BlackHippieChick's Interview of Anju Gattani, author of Duty and Desire

_{BlackHippieChick’s Interview with Anju Gattani, author of Duty and}

_Desire

_{Questions about the Author:}

 BHC: Tell us a little about yourself.

_{ANJU:I’ve been a professional writer for over 15}

_{years.  I have international}

_{freelance journalism, former news reporting experience, and have written for}

_{publications in India, Singapore, Hong Kong and the U.S.} 

 

_{I’m also a busy mom of 2 golden boys, wife to an amazing man who’s work}

_{and travel have taken us around the world.  I grew up in Hong Kong, and I’ve}

_{also lived in India, Singapore, Australia and the US (New Jersey, Connecticut}

_{& Atlanta).} 

 

_{I love to cook – I hate all the prep work and clean-up after… but hey, who}

_{doesn’t?  But more than that I love multi-culture cuisine.  We’re vegetarian}

_{and cook a lot of Italian, Chinese, Mexican, American, Indian (duh…}

_{obvious!) and more at home.  But the fun is in combining the techniques and}

_{blending the ingredients of 2 or more different cuisines… and then seeing}

_{what you get!  I pretty much blend cultures in my stories the same way…}

_{only difference is you can’t eat them – or wait!  Maybe you can?  *picking up}

_{a book with dog-eared pages*… “Did our Shih-Tzu puppy have something to}

_{do with this?}           

 

 _{BHC: Did you plan to be a writer or did it just happen?}

_{ANJU:It happened at the age of 7.  *Imagine STAR WARS music in the}

_{background* – easy if you’re a writer – no?} 

 

_{I wrote a poem, submitted it to the Sunday special ‘Young Post Club’ of}

_{Hong Kong’s leading English newspaper (South China Morning Post).} 

_{Several weeks later – WHAM! – it was published and I was in shock!  I still}

_{remember seeing my name in print for the first time and the disbelief…}

_{checking over the spelling of my name to make sure it really was me J  In}

_{case you’re wondering… no, I didn’t fall in a coma or anything.}

 

_{The same thing happened when I received the ARCs of my debut novel,}

_{‘Duty and Desire’… I couldn’t believe it!   After 9 long years the manuscript}

_{was finally a REAL book!  Kept checking my name and its spelling to make}

_{sure it really was me! J  I was close… very close to falling in a coma but was}

_{too tired to do so.  (You can’t blame me after a 9-year wait!)}

 

 BHC:When did you decide to take that step that made you a published

_author?

_{ANJU:2002.  We had just moved to New Jersey, USA, from Singapore (Sep}

_{2001).  I had a day dream one afternoon (Oct/Nov 2001).  OK… here’s the}

_{truth.  I was napping for 20 minutes just before my kindergartener was to}

_{return from school.  My 2-year old (at the time) was finally taking a nap.  I}

_{just had to catch up on sleep and I thought “why not?”  The day-dream was}

_{in fact ‘The End’ of a story.  I woke up with sweat beading down my face and}

_{a racing pulse – not from my kids this time… And I wanted to know the}

_{beginning and middle (well, obviously!) of this do-or-die situation.}

 

_{After 2 months of trying to initially – ignore it (failed), then comprehend it}

_{(failed), I finally picked up the pen, sat before a stack of white paper (my}

_{loving and couldn’t-understand-my-problem husband put together for me,}

_{midst the hustle-bustle of 2 hyper-energetic kids) and began to write the}

_{beginning (so I could get to ‘The End’).} 

 

_{Point to be noted – Sleeping is good for you after all… especially if you are a}

_writer. 

 

 

_{BHC:What has been your greatest challenge as a writer? Have you been}

_{able to overcome it?}

_{ANJU:Taking the Western reader to modern India as it stands today.  I’m not}

_{talking about reading characters’ stories (Indian characters in an Indian}

_{setting) from the periphery but actually living the main characters’ lives with}

_{all it dos and don’ts.  The challenge has been in giving Western readers a}

_{real-time perspective and insight of many issues that affect Indians today}

_{with the influx of Westernization on one hand and dealing with the weight of}

_{India’s tradition and culture on the other.} 

 

_{Feedback from readers at author events and book-club discussions have}

_{been amazing.  When readers tell me that they now understand things they}

_{never would have… or that their perspective (about Indians or Asians) have}

_{changed after reading DUTY AND DESIRE… I know I’ve overcome that}

_hurdle.       

 

 

_:

 

_{BHC:If you had to sum it up (title of book) in 30 or less words, what would}

_you say?

_{ANJU:When Duty Defeats Desire, Forced Relationships Inevitably Crumble}

 

 

_{BHC:Do you have a favorite character in DUTY AND DESIRE? Who and}

_why?

_{ANJU:I’d have to say Sanjeet Dhanraj.  He’s the swash-buckling modern}

_{Indian man in the story.  With a Caucasian-almost titanium complexion,}

_{Sanjeet is a Harvard-grad return with a suave American accent and modern}

_{attitude.  However, he is conflicted with Indian culture and traditions which}

demand he think and behave in a specific way.  He abuses the Indian culture 

_{his advantage.} 

 

_{BHC: What has been your greatest challenge in writing Duty and Desire?}

_{ANJU:Flying the western reader to another (Asian) country with the power of}

_{words only.  Grounding the reader in the lifestyle and beliefs of another}

 

_{culture and then adding the conflicts that come with a new way of thinking…}

_{a new system of values and priorities in life.}

The other challenge was the immense amount of research involved but the

_{professionals I worked with made it so much easier and they helped bring t}he

 

_{BHC:Will you share with us a short preview of Duty and Desire?}

 

_{“She loved him. She reached out to touch him and soothe his anger. “}

_{I risked everything just coming here to be with you.}

_{“Not to be with me. To tell me. You came to tell me you’re marrying}

_{someone else. And you expect me to do nothing?”}

                 _{That’s exactly what she did expect, because society}

_{required a}

_{woman to marry the man her parents chose for her.}

_{Arvind grabbed Sheetal by the shoulders and gazed into her eyes. “Do}

_{you understand how much I love you?”}

_{She understood. “I have no choice, Arvind.” Sheetal took a long, deep} 

_{breath and clasped her fingers together. “Love isn’t enough for my}

_{father. Money, reputation, class and status. That’s what matters to}

_{him.” Until now she had ignored the imitation suede shoes on his feet}

_{and the ripped, beige, front pocket of his shirt; things she would have}

_{never have noticed if her mother hadn’t brought them to her attention}

_{a while back. “My father wants me,”—she bit her lip, knowing her}

_{words would hurt him—“well taken care of.”}

 

 

_{BHC:What message do you hope readers take away from the book?}

_{Anju:If you are in a difficult situation and feel ‘boxed in’… like there is no}

_{alternative solution to a predicament, then step back and take a look at t}

_{he situation from a different perspective.. a new angle.  There is always a}

_{way out.  You just have to find the courage and confidence from within to}

_{move forward.}

_{BHC:Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all}

_imagination?

_{Anju:Duty and Desire is a work of pure imagination.  I created the fictitious}

_{city of Raigun, the Dhanraj mansion and the entire story world.}

However, after completing both books in my ‘Winds of Fire’ series a lot of the fiction began to mirror real-life.  For example… a family member had been

_{living (almost) Sheetal’s life in Duty and Desire (in India) minus the extreme}

_{extravagance in the story.  I didn’t know about this until much later (2006/7).}

The 500 million rupee wedding between Sheetal and Sanjeet, the wedding of

_{the decade, became real when Vanisha Mittal, heiress to London born, steel}

_{tycoon, Lakshmi Mittal, announced her wedding to Amit Bhatia in 2004. The}

_{wedding between Vanisha and Amit, estimated to cost about $78m, was}

_{honored by Forbes’ Magazine and the Guinness Book of World Records, as}

_{the most expensive wedding ever, and took place at the Palace of Versailles,}

_{once home to Louis XIV, France’s Sun King.}

 

_{The Dhanraj mansion (70,000 sq. ft. of living space) with a private infinity}

_{pool, lakes, mountains, servants’ quarters, and more, has an equivalent in}

_{Florida, owned by David and Jackie Siegel… about 90,000 sq. ft. dream}

_{house.  The Siegels named their palace ‘The Versailles’ after a French}

_palace.

I’ve also had people in real-life situation speak/say things similar to what my

_{characters do in my works-in-progress.} 

 Some would say ‘awesome!’  I say it freaks me out.

 _{BHC: What kind of research was involved for Duty and Desire?}

_{ANJU:The research in Duty and Desire has been phenomenal.} 

_{I worked with 2 of India’s leading fashion designers.  Anita Dongre}

_{(www.anitadongre.com) designed the leading female character (Sheetal’s)}

_{Indian wedding trousseau and put together her ensembles for Sheetal}

_{throughout the story.  Arjun Khanna (www.arjunkhanna.com) designed the}

_{leading male character (Sanjeet’s) Indian wedding attire and put together}

_{Sanjeet’s international ensembles (mix of east and west) throughout the}

_story. 

_{I also worked with a Pilates and Yoga instructor, Ms. Abbey Brewer, Atlanta,}

_{Georgia, and Dr. Shruti Daga, UK. for the medical research.}

_{I had to research oil painting (for Sheetal), about emotionally abusive}

_{relationships and so much more on the reasons behind Indian customs and}

_{traditions… I could go on and on!}

 

_{BHC:Do you have to be alone or have quiet to write?}

_{ANJU:Pin-drop silence.  I know many authors love to have music in the}

_{background.  But writing fiction is a form of meditation for me.  I immerse}

_{myself in the character’s mind and heart.  I mean, how can I hear what}

_{they’re saying if I’m listening to others talk?  Sing?  Or—you get the idea?} 

_{However, after raising 2 boys I’ve trained myself, over the years, to block out}

_{the white noise and focus.}  

 

 

 

_{BHC:What has been your greatest pleasure in writing this book?}

_{ANJU:Living with and discovering the characters in the book.  Then meeting}

_{real readers at author events and hearing what they have to say about the}

_characters.

 

    _{BHC:I would read these books simply because of the covers – all in the}

_{series are beautiful! Did you have a part in their design? (series only)}

_{ANJU:My publisher, Greenbrier Book Co. have been amazing. They had}

_{several covers made for Duty and Desire, narrowed it down to 4 and left the}

_{final pick for me!} 

 

_{BHC:Do you have plans for a new book?  Is this book part of a series?}

_{ANJU:Duty and Desire is the debut in my ‘Winds of Fire’ series.  The second}

_{book is almost done and I’m currently working on a third book which will also}

_{tie in to the ‘Winds of Fire’ series.}

 

 

_{BHC:Who or what has most influenced your writing?}

_{ANJU:I’ve been blessed to work with, critiqued by and be guided by}

_{NYTimes Bestselling author Haywood Smith (my Guruji), Southern Women’s}

_Fiction.

_{USA Today Bestselling author Jade Lee (my soul sister), Multicultural +}

_{Historical Romance.} 

Other bestselling authors who have critiqued my work are: Anna De Stefano, Dianna Love and I’ve also worked with the following authors: Berta Platas, Carla Fredd and Tarah Scott.

 

_{Having lived and worked in India, Hong Kong, Australia, Singapore and USA}

_{has given me a deep understanding of what it means to write for different}

_{audiences, how to cut through the cultural differences with words and finally}

_{develop my brand: I write fiction to bridge cultures and break barriers.}

 

 

_{BHC:What appeals to you most about your chosen genre?}

_{ANJU:Women’s fiction gives me the flexibility to deal with complex}

_{characters, understand their layers and discover the layers of their conflict /}

_{plight.  I follow the protagonists’ leads at a time when a country (India) and}

_{its people are changing with the influx of globalization, a booming economy}

_{and western values seeping into and cutting through centuries of tradition}

_{and culture.}   

 

_{BHC:  Do you have a favorite author? Who and why?}

_{ANJU:KHALED HOSSEINI (In caps, bold and bigger font!!)  I love both his}

_{books, ‘The Kite Runner’ and ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns’… and was blown}

_{away when I read them.  I’m waiting for his next book!}

 

_{BHC:What is the best piece of writing advice you’ve received?}

_{ANJU:The best advice I can give is what I’ve been given:}

 

_{What NYTimes Bestselling author, Haywood Smith told me in 2004/5:}

_{“Writing is a journey.  Keep living your real life to its full while you create the}

_{world of fiction.”} 

 

_{From USA Today Bestselling author Jade Lee… (a partial of the original) – I}

_{still have this up on my board J… “You’re trying to sell a mango in a market}

_{used to oranges and apples…Your job is to send it to make it the best}

_{mango possible.  This will take a long time. You have to have enough faith}

_{that your mango is a great product all on its own. You have to believe that}

_{the market is ready for that mango. You have to know it in your heart that}

_{this is a good mango. And…you have to create more mangos. Your job is to}

_{get better and better with each time you write. Keep marketing that mango.}

_{Believe… You have a great mango.”}

 

_{BHC:Which authors and books have most influenced your writing style?}

_{ANJU:I just LOVE to read! I read almost every book by international}

_{bestselling author Sidney Sheldon and V.C. Andrews (during my teenage}

_{years).  I love current authors’ works: Khaled Hosseini, Jhumpa Lahiri, Lisa}

_{See, Amy Tan, Philippa Gregory, Jodi Picoult, Anita Shreve… I could go on}

_{and on… J}

 

_{Physical Travel:}

_{I love Sidney Sheldon’s tight-wired, fast-paced plots, his ability to swing}

_{readers from Germany to London to the Middle East within pages – travel}

_{the world and give a powerful conflict an international punch… ‘Rage of}

_{Angels’, ‘Sands of Time’…}

 

_{Mental & Emotional Travel:}

_{I love V.C.Andrews’ skill in taking readers through the hearts and minds of}

_{characters with deep emotional conflicts and her build-up of a series…}

_{‘Flowers in the Attic’, ‘My Sweet Audrina’…}

 

_{I learned, having grown up reading both authors’ works, that a writer has the}

_{ability to move people / transport /have them travel physically, emotionally}

_{and mentally… through the power of words.} 

 

_{BHC:What challenges did you face in getting your first book published?}

_{ANJU:Duty and Desire was a 9-year journey… a labor of love.  It is the debut}

_{in my ‘Winds of Fire’ series.  The original, handwritten draft took 1.5 years to}

_{pound out.  After that the book has been re-written over 25 times (computer)}

_{followed by another 4-5 rounds of edits.  Numerous rejections from agents}

_{and editors followed for years because (I believe) it didn’t quite ‘fit’ any}

_{specific genre.} 

_{I just read an article in the Oct 2012 issue of ‘Writer’s Digest’ – interview with}

_{NYTimes Bestselling author Patricia Cornwall… “’Postmortem’ did not}

_{deserve to be rejected by practically every major publishing house before it}

_{was accepted, but it was because it was so different [that] people didn’t know}

_{what to do with it.  I think something that’s unique is going to get passed over}

_{a lot of times—and then it gets published by some little offbeat press and}

_{takes the world by storm…”}

 

_{*My ego feels so much better now, right?*}    

 

 

_{BHC:What was one of the most surprising things you learned while writing}

_{Duty and Desire?}

_{ANJU:I had no idea how many themes were running in the story when I}

_{pounded out the original draft (2002-3).  I didn’t know it was up-market fiction}

 _{book-club level fiction either at the time.  Each re-write helped me discover}

_{more and more about the layers and themes in the book and the numerous}

_{layers to the main characters – including the secondary ones!} 

 

 

_{BHC:Laptop, desktop or notebook and pen for writing?}

_{ANJU:The original draft has to be in pen on clean, white paper.  Lines}

_{running across the page somehow make me feel restricted and hold my}

_{characters back from expressing themselves.  So you can imagine how my}

_{original manuscript must ‘swing’ all over the paper – literally speaking!! J Re-}

_{writes after are all on the computer (thank goodness or my hand would be in}

a cast by now!) – once the characters have spoken and the story is out.

_{Point to be noted – just because my characters have expressed themselves}

_{on the page doesn’t mean they stop talking.  If I give up on them (the 9-year}

_{wait remember?) they haunt me in my dreams and continue to talk.  Yes, like}

_{all writers I have *voices* in my head.} 

 

 

_{BHC:You’re spending one year living on a desert island – which three}

_{authors do you want with you?}

_{ANJU:Sidney Sheldon}

_V.C.Andrews

_{Khaled Hosseini}

 

_{BHC:Is there anything else you’d like to share with your readers today?}

_{I learned, after connecting with my readers at author events, that a writer}

_{becomes an author because of readers.  As a writer of novels I live in my}

_{own fictional world.  I create my problems (actually my characters – voices in}

_{my head – do!) and then I have to solve them.  But readers make the written}

_{word (print and digital) real.  Readers make the journey and isolation of the}

_{writing profession worthwhile.} 

 

_{I always love to hear back from readers and their opinions of my work.} 

_{Please feel free to email me at: anju@anjugattani.com.}

 

 

_{Where can your readers find you?}

 

_{My website: http://www.anjugattani.com/}

 

_{My blog: http://www.anjugattani.com/?page_id=61}

 

_{My Goodreads author page:}

_{http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5392481.Anju_Gattani}

 

_{Twitter: https://twitter.com/Anju_Gattani}

 

_{Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Duty-Desire-Anju-}

_{Gattani/dp/193757301X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345578534&sr=8-}

_{1&keywords=anju+gattani}

 

_{Other: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/duty-and-desire-anju-}

_{gattani/1107070733?ean=9781937573010}

 

_{Is your book in Print, ebook or both?}

_{Duty and Desire is available in hardcopy on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and}

_{most leading bookstores via online order.}

_{It is also available in digital format (ebook) for: Kindle, Nook, Sony, Kobo and}

_{all Apple products.} 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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• Book Review: Duty and Desire by Anju Gattani (myseryniti.wordpress.com)

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