa And Her Sister right now, and I love Vanessa’s “voice” in her diary entries. I’ve read all of Virginia’s diaries and letters, but I’m wondering if Vanessa’s have been published too. What sources did you read to help you capture/create her voice in the novel?
Priya Parmar Hi Becca, I am so pleased you are enjoying the novel! Only a small but brilliant selection of Vanessa Bell's letters have been published. They are edited by Regina Marler and they are just wonderful. The rest are largely held in archives in places such as London, Sussex and New York. I spent a huge amount of time in archives to get the voice of Vanessa and I am so happy you like the result!
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Priya Parmar
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