Goodreads asked Stuti Changle:

Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?

Stuti Changle The idea came from a deeply personal space. I had the opportunity to live outside India for a while, and it unexpectedly made me homesick. For the first time, I found myself questioning — what is home, really?

I always thought it was my country, my family. So I returned, thinking I’d feel grounded again. I did too. But adulthood, especially in your 30s, teaches you something profound: no home is truly permanent. Friends fly off, people change, relationships evolve, loved ones grow apart, and the dynamics you once relied on begin to shift. Even the people you love most may no longer be the constant they once were. They’re stuck in their problems, relationships, and careers!

Losing my naniji, my grandmother, was another turning point. Her passing triggered deeper questions. I hit the open road again, just like I had in my 20s, hoping to rediscover that sense of belonging. But this time, the answers weren’t out there in a place; they were within.

I’ve always loved expressing myself creatively, so I turned to music, picked up my ukulele, and started dancing more, slowly reconnecting with the version of myself that existed before societal expectations took over. I found joy in the everyday, in the small, fleeting, beautiful moments. That’s when I realised: the most permanent address you’ll ever have is the one within yourself. We’re each a universe in motion, constantly evolving.

This spiritual quest became the heart of my new book "Stars Will Guide You Home." My characters, Kiana and Nirvaan, are reflections of us all: searching for meaning, belonging, and home. And in the end, perhaps the journey itself is home.

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