Hello API Romance Authors!

This month, we have picked "The Woman My Grandmother Loved." by shortgirlbigbook for Book of the Month. If you'd like to read this story, we encourage you to check it out in our Shattered Memories reading list.

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Logline:

What does one young journalist do when she finds herself in the greatest love affair of her life-against the backdrop of a democratic crisis in her country? Does she fight against press censorship or for the woman she fell in love with?

Excerpt from the Book:

Veritas is one of the oldest most popular newspapers in India, having been established prior to Independence. Born into a family of hard hitting columnists, Anita is a woman who has been raised on facts and logistics. And she knows the manner in which they must be presented to the world.

Thus, as far was the world was concerned, Anita Sinha had had two accidents . One landed her in a wheelchair for a year when she was twenty-two. The other, several decades apart was a plane crash that killed her. But in between those two, another one lay, unheard of.

In the year of her first accident, Anita was sent to England for rest and recovery. Amidst the process what ensued was a dangerous and passionate affair with the art teacher at the nearby St. Anne's school. Women who fall in love are frowned upon, Anita knew.

But what happened to women who fell in love with women?

This is India in the seventies, when Emergency raged on in the country. This is the seventies when bell bottoms and flared jeans were the rage in the world. This is the story of a woman who fell in love with a woman. Section 377 was decriminalised only in 2018; but even prior to that wasn't love just love?

This the story that didn't make it to the headlines.

About the Author:

@shortgirlbigbook has always been an avid fan of romance novels and tries to spend her free-time writing; whether it be poetry or prose. She is currently preparing for some taxing entrance examinations and is mourning her loss of free time. When she's not studying, you can find her reading her favorite creative blogs on the internet. Or petting her neighborhood cat and dog that allow her to do it.

Interview:

1. What influenced your story? What inspired you to write it?

The story didn't really occur to me as a singular comprehensive idea. Rather, I had bits and pieces of a "vibe" that I wished to create. I remember reading Nehruji's 'The Discovery of India' and feeling fascinated with Indian history- I didn't finish the book but the essence of it stayed with me. Nehruji wrote the novel when he was sentenced to prison and he has addressed it to his daughter. It led me to think- how incredible it must be to witness such poignant and shaping periods of time in one's nation. It made me think about other instances which have defined us a democracy and the Emergency is considered as a dark but undying example of my country's democratic spirit. This was the origin point of deciding the timeline.

The focal point is of course Anita and Becky's story. I wrote it in 2020- when the decriminalization of Section 377 had happened 1.5 years earlier. The raw celebration of pride was still visible in the country- I was in Delhi where pride parades, celebrations where happening with much gusto.

2. What were some challenges you faced while writing your story?

I think I started writing it- knowing that I wanted it to be very flowy in its' structure. I do not know if I accomplished that- but that was the intent. To create prose in a writing style I had not previously touched felt difficult.

Moreover, maintaining the timeline was difficult. I am more comfortable writing within the present day timeline- so I did take my liberties with it. I must have made certain fashion choices for characters, certain news snippets- which aren't entirely accurate. To create Anita and Becky's story as something realistic and optimistic at the same time felt difficult as well. I am aware that the realities I have presented with regard to the 'acceptance' within society of their love has been a softer, more romantic that real society would have permitted. 

3. What message do you hope to convey with your story?

Honestly, I hope I can convey some kind of representation for the LGBTQ+ community. I think we are seeing a lot of variety in Indian LGBTQ+ stories on Wattpad as well. There are writers who have done it much better than I have. I wanted to create a story that was painful, sad and a true romance at the core- with love as the main focus. I hope that I was able to convey the message of 'love is love'- as depth and intensity of lasting, enduring love can be found across the spectrum.

I am also aware that my "hoping to provide representation" can come across as a patronizing ally. I hope my work does not reflect that. 

4. Do you have any advice for other authors who are interested in writing Asian & Pacific Islander Fiction?

Yes, I think from my experience writing about my culture and nation and the complex nuances and stories that we live in has always felt incredibly rewarding. So I would suggest taking the famous advice of "Write what you know" and expanding it to "Write within the context you know". I think that lends an authenticity to the framework, the background on which your plot is built. 

5. If you could write another story to be featured on the profile, which of our reading lists would you write it for?

I think 'Hidden in the Stars' sounds like an interesting reading list that I'd love this one little idea I have in mind to be featured in. If the idea ever finds itself on a Word document, of course. 

6. If you are an author of Asian and/or Pacific Islander descent, what's one cool fact about your culture you can share with us?

It's not a fact but it is a very niche story- but there's something called "Rakeh Bhoot"- where 'bhoot' means ghost and well 'rakeh'- I don't know. But the idea is that- during earlier times, the ghost was a glowing entity which haunted the fields and cow sheds at night. My grandparents have stories of the same- how there were glowing fireballs which haunted the fields at night. Even my parents, I think never really questioned it and were just okay with the idea of glowing ghosts chilling in the fields.

Flash forward to 8th standard chemistry class- I learnt that it was the combustion of methane (from cow-manure) in hot air- that led to the glowing ghosts. So Rakeh Bhoot, is methane. I don't know if that's interesting enough, but I do like it!

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Thank you shortgirlbigbook for giving us the opportunity to interview you and chat more about your book!

We'll see you all in the next Book of the Month.