Any first novel is brave. ‘Sadomasochism’ is a simplistic way to describe it. It’s also about how pain and pleasure weaves our lives and how the past and memory remains with us.
An au pair and Indian doctor...? Why Indian?
Because Indian men are the sexiest! No. The book deals with how we’re controlled by our choices and circumstances, so the concepts of karma and dharma fit right in. One way to introduce this was to have an Indian character.
And Bollywood... What did your in-laws say?
You’ll have to ask them!
As Mrs Chandra, don’t you feel the entire subcontinent will judge you?
I began the book before I was Mrs Chandra, but no, I’m not worried about being judged. I had to write this. Writers need to follow their obsessions no matter what any continent will think.
How did you think up the plot?
An episode on a radio series chronicled an anonymous confession line. One involved a man admitting to something he had done as a child that had a devastating effect on his family. I wondered what the pain and guilt had done to him. This was the impetus for the book.
How did you live with Josie’s complexities?
Like any parent, I loved her despite her flaws.
Why this preoccupation with unspoken aspects of life?
These are the forces that drive all of us, whether we choose to acknowledge this or not.
So you wanted to be an actress?
Well, besides being a bad actress, I was lucky to have a very creative English teacher my first year in college. She assigned us some fiction writing exercises and from then I was hooked.
Will you co-author a book with Vikram?
In the interest of the marriage, we’ll pass.
Tell us about your next book?
There’s one brewing, but I’m busy with my current project—our new daughter.
