Interviewer: Sangita Swechcha
[Dr Sara Kapadia is an artist, educator, yoga teacher, academic, and writer who uses a transdisciplinary approach in all her projects. Sara, who currently is based in the USA, is of South Asian descent. She was born and raised in London, United Kingdom. A PhD graduate from Claremont Graduate University, USA, Sara is the founder and editor of an online, peer-reviewed, art-science publication called The STEAM Journal. More about Sara can be found at www.sara.kapadia.com. More recently, she is working towards publishing her novel and shares her writing and journey towards publishing. Sangita Swechha recently caught up with her for a brief conversation. Presented herewith is an edited excerpt of the same.]
You are working on publishing a book, what is it about?
My middle grade book is a retelling of Alice in Wonderland but based in India. Alisha lives in the Sundarbans with her parents and brother, and dear grandma, her Naani. Alisha’s mother expects her to stay at home and do chores, but Alisha loves to climb trees and listen to stories from her Naani. Then Alisha stumbles into a magical place called Roshanban, and meets a big blue speaking tiger who takes her further into the magical kingdom.
You said you have had an offer of a literary agent. How is your experience in finding an agent? Any suggestions for writers looking to get hold of agents?
I queried a few agents last year then I stopped because I got into a mentorship from The Word with a MacMillan editor. Then I took part in Twitter events like Pitmad and APIpit, and then queried again this March. Then I got an offer in July from BookEnds Literary Agency! I will be represented by Naomi Davis. I am excited for this and look forward to have my book published soon.
In terms of looking for agents, I suggest to look at MSWL on the website and on Twitter. MSWL is a site where agents and editors share what projects they wish they had in their inbox. Also, doing the Twitter events such as Pitmad will be helpful. It is important to keep track of the agents who represent books similar to your manuscript. Also, do check the websites to see what agents are looking for. I have found all these helpful being picked by my agent for my book!
Tell us about your artwork & your inspiration to work on it.
I have always dabbled in artwork, water colors, acrylic, pencil, etc. Recently I have learned how to do digital artwork. It is really fun to learn a new skill, and I have received several commissions that authors wanted of their characters.
You seem to explore a lot of cultural integration in your illustrations. Is your writing too blended into Asian culture and diaspora?
I was born in London, United Kingdom to parents who were born in India before the partition. My mother ended up in what would become Bangladesh and my father ended up in Pakistan. They met in London, while studying. Then I was born. I was raised with Bengali folk stories, Bengali folk dancing, and Pakistani textiles, food and of course Bollywood movies. My writing blends fantasy with real life experiences. I draw from the myths and legends of South Asia. I hope to create stories that are magical and immersive. As a writer of color I am aware that I need to represent my culture in the most authentic way. I try to make sure to show the nuances of being South Asian.
[Sangita Swechcha is a Communications Professional, Researcher & a Fiction writer. She tweets at: @SangyShrestha]