Interview with Roshani Chokshi
What first made you want to write?
Holly Black. I’ve been a huge fan of her work for years.
Who are your biggest inspirations, both in writing and in everything?
My family. So much of what I write is drawn from the tales I heard growing up and the fierce, complex women who make up my life.
You’ve written lots of fantastic novels with fleshed out, inspiring Asian female main characters like Aru and Gauri. What parts of your main characters do you see in yourself, whether it was a conscious decision or something you realized later on?
Thank you! For each of my female characters, I try to give them one aspect of myself and then watch as that character trait transforms them into a wholly different individual due to their circumstances/backgrounds/worries. Aru is most like the version of myself when I was in middle school. I had an unfortunate reputation as a liar, a big imagination, and a sullen wish to be so much more than what I was.
What do you find the most fulfilling about writing?
The end of a book! Nothing like realizing I’ve brought a tale as far as I can take it, and feeling the immense satisfaction of that.
What do you find the most challenging about writing?
I’m extremely fortunate to have a wide audience for my work, but the downside of that is the nagging doubt that I might be letting down my readers with my next project.
What do you consider your biggest accomplishment?
A Crown of Wishes. Writing second books require an unhinging of your very soul. It’s the book that taught me I could produce a story I was fiercely proud of in an amount of time that I was sure would be the end of my career.
What pieces of art involving Asian women have caught your eye lately?
I’m a big fan of Kinuko Y. Craft’s work, and recently purchased my first piece from her!
What’s next for you? Any exciting new projects?
I’m working on my first, adult non-fantasy project, and it’s been hugely rewarding. This summer, I’ve got my first audio novella releasing from Audible called AGAIN UPON A TIME. I can’t wait to share it with you!
Roshani Chokshi is the author of commercial and critically acclaimed books for middle grade and young adult readers that draws on world mythology and folklore. Her work has been nominated for the Locus and Nebula awards, and has frequently appeared on Best of The Year lists from Barnes and Noble, Forbes, Buzzfeed and more. Her New York Times bestselling series includes The Star-Touched Queen duology, The Gilded Wolves, and Aru Shah and The End of Time, which was recently optioned for film by Paramount Pictures.
