The little gestures—tiny movements that tell you something, but only if you know to watch.

YES. AND PROBABLY SOME WAREHOUSES

And I wanted to color all that in with images from my heritage; scented with rose and mango, every color of silk, ankles jingling with bells. But I didn’t want to make Imaginary India – I wanted to make something new and unfamiliar. #LateNightWrites

And I wanted to tell a story about a gay, bicultural nerd whose greatest loves in life are making things and making friends, and his struggle to find a place where he fits. How he learns that he’s much more loved than he realized.

I wanted to explore a world where different peoples had different views about how the world works, and where we have reasons to believe that all of them are true. I wanted to reawaken the mystery we find in real-world myths, where people are GUESSING how things work.

Yes!

You just made this librarian very happy. I love this cover and you’re going into my reading list 😊

Years ago it seemed like reviewers were accurately dismissing most SA fantasy as retellings of the epics. I don’t know the cause, but it seems like recently SA authors are releasing a wider variety of work, and I love to see it all.

I love those stories, and, as someone who grew up with those in hand beside the Western stuff, it’s nice to finally start seeing other South Asians writing fantasy that doesn’t fall from that tree.

We did bits sometimes that only we found funny, for hours. No one could make us stop.
He treated my kid like a full person worthy of his time and friendship.
He says he doesn't give gifts but my house is full of gifts from him.
He never kissed me but I've never been loved like that.

Your lighting is so beautiful in this piece! Thanks for sharing it

the silver lining there is, they ARE greedy and DO have both deep pockets and a vested interest in selling their products in the USA