Salma19 (And I Darken stan)
asked
Alka Joshi:
Hello Alka Joshi! Congrats on your debut novel. It is now one of my all-time favorite books now. I truly love your writing style. I want to know if you have plans to continue the story of certain characters in The Henna Artist, (maybe a spin-off?). If so, which one(s)? What was your favorite part of the novel to write? :)
Alka Joshi
Hi Salma!
I love your question because it asks me to talk about the sequels! The first one, THE SECRET KEEPER OF JAIPUR, releases in a few months on June 22. It's Malik's story as a 20-year-old who is apprenticed to the Jaipur Palace and in a relationship with a tribal woman, a widow with two children. That will be followed in 2022 by Radha's story as a 32-year-old perfumer, living in Paris with her French husband and two daughters when she receives an unwelcome visit from a character in THE HENNA ARTIST. Each sequel reprises the main characters--Lakshmi, Malik, Radha, Kanta, Manu, Niki, the Singhs, the Maharanis--and adds a few new ones!
It's hard to choose my favorite part of writing. I love creating the backstories of each character and wondering what they really want in life. But I also love writing about place--the sights, sounds, and smells of each setting. And I enjoy the research that goes into each novel to authenticate it, like traveling to Jaipur, visiting ayurvedic shops, palaces, and now, learning about the fragrance industry in France. See why it's so difficult to choose my fave part? :-)
I love your question because it asks me to talk about the sequels! The first one, THE SECRET KEEPER OF JAIPUR, releases in a few months on June 22. It's Malik's story as a 20-year-old who is apprenticed to the Jaipur Palace and in a relationship with a tribal woman, a widow with two children. That will be followed in 2022 by Radha's story as a 32-year-old perfumer, living in Paris with her French husband and two daughters when she receives an unwelcome visit from a character in THE HENNA ARTIST. Each sequel reprises the main characters--Lakshmi, Malik, Radha, Kanta, Manu, Niki, the Singhs, the Maharanis--and adds a few new ones!
It's hard to choose my favorite part of writing. I love creating the backstories of each character and wondering what they really want in life. But I also love writing about place--the sights, sounds, and smells of each setting. And I enjoy the research that goes into each novel to authenticate it, like traveling to Jaipur, visiting ayurvedic shops, palaces, and now, learning about the fragrance industry in France. See why it's so difficult to choose my fave part? :-)
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