New from the author of Counting Down with You comes a sparkling YA romance about an aspiring screenwriter who falls for the indie film star who goes undercover at her school.
We chat with author Tashie Bhuiyan about her latest book release A Show For Two, along with writing, book recommendations, and more!
Hi, Tashie! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Of course! I’m Tashie Bhuiyan, the author of Counting Down with You and A Show for Two. I’m 23, based in NYC, and love writing stories about girl with wild hearts.
How has almost the first half of 2022 been for you?
Not too bad actually! It’s been really fun promoting my sophomore novel and being able to do in-person events and all that fun jazz. Can’t complain!
When did you first discover your love for writing?
In sixth grade! My English teacher gave us a creative writing assignment for homework, and I was invigorated by it. I loved being able to create my own story and my own world with my own characters. I remember thinking I’d written an incredible novel—in retrospect, it was 6 pages.
Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!
The Magic Tree House series was definitely the first books I remember reading and got me into the world of books! Reading The Song of Achilles made me want to become an author, if only to make others feel the way Madeline Miller made me feel. I can’t stop thinking about Dark Rise by C.S. Pacat and cannot wait for the sequel!
Your new novel, A Show For Two, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
A love letter to NYC. J
What can readers expect?
A hate-to-love romance between an aspiring screenwriter and the up-and-coming actor that enrolls in her high school under a secret identity, with a splash of complicated family dynamics, discussions of mental health, and what it means to find a home within yourself.
Where did the inspiration for A Show For Two come from?
The inspiration came from when I was in high school, and during my senior year, Tom Holland went undercover as a student to prepare for his upcoming role as Spider-Man! It was super surreal and I remember thinking it would be such a cool book idea.
Can you tell us a bit about the challenges you faced while writing and how you were able to overcome them?
It was difficult writing this book during the peak of the pandemic, especially since it’s based so heavily in exploring NYC. Despite being a native New Yorker, I couldn’t really leave my house to get all the details right like I would have been able to if it had been a different time. In the end, I decided to use Google Maps/Earth to scout out the exact details of the locations Mina and Emmitt visit.
Were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I loved writing the scene depicted on the cover of the book. It’s definitely a moment of high emotions and it also has a title drop, so definitely one of my favorites.
What’s the best and the worst writing advice you have received?
The best writing advice I’ve gotten is to read widely. I think the more you read, the more you improve as a writer, because you get to absorb and learn from such incredible stories. The worst writing advice I’ve gotten is probably left better unsaid, but at the end of the day, I think it’s important to remember that the books we write are ours so we should be writing them for ourselves.
What’s next for you?
At the moment, I’m vibing along, but hopefully I’ll have fun things to announce in the future!
Lastly, do you have any 2022 book recommendations for our readers?
Ophelia After All by Racquel Marie, Only a Monster by Vanessa Len, Godslayers by Zoe Hana Mikuta, and Foul Lady Fortune by Chloe Gong!
