New Website!!

Hi Everyone, I can’t believe it’s been almost 10 years since I started this blog. Well, it’s time for a change so come on over to my new author website and blog at www.darshanakhiani.com/blog . Be sure to subscribe to the blog at the new site so you never miss a post! If you would like to sign-up for my newsletter just scroll to the bottom of the home page www.darshanakhiani.com and enter your email where it says “Mailing List”. Thanks!

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Interview with Margaret Greanias

Last Friday, I shared the heart-warming Maximillian Villainous. Today I am excited to share with you my interview with my dear friend and debut author Margaret Greanias.

Who are your creative influences – in books, art, or any other media?

Oh wow, this is a tough question! I have many creative influences when it comes to books, and I’m sure I can’t name them all because sometimes influence is a subconscious thing.
During my early years, my favorite authors and stories that I read over and over again were:

• Tammi Sauer’s “Mostly Monsterly” and “Nugget and Fang” for the humor and full circle structure.
• Bonny Becker’s “A Visitor For Bear” for the writing, humor, and voice.
• Kelly Di Pucchio’s “Gilbert Goldfish Wants a Pet” and “Zombie in Love” for the humor.
• Pat Zietlow Miller’s “Sophie’s Squash” and “Quickest Kid in Clarksville”
• Michelle Knudsen’s “Library Lion” and “Big Mean Mike” for the storytelling and read-aloud ability.
• Peter Brown’s “Mr. Tiger Goes Wild” and “Children Make Terrible Pets” for turning concepts on their heads.
• Tara Lazar’s “Little Red Gliding Hood” and “7 Ate 9” for clever wordplay.
  More recently, I’ve really enjoyed the lyricism of Megan Wagner Lloyd’s “Finding Wild” and Katherine Applegate’s “Sometimes You Fly.”
  Can you see any of these influences in MAXIMILLIAN VILLAINOUS?

As writers, we take in our surroundings and experiences and sometimes put it into our writing. Are there any details in MAXIMILLIAN VILLAINOUS that have come from your life?

Most of the details and actions in MAXIMILLIAN VILLAINOUS were inspired by real life. For example, the idea of writing about villains came because my kids were loving the Despicable Me movies. The idea of wanting a pet came from my own childhood experience of pining away for a dog.
Also, smaller elements of the story — from the way Max pesters his family to get what he wants to making the leprechaun trap — all were inspired by my kids and what they were doing at and around the time I was writing the story.

Were there any specific challenges you encountered during the process of writing this story? Any particular joys?

I encountered many challenges in writing MAXIMILLIAN VILLAINOUS — it took two years from concept to ugly drafts to completion.
One challenge was creating a fresh story. I tried addressing this by mashing up two different concepts (villains and wanting a pet).
Another challenge was giving each family member a unique voice to distinguish them from each other especially since two family members (the dad and the grandfather) don’t have any action, only dialogue.
Another challenge was letting go of an ending I loved to find the right ending that worked best for the story. I initially had Max solving his problem and then the family rejecting his solution even though he met their requirements. I got the very astute feedback that the story should wrap up quickly once Max solves his problem. I always keep this feedback in mind even with current projects so that I don’t repeat the same mistake.

My biggest joy was when I found a way for Max to solve his problem in a surprising yet inevitable way (you’ll have to read the book to find out how he does it!). It gave me the same sort of satisfaction as solving a tough puzzle.

*******************************************

Some rapid fire questions.
What would you be doing if you weren’t a writer?
Park ranger

Favorite pick me up snack/drink?
drink: green tea
snack: berries or stone fruit

If you could have any kind of animal as a pet, what would it be?
Of course, a bunny. 🙂

What book(s) is on your bedside table?
The Way to Bea by Kat Yeh
War Storm by Victoria Aveyard

Where can readers find you on the Internet?
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MargaretGreaniasAuthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MargaretGreania
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/margaretgreanias/
Website: http://www.margaretgreanias.com

Thank you Margaret for stopping by today and sharing a bit about yourself. Wishing you many future successes!

South Asian Kidlit – Part 3

Dear Faithful readers, thanks so much for stopping by for another South Asian Kidlit round-up! Last one for 2018. You can use the rest of this year to catch up on your reading since there are a whole bunch of new books coming out in 2019! If you would like to check-out past round-ups click on this link which will take you to my past South Asian Kidlit posts. Also stay tuned, since I will have some very exciting news of my own to share. 😉

The books listed below are traditionally published and are either by a South Asian author, contains a South Asian Main Character, or involves South Asian culture. The books are organized by Category and then Publication Date.

Title: Diwali Lights
Author: Rina Singh
Publisher: Orca Books
Publication Date: August 28th, 2018
Category-Genre: Board Book – Concept Book

Synopsis: Every year in October or November, most Indians come together to celebrate Diwali.
All the stories of Diwali celebrate the victory of good over evil and light over darkness.
Diwali is the biggest and the brightest of all Indian festivals. Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, is a central figure of the festival. Diwali is a time of great joy. Happy Diwali!

Bio: Rina Singh has published several critically acclaimed books for children inspired by her Indo-Canadian heritage. Her book – A Forest of Stories has been translated in many languages. Her book – Diwali: A Festival of Lights was nominated for the Red Cedar Award. This is her third book with Orca. She lives in a blue house in Toronto. Surrounded by tall trees, birds, squirrels, a rabbit, and a fish pond in her garden, she hopes to write many more books for children.

Website: www.rinasingh.com
Twitter: @storiesbysingh
Instagram: @storiesbysingh

Title: A Dog Named Haku, A Holiday Story From Nepal  
Authors: Amish Karanjit and Nicole Karajit, co-authored with Margarita Engle
Illustrator: Ruth Jeyaveeran
Publisher: Lerner Books
Publication Date: September 1, 2018
Category-Genre: Picture Book

Synopsis: Two adventurous young boys search Kathmandu for a stray dog to feed during a dog-honoring festival.

Bios: 

Amish Karanjit is from Nepal, and currently works as a medical biotech research associate near San Francisco. A Dog Named Haku was inspired by events from his own childhood, and by his family’s survival after the 2015 earthquake.

Nicole Karanjit is a linguist and adult ELL instructor from California, currently working as a full-time mom and mixed-media artist near San Francisco.

Margarita Engle is the Cuban-American author of picture books such as Drum Dream Girl and All the Way to Havana. She is currently the Young People’s Poet Laureate. Nicole is her daughter, and Amish is her son-in-law. They collaborated on A Dog Named Haku to provide two-year-old Maya Karanjit with a mirror book about her father’s culture.

Margarita Engle
Website: www.margaritaengle.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/margarita.engle.1
Twitter: @YPPLaureate

Title: Super Satya Saves the Day 
Author: Raakhee Mirchandani
Illustrator: Tim Palin
Publisher: Bharat Babies
Publication Date: October 2nd, 2018
Category-Genre: Picture Book

Synopsis: Super Satya is ready to have a super day, including finally conquering the tallest slide in Hoboken. But her day takes a not-so-super turn when she realizes her superhero cape is stuck at the dry cleaner. Will she be able to face her fears, help her friends and be the true hero everyone knows she is? Super Satya Saves The Day introduces Satya, a precocious Indian-American superhero.

Bio: Raakhee Mirchandani is an writer, editor, Jersey Girl and pediatric cancer crusader. Her work has appeared in Elle, Glamour, Wall Street Journal, New York Daily News, New York Post, Redbookand HuffPo. She’s the Editor-in-Chief of Moneyish, published by Dow Jones. “Super Satya Saves the Day” is Raakhee’s first book and is inspired by her own fiery 4-year-old daughter Satya.

Website: www.raakstar.com
Twitter: @Raakstar
Instagram: @RaakstarWrites

Title: Shubh Raatri Dost/Good Night Friend 
Author & Illustrator: Nidhi Chanani
Publisher: Bharat Babies
Publication Date: October 2018
Category-Genre: Board Book-Bilingual, Animal Primer

Synopsis: As day turns to night, follow Bhai (brother) and Behan (sister) in their Indian farm home while they bid their animal friends a good night. Children will love this sweet sleep tale that builds their Hindi and English vocabulary. Every page includes Hindi language script, Romanized Hindi, and English language, which makes each language accessible to your whole family.

Bio: Nidhi Chanani is a freelance illustrator, cartoonist and writer. She was born in Calcutta and raised in suburban southern California. She creates because it makes her happy – with the hope that it can make others happy, too. In April of 2012, she was honored by the Obama Administration as a Champion of Change.

Instagram: nidhiart
Twitter: @nidhiart
Tumblr: nidhiart
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/nidhichananiartist

Title: Meet Yasmin 
Author: Saadia Faruqi
Illustrator: Hatem Aly
Publisher: Picture Window Books/Capstone
Publication Date: August 1, 2018
Category-Genre: Early Chapter Books

Synopsis: Yasmin is a spirited second-grader who’s always on the lookout for those “aha” moments to help her solve life’s little problems. Taking inspiration from her surroundings and her big imagination, she boldly faces any situation, assuming her imagination doesn’t get too big, of course! A creative thinker and curious explorer, Yasmin and her multi-generational Pakistani American family will delight and inspire readers.

Bios:
Saadia Faruqi is a Pakistani American writer, essayist and interfaith activist. She writes for a number of publications including the Huffington Post, and is editor-in-chief of Blue Minaret, a magazine for Muslim art, poetry and prose. Her adult short story collection Brick Walls: Tales of Hope & Courage from Pakistan was published in 2015.

Hatem Aly is an Egyptian-born illustrator whose work has been featured in multiple publications worldwide. One of the books he illustrated is The Inquisitor’s Tale by Adam Gidwitz, which won a Newbery Honor and other awards despite Hatem’s drawings of a farting dragon, a two-headed cat, and stinky cheese.

Saadia Faruqi
Website: www.saadiafaruqi.com
Facebook: @SaadiaFaruqiAuthor
Twitter: @SaadiaFaruqi
Instagram: @SaadiaFaruqi

Hatem Aly
Website: www.metahatem.com
Facebook: @MetaHatem
Twitter: @MetaHatem
Instagram: @MetaHatem

Title: Murder at the Grand Raj Palace 
Author: Vaseem Khan
Publisher: Redhook, Hachette Publishing
Publication Date: June 12, 2018
Category-Genre: Young Adult – Crime Fiction

Synopsis: When American billionaire Hollis Burbank is found dead in India’s most iconic hotel the authorities are keen to label it a suicide. But the man in charge of the investigation is not so sure. Inspector Ashwin Chopra is called in – with his baby elephant sidekick – and discovers a hotel full of people with a reason to want Burbank dead…

Bio: Vaseem Khan is the author of the Mumbai-set Baby Ganesh Detective Agency series. The first book The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra was a Times bestseller and an Amazon Best Debut. Born in London, Vaseem spent a decade working in India. He now works at University College London’s Department of Security and Crime Science.

Website: http://vaseemkhan.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VaseemKhanOfficial/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/VaseemKhanUK

Title: A Spark of White Fire 
Author: Sangu Mandanna
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Publication Date: September 11, 2018
Category-Genre: Young Adult-Space Opera

Synopsis: Inspired by the Mahabharata, A Spark of White Fire tells the story of Esmae, an orphan and servant who enters a competition and reveals herself to be the lost princess of a kingdom on the brink of a civil war. With an unbeatable, sentient warship on her side, she sets out to end the war and restore the crown to the rightful ruler.

Bio: Sangu Mandanna was four years old when an elephant chased her down a forest road and she decided to write her first story about it. Seventeen years and many, many manuscripts later, she signed her first book deal. Sangu now lives in Norwich, a city in the east of England, with her husband and kids.

Website: http://www.sangumandanna.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/SanguMandanna
Instagram: http://instagram.com/sangumandanna

South Asian Kidlit 2018 – Part 2: Novels

Last week I posted Part 2: Picture Books. Today, I’m posting novels from Chapter Books to Young Adult. Lots of great reads!

The books listed below are traditionally published and are either by a South Asian author, contains a South Asian Main Character, or involves South Asian culture. The books are organized by Category and then Publication Date.

For an abbreviated pdf version of this list click here. Feel free to share with librarians, booksellers, teachers, and book lovers everywhere.

Title: Power Forward
Author: Hena Khan
Illustrator: Sally Wern Comport
Publisher: Salaam Reads
Publication Date: May 8, 2018
Category-Genre: Chapter Book

Synopsis:
From the critically acclaimed author of Amina’s Voice comes the first book in an exciting new chapter book series about a fourth-grader named Zayd Saleem with big dreams of basketball stardom. There are only a few small things in his way.

Bio:
Hena Khan is the author of Amina’s Voice, a Washington Post, Kirkus Reviews and NPR Best Book of 2017, the Zayd Saleem: Chasing the Dream chapter book series, and several beloved picture books including Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns, It’s Ramadan, Curious George, and Night of the Moon.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/henakhanbooks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hena.khan.author
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/henakhanbooks/
Website: https://www.henakhan.com/

Title: Ramadan: The Holy Month of Fasting
Author: Ausma Zehanat Khan
Publisher: Orca Books
Publication Date: March 27, 2018
Category-Genre: Middle Grade – Nonfiction

Synopsis:
Ramadan: The Holy Month of Fasting explores the richness and diversity of the Islamic tradition by focusing on an event of great spiritual significance and beauty in the lives of Muslims. Rich with personal stories and stunning photographs, Ramadan demystifies the traditions and emphasizes the importance of diversity in a world where Islamophobia is on the rise.

Bio:
Ausma Zehanat Khan is the author of the Khattak/Getty mystery series, which has been optioned for television. A British-born Canadian, she is a former adjunct law professor and the former editor-in-chief of Muslim Girl magazine. She lives in Colorado with her husband.

Website: www.ausmazehanatkhan.com
Twitter: @AusmaZehanat
Facebook: @ausmazehanatkhan

Title: Amal Unbound
Author: Aisha Saeed
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Publication Date: May 8, 2018
Category-Genre: Middle Grade – Contemporary

Synopsis:
Bookish Amal loves learning and dreams of becoming a teacher one day until an accidental run in with a corrupt local landlord in her Punjabi village results in her being taken into his home as an indentured servant. Amal feels hopeless at first but learns to navigate her new life and wonders if perhaps, just maybe, she could change things for her town and take this landlord down once and for all.

Bio:
Aisha Saeed is an author, lawyer, educator and mother. Her debut novel was Written in the Stars (Penguin, 2015). She lives in Atlanta with her husband and three sons.

Twitter: @aishacs
Instagram: @aishacs

Title: Damselfly
Author: Chandra Prasad
Publisher: Scholastic
Publication Date: March 27, 2018
Category-Genre: Young Adult Fiction

Synopsis:
In the wake of a crash landing on a deserted tropical island, a group of private school teens must rely on their wits and one another to endure. When their initial attempts to escape the island fail, the teens find they need to survive more than the jungle . . . they need to survive each other.

Bio:
Chandra Prasad’s first young adult novel, Damselfly, will be published this month by Scholastic. The author previously wrote novels for adults, including On Borrowed Wings, a historical drama set in early 20th century Yale University, and Death of a Circus, which Booklist called “Richly textured [and] packed with glamour and grit.” Prasad is also the originator and editor of Mixed, an anthology of short stories on the multiracial experience, which was published to international acclaim by W.W. Norton.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/chandrabooks
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/207156.Chandra_Prasad
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Chandra-Prasad/e/B001IQZHZS
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chandra.prasad.1654

Title: My So-Called Bollywood Life
Author: Nisha Sharma
Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers, Random House Children’s Books
Publication Date: May 15, 2018
Category-Genre: Young Adult – Romantic Comedy

Synopsis:
Winnie Mehta must learn to choose between free will and destiny as she struggles to gain control of her school’s film festival. Luckily, she gets a little help from a Bollywood movie star along the way.

Bio:
Nisha Sharma lives in New Jersey with her cat Lizzie Bennett and her dog Nancey Drew. MY SO-CALLED BOLLYWOOD LIFE is her debut novel.

Website: www.nisha-sharma.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/nishawrites
Twitter: www.twitter.com/nishawrites

Title: Mariam Sharma Hits the Road
Author: Sheba Karim
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: June 5, 2018
Category-Genre: Young Adult – Contemporary

Synopsis:
Three South Asian American best friends pile into a car and start driving south, making all kinds of pit stops along the way–from a college drag party to a Muslim convention, from alarming encounters at roadside diners to honky-tonks and barbeque joints, each mile of the road bringing them closer to their own truths, and each other.

Bio:
Sheba Karim is the author of Skunk Girl and That Thing We Call a Heart. She is based in Nashville, TN.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/shebakarimwriter
Twitter: www.twitter.com/shebakarim

Title: A Reaper at the Gates
Author: Sabaa Tahir
Publisher: Razorbill, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers
Publication Date: June 12, 2018
Category-Genre: Young Adult – Fantasy

Synopsis:
The highly anticipated third book in #1 New York Times bestselling author Sabaa Tahir’s EMBER QUARTET.

Beyond the Martial Empire and within it, the threat of war looms ever larger. Helene Aquilla, the Blood Shrike, is desperate to protect her sister’s life and the lives of everyone in the Empire. But she knows that danger lurks on all sides. Far to the east, Laia of Serra knows the fate of the world lies not in the machinations of the Martial court, but in stopping the Nightbringer. And in the land between the living and the dead, Elias Veturius has given up his freedom to serve as Soul Catcher. But in doing so, he has vowed himself to an ancient power that demands his complete surrender–even if that means abandoning the woman he loves.

Bio:
Sabaa Tahir is the New York Times bestselling author of the young adult fantasy An Ember in the Ashes.  She likes thunderous indie rock, garish socks, and all things nerd. Sabaa currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her family.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sabaatahir
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SabaaTahirAuthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sabaatahir/
Tumblr: http://sabaatahir.tumblr.com

Amazon Books at Santana Row

Tonight I stopped by the new Amazon Books store at Santana Row in San Jose, CA. It was PACKED. Wall-to-wall people. The front part of the store had the Alexa device and other Amazon tech gadgets. I made my way to the children’s section at the back of the store.

Kids were sitting on the floor, between aisles reading. *love*

My favorite part of the bookstore was that all the books were FACE OUT. So so nice to see all those beautiful covers. But in a small store having books face out, comes at a steep price — lack of breadth. The majority of books were either classics or bestsellers. Most books were published at least two years ago. There were a small handful of newly published books. I was pleasantly surprised to see my agency mate’s newly released PB The Antlered Ship.

It will be interesting to see if the bookstore changes anything up to cater to the diverse, reading people of the Bay Area or if it continues just carrying best-selling books from their website.

For now, Amazon Books is a good place to go if you want to grab a bestseller at a great price. (Amazon Prime members get to pay online prices.) But if you are looking for anything else, I’d suggest driving down a mile to that much larger bookstore.