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Sheela Chari |
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Children’s author |
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What made you want to be a writer? I think the reasons for wanting to write change over time. In third grade, I wanted to be a writer because I liked making stories. After all, I was imagining them to myself all the time—what better job than to do it as a grown-up? I still remember visiting an author’s house on one of our field trips at school, and being amazed that this man could stay at home, with his own special and important-looking desk, writing stories. In college, writing became a form of escape. I found that rather than studying for an economics exam, I would rather write a short story. So that’s what I did—in between studying, on breaks, at the library when I ought to be doing a problem set, I’d sneak in a few minutes to work on my story. Only later did it occur to me that I shouldn’t have to “sneak in” writing—I ought to do it full-time. Today, writing makes me feel like I’ve had a total and complete mental workout. Writing is a challenge that feeds my brain and my soul. A perfectly written sentence pretty much makes my day. How long did it take to write VANISHED? If you want to include writing the book, revising it, selling it, and revising it some more, a total of 5 years. It’s hard for me to believe! What advice can you give writers? Everyone says: Read. To which I concur. In other words, yes! Read, read, read. But also, re-read. Have favorite books that you revisit when you’re upset or bored, or because you’re so attached to them, you have to relive their stories again and again. Be passionate about the stories you love, and strive to write the kind of books you would want to read. You are a pretty darn good audience for your work. What are your favorite books? I admire so many books, it would be hard to list all of them. So I will just stick to the ones that have made the most lasting impression on me: A WRINKLE IN TIME - Madeline L’Engle A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN - Betty Smith ALICE IN WONDERLAND - Lewis Carroll HAROUN AND THE SEA OF STORIES - Salman Rushdie A NORTHERN LIGHT - Jennifer Donnelly THE GOLDEN COMPASS - Philip Pullman WAR AND PEACE - Leo Tolstoy COMPLETE POEMS - Elizabeth Bishop |
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Copyright © 2009–2010 Sheela Chari. All rights reserved. Select artwork by Keerthana. All photos by Shivi Isman, except where noted. |
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